Twin-Screw Compressor Slide Valve With Integrated Pulsation Attenuation

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Solution Overview

Problem

Twin-screw compressors experience air flow pulsations on the suction side, leading to vibrations and noise due to discontinuous inter-tooth volumes, which existing technologies have not effectively addressed through the structure of slide valves.

Innovation Solution

A slide valve with cavities and passages configured to connect with an external fluid, reducing air flow pulsations on the suction side by attenuating energy, thereby alleviating vibrations and noise without additional attenuation devices or extra pressure loss.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If the slide valve structure is used for load regulation, then the amount of air delivered can be regulated, but air flow pulsations cause vibrations and noise

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveamount of air deliveredVSAvoidvibrations and noise
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

A pulsation attenuation device is introduced as an intermediary component between the suction cavity and the slide valve. This device contains a pulsation attenuation cavity and multiple attenuation passages that serve as a mediator to smooth out air flow pulsations before they reach the slide valve, thereby reducing vibrations and noise while maintaining load regulation capability

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The slide valve structure is modified by adding cavities and passages that change the flow parameters. The pulsation attenuation passages alter the air flow characteristics by creating a more gradual pressure change, transforming the pulsating flow into a smoother flow regime that reduces harmful vibrations and noise

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

2Object-affected harmful factors

If pulsation attenuation design is added to the slide valve, then air flow pulsations can be reduced, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveair flow pulsationsVSAvoidstructure of slide valve
Core Design Contradiction:
Object-affected harmful factorsVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The pulsation attenuation function is merged with the existing slide valve structure. The attenuation passages are integrated within the slide valve body itself, combining the load regulation function and pulsation attenuation function into a single unified component, thereby reducing device complexity while achieving pulsation reduction

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The slide valve is designed to perform multiple functions simultaneously: load regulation through axial movement and pulsation attenuation through the integrated cavity and passage structure. This multi-functionality eliminates the need for separate pulsation attenuation devices, maintaining simplicity while reducing air flow pulsations

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

The proposed slide valve design effectively reduces overall air flow pulsations, alleviates vibrations and noise, and improves the running reliability of twin-screw compressors at various loads by absorbing energy from air flow pulsations without causing additional pressure loss.

Implementation Method 1

the slide valve has at least one passage configured to fluidly connect the cavity with an external fluid to reduce air flow pulsations on the suction side of the twin-screw compressor

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectAcoustic absorption: Acoustic Absorption

Implementation Method 2

By attenuating the energy of air flow on a suction side of the twin-screw compressor to reduce the air flow pulsations on the suction side, the overall air flow pulsation level is lowered

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectEnergy attenuation: Damping

Data Source

PatentEP3688310B1A slide valve for a twin-screw compressor
Publication Date: 2024.10.30 JOHNSON CONTROLS AIR CONDITIONING & REFRIGERATION (WUXI) CO LTD
  • EP3688310B1 patent drawingFigure 1A
  • EP3688310B1 patent drawingFigure 1B~1C
  • EP3688310B1 patent drawingFigure 1D

AI summary

The present application provides a slide valve, wherein the slide valve is configured to regulate a load of a twin-screw compressor. The slide valve comprises a slide valve body, wherein the slide valve body has a connecting end and a free end, the connecting end is configured to connect to a slide valve connecting rod of the twin-screw compressor, and the slide valve is driven to slide by the slide valve connecting rod. A cavity is formed in the free end of the slide valve body, and the slide valve has a passage configured to fluidly couple the cavity with an external fluid to reduce air flow pulsations on a suction side of the twin-screw compressor and thereby reduce overall air flow pulsations in the twin-screw compressor.