KR20240158998A - Compressor device and compressor assembly comprising such compressor device - Google Patents

Abstract

A compressor device (1) comprises a compressor element (9) provided with an acoustic impedance adapter (10) having an adapter inlet duct (27) and an adapter outlet duct (28) interconnected by an adapter intermediate duct portion (29) surrounding at least one expansion chamber (30) at a fluid duct outlet (26), wherein a maximum opening (32) of the adapter intermediate duct portion (29) having an equivalent diameter (C) is significantly larger than a minimum opening (31) of the adapter inlet duct (27) having an equivalent diameter (B).

Description

Compressor device and compressor assembly comprising such compressor device

The present invention relates to a compressor apparatus for compressing or pressurizing a gaseous fluid, typically air or another gas, such as carbon dioxide, nitrogen, argon, helium or hydrogen. However, it is not excluded from the present invention that the compressor apparatus be used for compressing or pressurizing a denser fluid, such as water vapor or the like.

In addition, the compressor devices of the present invention include a fluid duct for guiding fluid from a fluid duct inlet to a fluid duct outlet through the compressor device.

The compressor device is generally a volumetric compressor device, such as a rotary compressor, such as a sawtooth compressor, a twin lobe compressor or a rotary screw compressor. However, it is not excluded from the present invention that the compressor device is another type of compressor device.

The invention further relates to compressor units of a type which are designed to operate under certain nominal operating conditions. Typically, the nominal flow rate of the compressor unit according to the invention is in the range between 40 and 140 l/s. Additionally or as an alternative, the compressor unit according to the invention has a rotor or a rotating element (e.g. a male or female screw rotor) which operates at a nominal rotor speed in the range between 3000 and 9000 rpm. However, the invention does not exclude the design of other types of compressor units which have nominal operating ranges which do not fall within the above-mentioned ranges. Furthermore, the invention does not exclude the design of a compressor unit which is designed for a certain nominal operating flow rate or nominal operating speed, but operates at another flow rate or another operating speed.

The present invention also relates to a compressor assembly comprising one or more compressor stages, at least one of which is formed by a compressor device according to the present invention.

The compressor devices according to the present invention are generally connected in series to form a compressor assembly according to the present invention, although other configurations are not excluded from the present invention.

Typically, uncompressed ambient air is drawn into the compressor assembly at a fluid duct inlet of the present invention and converted into compressed air through different compression stages within the compressor assembly, which is supplied at a fluid duct outlet of the compressor assembly for use by the user of the compressed or pressurized air (or, more commonly, pressurized fluid).

More specifically, the present invention relates to compressor assemblies of that kind, which preferably comprise means for cooling, which are at least partly air-cooled means. For that purpose, the compressor assembly to which the present invention relates comprises, for example, a device for forcing air flow within an air channel through a housing from an air channel inlet to an air channel outlet.

Additionally, the compressor assembly according to the present invention generally comprises one or more heat exchangers disposed within the air channel for transferring heat to air, which is forced through the air channel by a device for forcing air flow from the heat exchanger. These heat exchangers are generally intended to cool the pressurized fluid and to transfer heat accumulated in the compressed or pressurized fluid to the surrounding air flowing through the associated heat exchanger(s) during compression.

High temperature compressed or pressurized fluids are not suitable for supply to consumers of compressed or pressurized fluids, not only because of their high temperature, but also because, for example, too much moisture will accumulate inside them.

Often, a heat exchanger is provided after each compression stage in the compressor assembly to cool the fluid before providing it to the next compression stage or to a consumer of the compressed or pressurized fluid.

In recent years, much effort has been put into reducing the consumption of fossil fuels and transforming them into more environmentally friendly energy sources. The current high prices of fossil fuels are a great stimulus for behavioral change. Another aspect of this transformation is the trend toward a reduction in energy consumption.

Furthermore, in the context of industrial production and manufacturing, there is a strong need to reduce the costs associated with energy consumption. In the context of the present invention, which is in the area of compressor technology, energy consumption is a major issue, and much effort is put into increasing the energy efficiency of the associated compressor devices and compressor assemblies.

In addition, it is a known phenomenon that in rotary compressor devices, vibrations and pressure pulsations occur within the compressed fluid, which depend on the rotational speed of the compressor rotor. These vibrations and pressure pulsations generate noise and can cause damage not only to the compressor devices and compressor assemblies themselves, but also to components surrounding the compressor devices and compressor assemblies.

Another commonly encountered problem associated with these vibrations and pressure pulsations is that the compressed or pressurized fluid is not discharged in an optimal manner, or that the uncompressed fluid is not supplied to the compression chamber of the associated compressor unit in an efficient manner.

It is an object of the present invention to overcome one or more of the problems mentioned above and/or possibly further problems.

In particular, a primary object of the present invention is to increase the overall energy efficiency of compressor devices and compressor assemblies.

To this end, the invention relates, inter alia, to a compressor device comprising a compressor element for compressing a fluid, and comprising a fluid duct for guiding the fluid through the compressor element from a fluid duct inlet to a fluid duct outlet, wherein an acoustic impedance adapter is provided at the fluid duct outlet, the adapter inlet duct and the adapter outlet duct being interconnected by an adapter intermediate duct part surrounding at least one expansion chamber, the internal cross-sectional area of the adapter inlet duct forming a minimum opening having a particular minimum equivalent internal diameter, and the internal cross-sectional area of the adapter intermediate duct part forming a maximum opening having a particular maximum equivalent internal diameter, and the maximum equivalent internal diameter of the adapter intermediate duct part being significantly larger than the minimum equivalent internal diameter of the adapter inlet duct.

A great advantage of such a compressor device according to the present invention is that it is provided with an adapter at its fluid duct discharge for correcting the acoustic impedance of the complete configuration, so that the flow of the compressed or pressurized fluid in the adapter discharge duct is smoother than without such an acoustic impedance adapter.

In particular, the acoustic impedance adapter has at least one expansion chamber which acts as a sort of intermediate buffer between the fluid duct outlet and the adapter outlet to smooth out or even out pressure fluctuations, pulsations, or imbalances of the compressed fluid discharged from the compressor element.

In that way, a more energy efficient compressor device is obtained and the discharge of the compressed fluid from the compressor element is stimulated.

In general, compression of a fluid within a compressor element generates pressure pulses within the compressed fluid, either forward or (in the fluid flow) downstream.

In a preferred embodiment of the compressor device according to the present invention, the acoustic impedance adapter modifies the acoustic impedance in such a way that the compressed or partially compressed fluid present within the compressor element is influenced such that the reflected pressure pulsations emanating from the acoustic impedance adapter in the backward or upstream direction at least partially cancel the pressure pulsations in the forward or downstream direction, so that the pressure of the compressed fluid upstream of the adapter has overall less pulsating characteristics.

Such an embodiment of the compressor device according to the present invention is very advantageous, since the acoustic impedance adapter influences the fluid pressure of the fluid being compressed or already compressed within the compressor chamber itself, i.e. at a location upstream (in the fluid flow) of the acoustic impedance adapter.

This is very different from what is known in the prior art as a "silencer" or "pulse filter". In fact, silencers and pulsation filters are devices in which a conversion takes place from something coming in to something else going out. What goes out is usually less than what comes in.

In the context of the present invention, the incoming "something" is a flow of pressurized or compressed fluid having a specific pressure, which varies dynamically over time. In a silencer or filter, this incoming flow of pressurized or compressed fluid is converted into an outgoing flow of pressurized or compressed fluid having a different dynamic behavior. Thus, the relevant conversion takes place downstream of the actual compressor element.

Typically, in such silencers or filters, certain disturbance frequencies or certain harmful pulsations of the pressure fluctuations of the relevant outgoing flow of the pressurized or compressed fluid are filtered out, or their intensity is reduced. In this way, noise or harmful vibrations are generally eliminated. However, the disadvantage is that during the conversion in such silencers or filters, a lot of energy is lost, and the energy efficiency of the compressor device is reduced accordingly.

Instead, the above-mentioned embodiment of the compressor device according to the invention is provided having an acoustic impedance adapter, which influences the pressure state of the fluid to be compressed or already partially or fully compressed in the compressor chamber of the compressor element itself, upstream of the adapter. In this way, the energy accumulated in the compressed fluid present in the acoustic impedance adapter is transferred to the fluid present in the compressor element. While the conditions for discharging the compressed fluid from the compressor element are improved, no or almost no energy is lost, the overall intensity of the fluid pressure pulsations is reduced, and a smoother flow of the compressed fluid through the compressor element is obtained. In short, the energy efficiency of such a compressor device according to the invention is higher, and the supply of the compressed fluid is less harmful to other parts of the equipment.

In a preferred embodiment of the compressor device according to the present invention, the length between the compressor element and the adapter intermediate duct portion is less than four times the minimum equivalent internal diameter of the adapter inlet duct.

Such an embodiment of the compressor device according to the present invention is very advantageous, since the acoustic impedance adapter is arranged at a rather short distance from the compressor element itself and thus reliably performs its role as an adapter for influencing the path of the fluid pressure within the compressor element itself.

In another preferred embodiment of the compressor device according to the present invention, the maximum equivalent internal diameter of the adapter intermediate duct portion is greater than twice the minimum equivalent internal diameter of the adapter inlet duct.

A great advantage of such an embodiment of the compressor device according to the present invention is that the expansion chamber formed within the acoustic impedance adapter is sufficiently large to have the required capacity to generate reflected pressure pulsations capable of canceling out significant pressure pulsations within the compressor element itself.

In another preferred embodiment of the compressor device according to the present invention, the internal cross-sectional area or opening of the adapter intermediate duct part forms an opening having an equivalent internal diameter which is at least twice the minimum equivalent internal diameter of the adapter inlet duct, and the ratio, defined by the distance between this internal cross-sectional area or opening of the adapter intermediate duct part and the distal end of the adapter inlet duct, divided by twice the minimum equivalent internal diameter of the adapter inlet duct, is less than 1.

A great advantage of such an embodiment of the compressor device according to the present invention is that the internal size of the adapter intermediate duct part for forming the expansion chamber increases rapidly over a relatively short distance from the point where the adapter intermediate duct part is connected to the adapter inlet duct. In that way, the expansion chamber can provide an influence on the path of the fluid pressure which is sufficiently high to be effective.

The present invention also relates to a compressor assembly for compressing a fluid, comprising a housing, a fluid duct for guiding fluid through the compressor assembly from a fluid duct inlet to a fluid duct outlet, one or more compressor stages within the fluid duct, at least one of the compressor stages being formed by a compressor device according to the present invention including an associated adapter for acoustic impedance, and downstream (in the fluid flow) of each compressor stage, a cooler for cooling the compressed fluid is provided within the fluid duct.

An advantage of such a compressor assembly according to the present invention is that cooled pressurized or compressed fluid can be provided at a low specific energy requirement (SER), i.e. in an energy efficient manner.

In a preferred embodiment of the compressor assembly according to the present invention, the compressor assembly comprises a low pressure stage and a high pressure stage, wherein downstream of the low pressure stage, an air-cooled intercooler is provided in the fluid duct, and downstream of the high pressure stage, an air-cooled post-cooler is provided in the fluid duct, wherein the low pressure stage comprises a compressor element according to the present invention and an acoustic impedance adapter as previously described, and/or the high pressure stage comprises a compressor element according to the present invention and an acoustic impedance adapter as previously described.

As an alternative or additionally, it is not excluded from the invention to apply an acoustic adapter as described on the inlet side of the compressor element. In that way, the filling of the compression chamber can be improved, and so-called acoustic super-filling can be applied.

The present invention will be further illustrated with reference to the drawings.
- Figure 1 is a schematic drawing of a possible embodiment of a compressor assembly according to the present invention;
- Figure 2 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a part of a compressor device having an acoustic impedance adapter according to the present invention;
- Figures 3 to 8 are drawings similar to Figure 1 of alternative embodiments of a compressor device having an acoustic impedance adapter according to the present invention;
- Figure 9 is a perspective view of a part of a compressor device according to the present invention, wherein a flexible coupling is provided within an adapter discharge duct;
- Fig. 10 is a cross-sectional view through a portion of the compressor device shown in Fig. 9;
- Figure 11 is a partial perspective view of a combination of an acoustic impedance adapter connected to a heat exchanger or cooler and a compressor element of a compressor device of the present invention, not shown in the drawing; and
- Figures 12 to 16 are perspective views similar to the perspective view of Figure 11 of other embodiments of compressor elements of a compressor device according to the present invention.

Figure 1 illustrates a compressor assembly (100) according to the present invention, comprising several compressor devices (1) according to the present invention for compressing a fluid (2), which is, in this case, air (2) drawn in from the surroundings. The compressor assembly (100) comprises a housing (3) and a fluid duct (4) is provided for guiding the fluid (2) through the compressor assembly (100) from a compressor assembly fluid duct inlet (5) to a compressor assembly fluid duct outlet (6).

Furthermore, the compressor assembly (100) comprises one or more compressor stages, in this case two compressor stages (7 and 8), which are contained within the fluid duct (4) and form part of the fluid duct (4). At least one of the compressor stages (7 and 8) is formed by a compressor device (1) according to the invention. In the example of Fig. 1, both stages (7 and 8) are formed by such a compressor device (1) according to the invention.

It is particularly characteristic that such a compressor device (1) of the present invention comprises a compressor element (9) and, preferably, an acoustic impedance adapter (10) connected to the discharge side (11) of the compressor element (9). However, it is not excluded from the present invention to provide an acoustic impedance adapter (10) mounted on the inlet (12) of such a compressor element (9).

Downstream (in the fluid flow) of each compressor stage (7 and 8), coolers for cooling the compressed fluid (13), individually coolers (14) and coolers (15), are provided in the fluid duct (4).

In the example of Fig. 1, the compressor stage (7) is a low-pressure stage, and the compressor stage (8) is a high-pressure stage, and they are mounted in series with respect to each other. Downstream of the low-pressure stage (7), an air-cooled intercooler (14) is provided in the fluid duct (4), and downstream of the high-pressure stage (8), an air-cooled post-cooler (15) is provided in the fluid duct (4).

The coolers (14 and 15) are air-cooled coolers provided within an air channel (16) provided within the housing (3) of the compressor device (1). The air channel (16) is separated from a compartment (17) within the housing (3) in which the compressor devices (1) are provided, by an intermediate wall (18).

Ambient air (19) is drawn in from the environment (20) by a fan (21) that forces air (19) through the air channels (16) from the air channel inlet (22) to the air channel outlet (23). During flow through the air channels (16), heat is transferred from the coolers (14 and 15) to the air (19).

Figure 2 schematically illustrates a part of a compressor device (1) for compressing a fluid (2) according to the present invention. The compressor element (9) of the compressor device (1) is schematically shown as a square and its size is not entirely representative.

The compressor element (9) includes a compressor element fluid duct (24) for guiding fluid (2) through the compressor element (9) from a compressor element fluid duct inlet (25) to a compressor element fluid duct outlet (26). According to the present invention, an acoustic impedance adapter (10) is provided at the fluid duct outlet (26) of the compressor element (9).

This acoustic impedance adapter (10) comprises an adapter inlet duct (27) and an adapter outlet duct (28), only a portion of which is shown in FIG. 2. The adapter inlet duct (27) and the adapter outlet duct (28) are interconnected by an adapter middle duct portion (29) surrounding at least one expansion chamber (30).

In this case, the adapter inlet duct (27) and the adapter outlet duct (28) are both straight, although this is not essential according to the invention. The adapter inlet duct (27) extends in the direction (YY'), and the adapter outlet duct (28) extends in the direction (ZZ'). These directions (YY' and ZZ') can lie on the same line, but preferably, although this is not essential, they are parallel to each other with a certain offset distance from each other.

Between the compressor element (9) and the adapter intermediate duct part (29), the internal cross-sectional area (31) of the adapter inlet duct (27) in a plane perpendicular to the direction in which it extends (YY') forms a minimum opening (31) having a particular minimum equivalent internal diameter (B). In this case, the adapter inlet duct (27) has an internal cross-sectional area (31) or opening (31) perpendicular to said direction (YY') which is, although not necessarily, invariable over its entire length.

The adapter middle duct portion (29) extends in the direction (AA') between the adapter inlet duct (27) and the adapter outlet duct (28). This direction (AA') may also, although not necessarily, be colinear with the directions (YY' and ZZ') or one of the directions (YY' and ZZ') in which the adapter inlet duct (27) and the adapter outlet duct (28) extend.

In addition, the inner cross-sectional area (32) of the adapter intermediate duct portion (29) forms a maximum opening (32) having a particular maximum equivalent inner diameter (C). This inner cross-sectional area (32) or opening (32) is generally defined in a plane which is perpendicular to the direction (AA') in which the adapter intermediate duct portion (29) extends between the adapter inlet duct (27) and the adapter outlet duct (28), or perpendicular to the directions (YY' and/or ZZ') mentioned above in which the adapter inlet duct (27) and/or the adapter outlet duct (28) extend.

According to the present invention, the maximum equivalent internal diameter (C) of the adapter middle duct portion (29) is significantly larger than the minimum equivalent internal diameter (B) of the adapter inlet duct (27) (C >>> B). In this way, it is ensured that the expansion chamber (30) is large compared to the minimum opening (31) of the adapter inlet duct (27).

In a preferred embodiment of the compressor device (1) of the present invention, the maximum equivalent internal diameter (C) of the adapter middle duct portion (29) is greater than twice the minimum equivalent internal diameter (B) of the adapter inlet duct (27).

Another aspect of the present invention is that the adapter intermediate duct part (29) is preferably arranged relatively close to the outlet (11 or 26) of the compressor element (9). In particular, according to the present invention, it is preferred that the length (L) of the adapter inlet duct (27) between the compressor element (9) and the adapter intermediate duct part (29) is smaller than four times the minimum equivalent internal diameter (B) of the adapter inlet duct (27). This measure must ensure that the expansion chamber (30) has a sufficiently significant influence on the fluid present in the compressor chamber of the compressor element (9) upstream of the acoustic impedance adapter (10).

The internal cross-sectional area (33) of the adapter intermediate duct part (29) forms an opening (33) having an equivalent internal diameter (D) which is at least twice the minimum equivalent internal diameter (B) of the adapter inlet duct (27) (D ≥ 2xB). This internal cross-sectional area (33) or opening (33) is also generally defined in a plane which is perpendicular to the direction (AA') in which the adapter intermediate duct part (29) extends between the adapter inlet duct (27) and the adapter outlet duct (28), or perpendicular to the directions mentioned above (YY' and/or ZZ') in which the adapter inlet duct (27) and/or the adapter outlet duct (28) extend.

Another preferred embodiment of the present invention provides that the ratio (R), defined by the distance (E) between this internal cross-sectional area (33) of the adapter intermediate duct portion (29) and the distal end (34) of the adapter inlet duct (27), divided by twice the minimum equivalent internal diameter of the adapter inlet duct (27) (2 x B), is less than 1.

1 > R = E /(2 x B)

This means that the expansion chamber (30) of the adapter middle duct portion (29) rapidly increases in size in the direction away from the distal end (34) of the adapter inlet duct (27), which ensures its effectiveness.

The adapter middle duct portion (29) surrounds a single expansion chamber (30), which in the embodiment of Fig. 2 is essentially spherical in shape, formed by a sphere having a diameter (C).

In the example of FIG. 2, the internal cross-sectional area of the adapter intermediate duct part (29) monotonically increases from the adapter inlet duct (27) toward the maximum internal cross-sectional area (32) of the adapter intermediate duct part (29). The internal cross-sectional area of the adapter intermediate duct part (29) also monotonically decreases from the maximum internal cross-sectional area (32) of the adapter intermediate duct part (29) toward the adapter outlet duct (28). However, this is not necessarily the case according to the present invention.

Figure 3 illustrates a compressor device (1) according to the present invention, wherein the adapter intermediate duct portion (29) surrounds more than one expansion chamber, i.e. two expansion chambers (35 and 36) in this example.

The expansion chambers (35 and 36) of both have, in the case of Fig. 3, a hemispherical shape, respectively. The shape is obtained largely by two halves of a spherical expansion chamber (30), as illustrated in Fig. 1, which are separated from each other by an intermediate spacer duct (37). In the case of Fig. 3, the intermediate spacer duct (37) is extended by an extension of the adapter inlet duct (27) and of the adapter outlet duct (28), and all of these above-mentioned ducts (27, 28 and 37) have the same inner diameter (B).

In the embodiment of FIG. 3, the adapter intermediate duct portion (29) comprises a pair of expansion chambers (35 and 36) which are symmetrically placed with respect to a plane (FF') perpendicular to the direction (YY') in which the adapter inlet duct (27) extends and/or to the direction (ZZ') in which the adapter outlet duct (28) extends and/or to the direction (AA') in which the intermediate spacer duct (37) extends.

Figure 4 illustrates an embodiment of a compressor device (1) according to the present invention having an adapter intermediate duct portion (29) surrounding a single expansion chamber (30) similar to that of Figure 2 and again of essentially spherical shape.

However, this time, the essentially spherical expansion chamber (30) is somewhat modified with respect to its shape. The connection (38) between the adapter discharge duct (28) and the spherical expansion chamber (30) is directed somewhat inwardly into the spherical expansion chamber (30), and the outer wall (39) of the spherical expansion chamber (30) is connected to the adapter discharge duct (28) by an intermediate wall portion (40), which preferably comprises a cylindrical wall portion (41) concentric with the adapter discharge duct (28) and/or one or more planar wall portions (42).

Figure 5 illustrates another embodiment of a compressor device (1) according to the present invention, which is similar to the embodiment illustrated in Figure 3 in that it also comprises a pair of expansion chambers (35 and 36) of essentially hemispherical shape spaced from each other by an intermediate spacer duct (37).

The intermediate spacer duct (37), in the example of FIG. 5, extends in a direction perpendicular to the direction (YY') in which the adapter inlet duct (27) extends, and/or to the direction (ZZ') in which the adapter outlet duct (28) extends, and/or to the direction (AA') in which the adapter intermediate duct portion (29) extends between the adapter inlet duct (27) and the adapter outlet duct (28).

The expansion chambers (35 and 36) are, at this time, also oriented in a different manner and are arranged symmetrically around the adapter inlet duct (27) and/or the adapter outlet duct (28).

The embodiment of the compressor device (1) according to the present invention illustrated in FIG. 6 is similar to the embodiment of FIG. 2 in that the adapter intermediate duct portion (29) comprises a single expansion chamber (30) of essentially spherical shape.

In the example of Fig. 6, the adapter inlet duct (27) and/or the adapter outlet duct (28) extend completely through the adapter intermediate duct part (29) in order to interconnect the adapter inlet duct (27) and the adapter outlet duct (28) by means of an inner duct part (43). The inner duct part (43) of the adapter inlet duct (27) and/or the adapter outlet duct (28) extending into the adapter intermediate duct part (29) is perforated, so that the compressed fluid (13) can expand into the entire expansion chamber (30). Perforations (44) are provided along the entire length of the inner duct part (43).

In another embodiment of the compressor device (1) according to the present invention, the adapter inlet duct (27) and the adapter outlet duct (28) may also only partially extend into the adapter middle duct part (29). This is the case, for example, in the embodiment shown in Fig. 12.

The embodiment of the compressor device (1) according to the present invention shown in Fig. 7 is completely equivalent to the embodiment of Fig. 6. However, in the example of Fig. 7, a damping material (45) for damping gas pulsations, such as acoustic foam, steel wool, or the like, is provided within the expansion chamber (30) of the adapter middle duct portion (29).

Fig. 8 illustrates an embodiment of a compressor device (1) according to the present invention, equivalent to the embodiment of Fig. 3, having two expansion chambers separated from each other by an intermediate spacer duct (37) extending in a direction parallel to the directions (YY' and ZZ') of the adapter inlet duct (27) and the adapter outlet duct (28).

However, in Fig. 8, only one of the expansion chambers (35) has a hemispherical shape, while the other expansion chamber (46) has a conical shape and is provided on the side furthest from the compressor element (9). The dimensions of the conical shape decrease in the direction away from the compressor element (9).

The expansion chamber (46) having a conical shape is again filled with a damping material (45), while the other expansion chamber (35) having a hemispherical shape is kept empty.

The adapter exhaust duct (28) is entirely integrated within the expansion chamber (46) and does not extend outside the adapter middle duct portion (29).

Figures 9 and 10 illustrate an embodiment of an acoustic impedance adapter (10) of a compressor device (1) according to the present invention, wherein the adapter discharge duct (28) is provided with a flexible coupling (47) or a flexible spacer ring (47).

As an alternative, such a flexible coupling (47) or flexible spacer ring (47) may also be provided within the adapter inlet duct (27).

In such a case, the adapter inlet duct (27) comprises three parts, namely a first part and a second part which are connected by an associated flexible coupling (47) or a flexible spacer ring (47). Obviously, the length (L) of the adapter inlet duct (27) should be considered in this case as the total length of the adapter inlet duct (27) formed by these three components.

Figures 11 to 16 illustrate further different configurations for the combination of the acoustic impedance adapter (10) and the cooler (14 or 15) of the compressor device (1) according to the present invention.

In Fig. 11, the adapter middle duct portion (29) includes an expansion chamber having a predominantly spherical shape, as was the case in Fig. 2, for example, whereas in Figs. 12 and 14, the expansion chamber is close to a rectangular shape or a box shape or a cubic shape.

In Fig. 13, the adapter middle duct portion (29) includes an expansion chamber having an S-shaped cross section, while in Figs. 15 and 16, the expansion chamber is surrounded by a more rounded or cylindrical shape. In other bodies, the expansion chamber may form a prism shape, and may even form other more irregular shapes.

The present invention is not limited in any way to the embodiments of the compressor assembly (100) or the compressor device (1) as described above, but instead, such a compressor assembly (1) or the compressor device (1) can be applied and implemented in many different ways without departing from the scope of the present invention.

Claims (18)

A compressor device (1) comprising a compressor element (9) for compressing a fluid (2) and a fluid duct (24) for guiding the fluid (2) through the compressor element (9) from a fluid duct inlet (25) to a fluid duct outlet (26),
A compressor device characterized in that an acoustic impedance adapter (10) is provided at a fluid duct outlet (26), comprising an adapter inlet duct (27) and an adapter outlet duct (28) which are interconnected by an adapter intermediate duct part (29) surrounding at least one expansion chamber (30), the internal cross-sectional area (31) of the adapter inlet duct (27) forming a minimum opening (31) having a defined minimum equivalent internal diameter (B) and the internal cross-sectional area (32) of the adapter intermediate duct part (29) forming a maximum opening (32) having a defined maximum equivalent internal diameter (C), and the maximum equivalent internal diameter (C) of the adapter intermediate duct part (29) being significantly larger than the minimum equivalent internal diameter (B) of the adapter inlet duct (27). In the first paragraph,
A compressor device characterized in that the compression of the fluid (2) within the compressor element (9) generates forward or downstream pressure pulsations within the compressed fluid (13), and that the adapter (10) modifies the acoustic impedance in such a way that the compressed or partially compressed fluid (13) present within the compressor element (9) is influenced, such that the reflected pressure pulsations emanating from the adapter (10) in the backward or upstream direction at least partially influence or cancel out the forward or downstream pressure pulsations, so that the pressure of the compressed fluid (13) upstream of the adapter (10) has an overall less pulsating characteristic and/or exhibits a phase shift compared to a compressor device (1) not equipped with such an acoustic impedance adapter (10). In paragraph 1 or 2,
A compressor device, characterized in that the length (L) of the adapter inlet duct (27) between the compressor element (9) and the adapter intermediate duct portion (29) is smaller than four times the minimum equivalent internal diameter (B) of the adapter inlet duct (27). In any one of claims 1 to 3,
A compressor device characterized in that the maximum equivalent internal diameter (C) of the adapter middle duct portion (29) is greater than twice the minimum equivalent internal diameter (B) of the adapter inlet duct (27). In paragraph 4,
A compressor device characterized in that the internal cross-sectional area (33) forms an opening (33) having an equivalent internal diameter (D) which is at least twice the minimum equivalent internal diameter (B) of the adapter inlet duct (27), and the ratio (R), defined by the distance (E) between said internal cross-sectional area (33) of the adapter intermediate duct part (29) and the distal end (24) of the adapter inlet duct (27), divided by twice the minimum equivalent internal diameter (B) of the adapter inlet duct (27), is less than 1. In any one of claims 1 to 5,
A compressor device, characterized in that the internal cross-sectional area or opening of the adapter middle duct portion (29) monotonically increases from the adapter inlet duct (27) toward the maximum internal cross-sectional area or opening (32) of the adapter middle duct portion (29). In any one of claims 1 to 6,
A compressor device, characterized in that the internal cross-sectional area or opening of the adapter middle duct portion (29) monotonically decreases from the maximum internal cross-sectional area or opening (32) of the adapter middle duct portion (29) toward the adapter discharge duct (28). In any one of claims 1 to 7,
A compressor device characterized in that the adapter middle duct portion (29) surrounds more than one expansion chamber (35, 36). In any one of claims 1 to 8,
A compressor device characterized in that the adapter inlet duct (27) and/or the adapter outlet duct (28) extend partially into the adapter middle duct portion (29). In Article 9,
A compressor device characterized in that a portion (43) of the adapter inlet duct (27) and/or the adapter outlet duct (28) extending into the adapter middle duct portion (29) is perforated. In Article 9,
A compressor device characterized in that the adapter inlet duct (27) and/or the adapter outlet duct (28) extend completely through the adapter intermediate duct part (29) to interconnect the adapter inlet duct (27) and the adapter outlet duct (28) by means of an inner duct part (43), and that the inner duct part (43) is at least partially perforated. In any one of claims 1 to 11,
A compressor device characterized in that a damping material (45) for damping gas pulsations, such as acoustic foam, steel wool, or the like, is provided within the expansion chamber (30, 35, 36, 46) of the adapter middle duct portion (29). In any one of claims 1 to 12,
A compressor device characterized in that the adapter middle duct portion (29) has one or more of the following features:
- The middle duct portion (29) of the adapter is implemented as a 1/4 wavelength resonator;
- The middle duct part (29) of the adapter is implemented as a Helmholtz resonator;
- The adapter middle duct portion (29) includes an expansion chamber (30, 35, 36, 46) which mainly has a spherical shape, a hemispherical shape, a conical shape, a cubic shape, a prism shape, a cylindrical shape, a rectangular shape, or a box shape, or has an S-shaped cross section;
- The adapter intermediate duct portion (29) comprises a pair of expansion chambers (35, 36, 46) separated from each other by an intermediate spacer duct (37); and/or,
- The adapter intermediate duct part (29) comprises a plurality of expansion chambers (35, 36, 46) which are arranged symmetrically with respect to or around the adapter inlet duct (27) and/or the adapter outlet duct (28), or with respect to a plane perpendicular to the direction in which the adapter inlet duct (27) and/or the adapter outlet duct (28) extends (YY', ZZ') or to the direction in which the adapter intermediate duct part (29) or the intermediate spacer duct (37) extends (AA'). In any one of claims 1 to 13,
A compressor device characterized in that the adapter inlet duct (27) or the adapter outlet duct (28) is provided with a flexible coupling (47) or a flexible spacer ring (47). In any one of claims 1 to 14,
A compressor device characterized in that the compressor element (9) is a gear compressor. In any one of claims 1 to 15,
A compressor device characterized in that the compressor element (9) is of a type having one or more of the following nominal operating conditions:
- the compressor element has a nominal flow rate within the range of 40 to 140 l/s; and/or,
- The compressor element has a rotor having a nominal rotor speed in the range of 3000 to 9000 rpm. A compressor assembly (100) for compressing a fluid (2), comprising a housing (3), a fluid duct (4) for guiding the fluid (2) through the compressor device (1) from a fluid duct inlet (5) to a fluid duct outlet (6), and one or more compressor stages (7, 8) within the fluid duct (4), wherein at least one of the compressor stages (7, 8) is formed by a compressor device (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 16.
A compressor assembly characterized in that a cooler (14, 15) for cooling the compressed fluid (13) is provided downstream (in the fluid flow) of each compressor stage (7, 8) within the fluid duct (4). In Article 17,
A compressor assembly comprising a low-pressure stage (7) and a high-pressure stage (8), wherein downstream of the low-pressure stage (7), an air-cooled intercooler (14) is provided in the fluid duct (4), and downstream of the high-pressure stage (8), an air-cooled aftercooler (15) is provided in the fluid duct (4), and wherein the low-pressure stage (7) comprises a compressor element (9) and an acoustic impedance adapter (10) according to any one of claims 1 to 15, and/or the high-pressure stage (8) comprises a compressor element (9) and an acoustic impedance adapter (10) according to any one of claims 1 to 15.