VARIABLE SPEED AIR BLOWING SYSTEM

• US 20070110606A1
• Filed: 09/13/2006
• Published: 05/17/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 09/13/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ingersoll-Rand Industrial U.S., Inc. (Ingersoll Rand, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Ingersoll-Rand Company (Trane Technologies plc)
• Inventors: Stock, Darrell, Miller, Scott
• Granted Patent: US 9,121,416 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 418/85
• CPC Class Codes: F04D 25/08 the working fluid being air, e.g. for ventilation
• CPC Class Codes: F04D 27/004 by varying driving speed
• CPC Class Codes: F04D 29/582 specially adapted for elastic fluid pumps
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 30/70 Efficient control or regulation technologies, e.g. for control of refrigerant flow, motor or heating

Abstract

A fluid compression system includes a compressor unit that directs a flow of compressed fluid to a first heat exchanger. A second heat exchanger receives a flow of coolant. A blower produces a flow of ambient air that passes through the first heat exchanger and the second heat exchanger so as to direct cooling air through both heat exchangers. A variable speed motor is coupled to the motor in addition to a control system to vary the motor speed between a low speed and a high speed.

Claims

1. A fluid compression system comprising:

a compressor unit operable to create a flow of compressed fluid;

a first heat exchanger operable to receive the flow of compressed fluid at a first temperature and discharge the flow of compressed fluid at a second temperature;

a flow of coolant;

a second heat exchanger disposed adjacent the first heat exchanger and adapted to receive the flow of coolant at a first coolant temperature and discharge the flow of coolant at a second coolant temperature;

a blower operable to produce a flow of ambient air that passes through the first heat exchanger and the second heat exchanger in series such that the second temperature is less than the first temperature and the second coolant temperature is less than the first coolant temperature;

a variable speed motor coupled to the blower and operable at a motor speed; and

a control system operable to vary the motor speed between a low speed and a high speed.

2. The fluid compression system of claim 1, wherein the compressor unit includes a centrifugal compressor and a motor operable to drive the centrifugal compressor, the flow of coolant passing through the motor to cool the motor.

3. The fluid compression system of claim 1, wherein the blower is a centrifugal air blower.

4. The fluid compression system of claim 1, wherein the variable speed motor directly controls the speed of the blower in response to at least one of an ambient temperature, the second coolant temperature, and the second temperature.

5. The fluid compression system of claim 1, wherein the variable speed motor directly controls the speed of the blower in response to each of an ambient temperature, the second coolant temperature, and the second temperature.

6. The fluid compression system of claim 1, wherein the first heat exchanger is an inter-stage heat exchanger and is positioned downstream of the second heat exchanger.

7. The fluid compression system of claim 1, wherein the heat exchangers are in direct contact with one another.

8. The fluid compression system of claim 1, wherein the first heat exchanger cools a gas and the second heat exchanger cools a liquid.

9. A heat exchanger system comprising:

a heat exchanger including an inlet and an outlet;

a compressor operable to produce a flow of compressed air, the flow of compressed air passing through the heat exchanger;

a blower adapted to drive air through said heat exchanger;

a first sensor positioned to measure an inlet temperature at the inlet;

a second sensor positioned to measure an outlet temperature at the outlet;

a variable speed motor operable between a first speed and a second speed to drive ambient air through the heat exchanger; and

a controller operable in response to the measured outlet temperature to vary the speed of the motor between the first speed and the second speed.

10. The heat exchanger system of claim 9, wherein the motor includes a coolant passage adapted to facilitate the passage of a flow of coolant to cool the motor.

11. The heat exchanger system of claim 10, further comprising a second heat exchanger, the second heat exchanger receiving the flow of coolant and positioned upstream of the heat exchanger.

12. The heat exchanger system of claim 11, wherein the heat exchanger and second heat exchanger are in direct contact with one another.

13. The heat exchanger system of claim 11, wherein the heat exchanger cools a gas and the second heat exchanger cools a liquid.

14. The heat exchanger system of claim 10, wherein the variable speed motor directly controls the speed of the blower in response to each of an ambient temperature, a temperature of the flow of coolant, and the outlet temperature.

15. The heat exchanger system of claim 10, wherein the variable speed motor directly controls the speed of the blower in response to at least one of an ambient temperature, a temperature of the flow of coolant, and the outlet temperature.

16. The heat exchanger system of claim 9, wherein the blower is a centrifugal air blower.

17. A fluid compression system comprising:

a first compressor stage operable to draw in ambient fluid and discharge a flow of compressed fluid at a first pressure;

a second compressor stage operable to receive the flow of compressed fluid and discharge the flow of compressed fluid at a second temperature and a second pressure greater than the first pressure;

a first heat exchanger positioned between the first compressor stage and the second compressor stage and operable to cool the flow of compressed fluid;

a flow of coolant operable to cool at least one of the first compressor stage and the second compressor stage;

a second heat exchanger operable to receive the flow of coolant at a first coolant temperature and discharge the flow of coolant at a second coolant temperature that is lower than the first temperature;

a sensor positioned to measure a temperature of the ambient fluid; and

a blower operable at a blower speed to produce a flow of ambient fluid that passes through the first heat exchanger and the second heat exchanger, the blower speed variable between a low speed and a high speed in response to the measured ambient fluid temperature.

18. The fluid compression system of claim 17, wherein the variable speed motor directly controls the speed of the blower in response to each of the ambient temperature, the second coolant temperature, and the second temperature.

19. The fluid compression system of claim 17, wherein the second heat exchanger is positioned upstream of the first heat exchanger.

20. The fluid compression system of claim 17, wherein the first heat exchanger and second heat exchanger are in direct contact with one another.

21. The fluid compression system of claim 17, wherein the first heat exchanger cools a gas and the second heat exchanger cools a liquid.