DIFFUSER USING DETACHABLE VANES

• US 20120014788A1
• Filed: 07/19/2010
• Published: 01/19/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 07/19/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ingersoll-Rand Industrial U.S., Inc. (Ingersoll Rand, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Cameron International Corporation (Schlumberger NV)
• Inventors: Blair, Noel, Herr, Charles F., O'Neill, David N.
• Granted Patent: US 8,616,836 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 415/208.2
• CPC Class Codes: F04D 25/163 driven by a common gearing arrangement
• CPC Class Codes: F04D 29/444 Bladed diffusers
• CPC Class Codes: F05D 2250/52 Outlet

Abstract

A system, in certain embodiments, includes a plurality of detachable, three-dimensional diffuser vanes attached to a diffuser plate of a centrifugal compressor. In certain embodiments, the detachable, three-dimensional diffuser vanes may be attached to the diffuser plate using threaded fasteners. In addition, dowel pins may be used to align the detachable, three-dimensional diffuser vanes with respect to the diffuser plate. However, in other embodiments, the detachable, three-dimensional diffuser vanes may include a tab configured to fit securely within a groove in the diffuser plate. In addition, the tabs of the detachable, three-dimensional diffuser vanes may include indentions that mate with extensions extending from the diffuser plate, wherein the tabs may slide into slots between the extensions and the grooves of the diffuser plate.

Claims

1. A system, comprising:

a centrifugal compressor diffuser having an annular plate and a plurality of detachable vanes attached to the annular plate, wherein each detachable vane comprises a cross-sectional profile that varies along a span of the detachable vane.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein each detachable vane comprises an internally threaded fastener hole on a bottom side of the detachable vane, the annular plate comprises a non-threaded fastener hole extending completely through the annular plate, and the system comprises an externally threaded fastener extending through the non-threaded fastener hole and into the internally threaded fastener hole to attach the detachable vane to the annular plate.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein each detachable vane is associated with a dowel pin configured to align the detachable vane with respect to the annular plate.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the dowel pin is integral to and extends from the bottom side of the diffuser vane.

5. The system of claim 3, wherein each diffuser vane is associated with two or more threaded fasteners and two or more dowel pins.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein each diffuser vane comprises a tab on a bottom side of the detachable vane, and the tab plate is configured to fit securely within a groove in a top side of the annular plate.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the tab comprises a non-threaded fastener hole extending completely through the tab, the annular plate comprises an internally threaded fastener hole in the groove, and the system comprises an externally threaded fastener extending through the non-threaded fastener hole and into the internally threaded fastener hole to attach the tab to the annular plate.

8. The system of claim 6, wherein the tab comprises an indention on a top side of the tab, and the annular plate comprises an extension configured to mate with the indention on the tab.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the tab is configured to slide in a direction along the top side of the annular plate into a slot between the extension and the groove of the annular plate.

10. The system of claim 6, wherein the tab and the groove are both elliptically shaped.

11. A system, comprising:

a detachable centrifugal compressor diffuser vane, wherein the detachable centrifugal compressor diffuser vane comprises a cross-sectional profile that varies along a span of the detachable vane.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the detachable centrifugal compressor diffuser vane comprises a first threaded fastener configured to mate with a second threaded fastener to attach the detachable centrifugal compressor diffuser vane to a centrifugal compressor diffuser plate.

13. The system of claim 12, comprising a dowel pin that aligns the detachable centrifugal compressor diffuser vane with respect to the centrifugal compressor diffuser plate.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the dowel pin extends from a bottom side of the detachable centrifugal compressor diffuser vane, and the dowel pin is configured to mate with a non-threaded alignment hole of the centrifugal compressor diffuser plate.

15. The system of claim 11, wherein the detachable centrifugal compressor diffuser vane comprises a tab configured to fit securely within a groove of a centrifugal compressor diffuser plate.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the tab comprises an indention on a top side of the tab, the indention is configured to mate with an extension from the centrifugal compressor diffuser plate, and the tab is configured to slide in a direction along a top surface of the centrifugal compressor diffuser plate into a slot between the extension and the groove of the centrifugal compressor diffuser plate.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the tab is elliptically shaped, the indention is u-shaped, and the extension is u-shaped.

18. A system, comprising:

a centrifugal compressor comprising a centrifugal compressor diffuser having a plurality of detachable diffuser vanes attached to a diffuser plate.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein each detachable diffuser vane is attached to the diffuser plate by one or more threaded fasteners.

20. The system of claim 18, wherein each detachable diffuser vane comprises a tab configured to fit within a groove of the diffuser plate.