INTERCHANGEABLE COMPRESSOR DRIVE

• US 3,809,493 A
• Filed: 11/29/1971
• Issued: 05/07/1974
• Est. Priority Date: 06/08/1970
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Elliot Turbomachinery Company Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Karol Pilarczyk
• Inventors: Pilarczyk, Karol
• Primary Examiner(s): Raduazo, Henry F.
• Application Number:
  US05/202,849
• Time in Patent Office: 890 Days
• Field of Search: 415/122,199A,219C,110,112 417/406,407,374,405,409
• US Class Current: 415/199.1
• CPC Class Codes: F04D 17/12 Multi-stage pumps
• CPC Class Codes: F04D 25/02 Units comprising pumps and their driving means
• CPC Class Codes: F04D 29/5826 Cooling at least part of the working fluid in a heat exchanger

Abstract

A gear drive and a turbine drive are interchangeably connected to a compressor by means of compatible releasable fasteners between their respective housings and the compressor casing, and with identical releasable coupling means between the overhung compressor rotor and the output shaft of the gear drive or turbine wheel of the turbine drive. Thus, the sole bearing support for the rotor will be carried by the gear drive and the turbine drive. Accurate axial alignment of the compressor casing with the turbine drive and gear drive is obtained by means of abutting cylindrical surfaces of the drive housing and gear casing in telescopic engagement with an overlapping single cylindrical surface, which is preferably a fluid guide; for this purpose, the mounting of the drive housing is provided with radial play or radial adjustment. With the overhung rotor and removable barrel assembly comprising the fluid guide elements, the compressor rotor and fluid guide elements may be removed axially from one direction after uncoupling from the respective drive or axially in the other direction with the respective drive. The arrangement and selection of bearings cooperates with the selection of materials for the rotor, turbine wheel, housing and fluid guide elements to balance thermal expansion.

Claims

1. Fluid compression apparatus of the radial flow type comprising a substantially cylindrical casing;

a rotor positioned within the casing;

a plurality of impellers mounted on the rotor;

flow guide means arranged within the casing including diaphragms, shrouds and diffusers positioned about the impellers to define paths of fluid flow to and from the impellers, said flow guide means being axially aligned to present a substantially cylindrical outer surface complementary to the inner surface of the casing, the outer surface of the innermost member of the flow guide means extending axially beyond the casing to form a radial shoulder, and detachable closure and rotor drive shaft means including bearing means assembled therein serving to support the rotor in cantilever fashion, said drive means including rigid coupling means for connecting the rotor to the drive shaft in axial alignment therewith, and an annular flange encircling the radial shoulder formed by the axially extending flow guide means while engaging the member of said casing, and means rigidly connecting the flow guide means to the closure and rotor drive shaft means said last-mentioned means including means whereby limited relative radial movement between the closure and rotor shaft drive means and the casing is obtained.