Lubrication and packing of a rotor-type compressor
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A rotary compressor comprising:
- a housing defining a working space with an intake for receiving gas at low pressure to be compressed, a discharge for discharging compressed gas at high pressure and at least two oil spaces;
at least one rotor having a shaft rotatably mounted in said working space for compressing gas in said working space;
a radial plane bearing adjacent each oil space connected between each end of said shaft and said housing for rotatably mounting said rotor;
a shaft packing surrounding said shaft between each of said bearings and said working space;
a lubricating oil circuit including, an oil supply tank defining a tank space for receiving oil and gas, a supply conduit for supplying oil from said tank space to each bearing, and a return conduit for returning oil from said oil spaces to said tank space;
a pressure equalizing connection connected between said lubricating oil circuit and said low pressure intake to equalize the pressure of all of said oil lubricating circuit with pressure in said intake;
said housing defining a drain space surrounding said shaft and between said packing and said bearing at each end of said shaft for collecting oil flowing out from each bearing on one side of each drain space and gas flowing through each packing from said working space on opposite side of each drain space;
a drain channel connected respectively between each drain space and each oil space; and
an oil space conduit connected between said two oil spaces.
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Abstract
An improved rotor compressor, particularly a screw-type compressor, for compressing a gas is disclosed. The compressor is provided with a housing having an annular drain space surrounding rotor shafts at a location between each shaft bearing and the working space for removing escaping lubricant and gas. The drain space is connected through a drain passage to a closed collecting chamber which is substantially under the intake pressure of the compressor. A return passage is provided for returning gas to at least one of the intake and the working space of the compressor and for returning lubricant to a lubrication circuit.
58 Citations
10 Claims
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1. A rotary compressor comprising:
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a housing defining a working space with an intake for receiving gas at low pressure to be compressed, a discharge for discharging compressed gas at high pressure and at least two oil spaces; at least one rotor having a shaft rotatably mounted in said working space for compressing gas in said working space; a radial plane bearing adjacent each oil space connected between each end of said shaft and said housing for rotatably mounting said rotor; a shaft packing surrounding said shaft between each of said bearings and said working space; a lubricating oil circuit including, an oil supply tank defining a tank space for receiving oil and gas, a supply conduit for supplying oil from said tank space to each bearing, and a return conduit for returning oil from said oil spaces to said tank space; a pressure equalizing connection connected between said lubricating oil circuit and said low pressure intake to equalize the pressure of all of said oil lubricating circuit with pressure in said intake; said housing defining a drain space surrounding said shaft and between said packing and said bearing at each end of said shaft for collecting oil flowing out from each bearing on one side of each drain space and gas flowing through each packing from said working space on opposite side of each drain space; a drain channel connected respectively between each drain space and each oil space; and an oil space conduit connected between said two oil spaces. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4)
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- 5. An improved rotor compressor, particularly a screw-type compressor, for compressing a gas and of the type having a housing including a working space, an intake for passing gas to be compressed to the working space and a discharge for passing the compressed gas from the working space, two intermeshing rotors mounted on a shaft for rotation in the working space, bearings supporting the shafts at opposite ends, a lubrication circuit for supplying the lubricant to and draining it from the shaft bearings, the housing having an annular drain space surrounding each rotor shaft at a location between the shaft bearing and the working space for removing the escaping lubricant and gas, and a packing between the bearings and the working space for sealing the shaft, the improvement wherein, the housing includes closed collecting chambers operative connected to the intake, means for connecting the drain space to said closed collecting chambers which are substantially under the intake pressure of the compressor, and return means for returning gas to at least one of the intake and the working space and for returning lubricant to the lubrication circuit, said return means including a supply tank adapted to contain a supply of lubricant for lubricating the bearings, said supply tank being a closed tank enclosing a compartment defining a gas space and a liquid space adapted to contain gas and lubricant, means for establishing fluid communciation between said gas space and the intake, a drain conduit connecting said liquid space to the lubrication circuit, and a conduit connecting said collecting chambers to said supply tank, a separating tank connected to the discharge for separating lubricant entrained in the compressed gas, a connecting conduit interconnecting said separating tank and said supply tank, a valve in said connecting conduit operable to open and close a fluid communication path through said connecting conduit, and sensing means in said supply tank operatively connected to said valve for operating said valve to open and close the fluid communication path responsive to a fluid level in said supply tank.
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9. An improved screw compressor, on the type in which a housing has a working space, an intake for passing a gas to the working space and a discharge for passing the gas from the working space, two intermeshing rotors rotatably mounted in the working space for compressing the gas, and bearings mounted at the intake and discharge for supporting the rotors;
- a lubrication circuit having a supply tank adopted to contain a supply of lubricant for lubricating the bearings, a supply conduit establishing fluid communication between the bearings and the supply tank, chambers for collecting lubricant supplied to the bearings and a return conduit establishing fluid communication between the chambers and the supply tank; and
a cooling and sealing circuit having means operatively connected to the discharge for supplying a coolant and sealant under the discharge pressure of the compressor from the working space, and separator means connected to the discharge for separating coolant and sealant from the discharged gas, the improvement wherein, the supply tank is a closed tank enclosing a compartment defining a gas space and a liquid space adopted to contain gas and lubricant, and further comprising means establishing fluid communication between said gas space and said intake for equalizing the pressure therebetween, the lubricant, coolant and sealant being the same substance, and further comprising a first connecting line connecting the lubrication circuit to the coolant and sealing circuit, a valve in said first connecting line operable to open and close a fluid communication path through said first connecting line responsive to the fluid level in the supply tank, and sensing means for operating said valve responsive to the fluid level in the sensing tank. - View Dependent Claims (10)
- a lubrication circuit having a supply tank adopted to contain a supply of lubricant for lubricating the bearings, a supply conduit establishing fluid communication between the bearings and the supply tank, chambers for collecting lubricant supplied to the bearings and a return conduit establishing fluid communication between the chambers and the supply tank; and
Specification