Control system and method for air compressor

• US 6,705,839 B1
• Filed: 04/05/2001
• Issued: 03/16/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 09/14/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Volvo Lastvagnar AB (AB Volvo)
• Original Assignee: Volvo Lastvagnar AB (AB Volvo)
• Inventors: Eriksson, Stefan
• Primary Examiner(s): Yu, Justine R.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Rodriguez, William H.
• Application Number:
  US09/763,683
• Time in Patent Office: 1,076 Days
• Field of Search: 417/53, 417/14, 417/19, 417/7
• US Class Current: 417/53
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 53/26 Drying gases or vapours
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 17/004 Draining and drying devices
• CPC Class Codes: F04B 39/16 Filtration; Moisture separation
• CPC Class Codes: F04B 49/022 by means of pressure

Abstract

In a device and a method for controlling an oiled air compressor (1), which is included in a compressed-air system (2) for a motor vehicle and which is driven by the engine (3) of the motor vehicle and supplies compressed air to at least one consumer (12) in the compressed-air system (2), provision is made of, on the one hand, a control unit (14) for controlling the function of the air compressor (1) by activating the air compressor at a lower predetermined pressure level (P₁) for charging the compressed-air system and deactivating the same at a higher predetermined pressure level (P₂) for relieving the air compressor, and, on the other, a drainage unit (17), which in connection with the activation of the air compressor (1) drains pollutants, which have accumulated in the air compressor during the deactivation, before the air compressor is allowed to start charging the compressed-air system (2).

Claims

1. A compressed air device, comprising:

a compressed air system including an oiled air compressor, the compressed-air system supplying compressed air to at least one consumer in the compressed-air system;

a control unit for controlling functioning of the air compressor, the control unit being adapted to activate the air compressor at a first predetermined pressure level for charging the compressed-air system and being adapted to deactivate the air compressor at a second predetermined pressure level; and

a drainage unit that directly drains pollutants that accumulate in the air compressor during deactivation of the air compressor, the drainage unit being arranged in the compressed-air system so that the pollutants are drained before the air compressor starts charging the compressed-air system.

2. A device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the drainage unit is disposed downstream of the air compressor and has a discharge at a lowest point in the compressed-air system.

3. A device as claimed in claim 2, wherein a dryer for the compressed air is provided between the air compressor and the consumer, and the drainage unit is connected to the dryer.

4. A device as claimed in claim 1, wherein a dryer for the compressed air is provided between the air compressor and the consumer, and the drainage unit is connected to the dryer.

5. A device as claimed in claim 4, wherein the drainage unit is integrated in the dryer.

6. A device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the drainage unit includes a discharge that is adapted to open and close, the control unit being adapted to send a signal to the discharge to open the discharge when the control unit activates the air compressor.

7. A device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the drainage unit is disposed downstream of the air compressor.

8. A device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the drainage unit has a discharge at a lowest point in the compressed air system.

9. A method for operating a compressed air system including an oiled air compressor comprising:

activating the air compressor at a first predetermined pressure level for charging the compressed-air system;

deactivating the air compressor at a second predetermined pressure level; and

before the air compressor starts charging the compressed air system, directly draining pollutants that accumulate in the air compressor during deactivation in a drainage unit.

10. A method as claimed in claim 9, wherein the drainage unit includes a discharge that is adapted to open and close, the discharge being opened when the air compressor is activated but before the air compressor charges the compressed-air system.

11. A method as claimed in claim 9, wherein the drainage unit is disposed downstream of the air compressor.

12. A method as claimed in claim 9, comprising discharging drained pollutants at a lowest point in the compressed air system.