US2076586A - Fluid compressor - Google Patents

Description

April 13, 1937. w. NOBLE 2,076,536

FLUID COMPRESSOR Filed Feb. 28, 1954 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 April 13, 1937. w NOBLE FLUID COMPRESSOR Filed Feb. 28, 1934 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 sive action. A further object of my invention is Patented A r. 13,1937

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE fai -zbvassc wan-en Nobie, Michigan City, 1nd,, assignmto Sullivan Machinery Company, a corporation of Massachusetts Application February 28, 1934, Serial No. 713,332 32 Claims. (01. 230-108) My invention relates to gaseous fluid comhaving bubble forming andgbubblai'ollffigmeans, pressors, and more particularly to gaseous fluid whereby the gas to be compressed is intimately compressors in which a liquid is employed under mingled with, and thoroughly washed by the the action of centrifugal force for the purpose liquid compressing medium. Yet another object of compressing the gas. of my invention is to provide an improved com- From one of its aspects my invention relates to pressor wherein there shall be accomplished not the provision of a gaseous fluid compressor in only the function of eflicient compression, but which a liquid, after having had a large amount the desired cooling and humidifying of the air of energy imparted to it in the course of its action compressed, so that after re-expansion the air as a compressing medium, is caused to give up may be suitably conditioned for use in a condithat energy and restore it to the power driving t'ioned-air compartment. Another object of my system of the compressor in such a manner that invention is to provide an improved compressor there is a minimum loss 01' power. employing the principle of mingling the gas to From another aspect .of my invention, the, be compressed with aliquid compression medium, same comprises the feature of employing, and having improved separating means for sepawhether in a single stage or in a multi-stage comrating the gas from the liquid after compression. pressor, a liquid, preferably a liquid having a Still another object of myinvention-isto provide substantial surface tension, both for the purpose an improved direct-contact of acting to entrain and compress a gas which is of compressor, having improved automatic conto be compressed and to carry away the heat of compression.

Still another aspect of my invention comprises the feature of washing the air during the course of compression in such a manner that all impurities are removed, soluble gases are washed out of the air, and the air humidified and. brought to a desired temperature, whereby a system of pumping air of broad application, but of a special benefit for air conditioning work, is provided.

A still further aspect of my invention resides in the provision of a compressor of such character that a completely silent action is accomplished, despite the handling of large quantities of air and the ,conditioning thereof, as above 35 mentioned, so that a compressor system especially adapted to hospital use is provided.

Yet another aspect of the invention resides in its provision of an improved method of hydraulic compressing, involving mechanical rolling of bubbles of entrained air. v

One of the primary objects of my invention is In the accompanying drawings in which there to provide an improved compressor employing a is shown for purposes of illustration one form liquid as the compressing medium, and having which my invention may assume in practice,- provision for the recovery of the kinetic energy Fig. 1 is a view partially in elevation and par- 45 imparted to the liquid during the compressing tially in vertical central section through a comprocess. Another object of my invention is to pressor unit in which the invention is embodied provide an improved compressor employing 'a in one of its forms. liquid as the compressing medium, having pro- Fig. 2 is a view in end elevation with parts vision for the mingling of the gas to be combroken away of a part of the compressormech- 50 pressed, in bubble form in the compressing liquid anism proper.

medium, and providing not only the eflect of cen- Fig. 3 is an axial section on an enlarged scale trif i gal force, but also a rolling action for the showing the liquid intake of the compressor.

Y pii'riiiose-of effectually accomplishing'a compres- Fig. 4 is a fragmentary diametric section through a portion of the pump-rotor and a portion of the casing.

admitted to the compressor, and thereby the output of the compressor, and also the terminal pressure of the compressor. Still another object of my invention is to provide an improved liquid type compressor in which various fluids, having diflerent viscosities and difierent surface tensions, may be employed to imprison bubbles of air or other gas, and subject such bubbles to a rolling-down action concurrently with the development of increasing centrifugal pressures as the size of the bubbles diminishes, Still another object of my invention is to provide an improved compressor of the liquid type having associated therewith cooling means, by means of which the terminal temperature of the liquid to be con:- pressed can be controlled and varied. Yet another object is to provide an improved method of compressing gaseous materials. Other objects and advantages of my invention will hereinafter more fully appear.

at-o provide "an" improved liquid type compressor liquid-medium type trol means for regulating the quantity of liquid Fig. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary detailed section through a portion of the automatic liquid supply control.

Fig. 6 shows a side elevation and an end view of one part of the automatic liquid control.

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary view of the Pelton wheel forming a part of the compressor.

Fig. 8 is an end view and Fig. 9 a view on the line 9-9 of Fig; 8 showing one of the bucketpairs of the Pelton wheel.

Fig. 10 is a fragmentary view on an enlarged scale showing details of construction of the'liquid control valve.

Fig. 11 is an end nection.

Referring to the drawings, and at first particularly to Fig. 1, it will be noted that .a suitable base |4 provides a large internal chamber l5 and a smaller upper internal chamber l6, the'latter communicating with a chamber i1 in a hollow motor support l6, which supports a driving motor unit l9 alined with a compressor 26 upon the base i4. The compressor comprises a plural part casing generally designated 2| and made up of a body element 22 providing a pedestal 23, another body element 24 and an end element 25. Within the body elements 22 and 24 there is journaled a hollow shaft 26 in suitable bearings 21 and 26, and this shaft is connected herein through a flexible coupling 29 with the motor shaft 36. The shaft 26 supports arotor structure generally designated 3|, which rotates in a chamber of symmetrical cross section 32, said chamber comprising a pair of air admission spaces 33 one of which is formed within each of the casing parts 22 and 24, bubble forming chambers 34, compression spaces 35, air discharge spaces 36, and a liquid race 31, tioned being part in casing member 22 and part in casing member 24 and symmetrically arranged with respect to the central plane of the rotor 3 Air is supplied to the spaces 33 through a conduit 36 formed in the casing and connected to a source of supply through a pipe 39. The rotor itself is made up, as herein shown, of three elements, a pair of bubble forming elements or nozzle elements 46 and a plate or central element 4|. The latter may assume various forms and may be constructed, if desired, as a plane smooth surfaced plate or it may be provided with spiral view of the liquid intake convanes under certain circumstances. The parts of the rotor are all held together by or the like 42.

It will be observed that the shaft 26 is hollow and this hollow'shaft communicates with a chamber 45 formed in the casing element 25, this chamber being sealed, by a suitable seal type packing 46, from a space 41 within the casing member 22. A suitable conduit 48 formed in the wall of the casing member 22 leads to a combined strainer and suction valve mechanism 49 arranged in position to extend through the chamber l6 into the chamber l5. This mechanism includes a sleeve 56 in which is mounted a tapering suction member 5|, at whose lower end a valve seat 52 is formed to receive a valve 53, which controls the communication between the space 54 within the suction member and a space 55 to which liquid can attain access only through a strainer 56 supported by means of suitableribs 51 formed upon the outside of the suction element 5|. A head 56 in which the valve 53 is slidably guided by means of a stem 59 forms a closed lower end to the space to which liquid is first admitted after passing the strainer 56. A light sp i g 5'! mainsuitable rivets enlarged mouth or are bounded at all of the several parts men--v The bubble forming devices of the rotor may be smooth, or may be provided with a series of I curved tapering passages 65 communicating at their larger and inner ends with the air admission spaces 33, 33, said passages being closed on their outer sides by walls of the stationary casing. The bubble forming portions further each comprise central chambers 66, communicating through passages 61 with the hollow interior 66 of the shaft 26 which in its turn has communication through its valve controlled mouth 69 with the space 45 to which liquid is drawn, after the pump is running, through the liquid intake. One or more series, preferably several, of relatively radially extending bubble forming or nozzle devices 16 extend between the water spaces 66 and the air admission spaces or grooves 65. The nozzle or bubble forming devices may assume various forms, and are here shown as having relatively discharge portions 1|, and smaller liquid Jet forming portions 12. It will be observed that the space 65 or spaces (depending upon the nature of the exteriors of members 46) their inner sides by the rotor structure and at their outer sides by a stationary casing wall. It will be noted, moreover, that radially outwardly, beyond the bubble forming members 46, there is a relatively sharp angle of approach of the casing or rotor chamber wall to the rotor plate 4|, and then a more gradual taper as respectively shown at 15 and 16. The form and angle of this wall is, of course, variable in accordance with the speeds, the dimensions, and other design features of the compressor. At the outer edge of the spaces 35 therev is, as has been noted, a relatively large air separation groove 36, with portions at each side of the outermost part of the rotor disc, water race 31. The air separation groove or grooves 36 communicate with a discharge passage 86 having any suitable form of discharge valve 6|, herein a valve being used which is covered in my copending application filed of even date herewith.

In the normal operation of the compressor as so far described, it will be understood that after suitable priming, if necessary, the compressor will automatically draw in liquid through the intake valve 53, after the same has been strained through the strainer 56, and will cause the liquid to pass through the hollow interior 66 of the shaft 26 and out through the nozzles or bubble makers 16 where the liquid under the action of centrifugal force will be caused, in passing into the space and also after impinging upon the casing walls, to entrain aim-partially perhaps by aslugactioninthe upper part of the mixing chambers 65, in part perhaps by absorption, and largely in the form of bubbles, in the highly agitated state in which the liquid flows out of the chamber 65 into the tapered space 15. After the liquid with its entrained air enters the space 15, it is subjected to increasing centrifugal force, and due to the presence of a rolling action between the plate 4| and the stationary casing wall 16, the compressing action will be facilitated and a high compression, whose value may be readily determined according to well known principles of design, will be built up. As the fast moving films of liquid containing highly compressed air pass through the narrow spaces be- Serial N0. 713,336,

am It will remove thereto. There will be noted to be very few moving parts, almost no wear, silence, automatic fluid supply and discharge connections 9i, befbre returning to the liquid storage space it.

e amount of liquid supplied to the hollow l5 shaft 26 is controllable by valve 92 having a manual adjustment, through rotation of its stem 93 by a hand wheel 94, to limit its maximum opening, but constantly subject to close adjustment by means consists of a rack 91 secured to the block 95, and an arcuate rack 98, meshed with the rack 91 and pivotable through a shaft 99, and turned with that shaft by an arm I00 secured to said 3 shaft. The arm I00 is-connected by a link "II with an arm member The member ii" is in the foniihof a fan- 35 shaped member supported by the shaft mally maintained in a certain angular position by a torsion spring I05. through one of the air spaces 36 into close contiguity to the periphery of the rotor disc 4| and 40 is provided with a series ofpbucket-like recesses action upon the buckets or grooves I06, there will be imparted to the member I 04 a rotative force, which, through the shaft, arms and linl: described,

1: will move the valve 92 toward closed position and 70 This rolling action will be as it were spiral, be-

' I centrifugal force.

I02 upon a shaft I03 which quantity of liquid being controlan ideal combination for air-conditionuse, and the possibility of high pressures in volving the novel feature of bubble formation and rolling down, and the attendant use of increasing These and various other uses and advantages of the improved compressing unit will be clearly apparent to those skilled in the art.

While there is in this application specifically described one form which the invention may assume in practice, it will be understood that this form is shown for purposes of illustration, and that the invention may be modified and embodied in various other forms without departure from its spirit or the scope of the appended claims.

What'I claim Patent is:-

1. In. a compressor, a casing, a rotor therein, a liquid constrained to movement throughsaid casing and to which centrifugal force is imparted by said rotorgmeanscarried by said rotor fo ent portions of the latter.

2. In a compressor, a casing, a rotor therein, a liquid constrained to movement through said casing and to which centrifugal force is imparted by said rotor, means carried by said rotor for effecting entraining of air by said liquid, and separate liquid and air discharges respectively radial of and transverse to said rotor.

3. In a compressor, a casing, a rotor therein,

charge beyond the periphery of the rotor.

5. In a compressor, a liquid supply means throughthe rotor, gaseous and desire to secure by Letters casing, a rotor therein,-

fluid inlet means through the casing, said casing and rotor providing a tapering.v compression space, and gaseous fluid and liquid discharge passages at different radial distances from the rotor aiiis.

' 6. In a compressor, a casing, a" rotor therein, a

- liquid supply to said rotor, an air inlet provided by said casing, said rotor effecting a mingling of connected to said rotor for rotation therewith.

7., In a compressor, a casing, a rotor therein, means affording a liquid supply to the center of separate communications with the rotor.

8. In a compressor, a casing, a rotor therein, a

' ery, and separate air and liquid discharges having 1.

liquid supply to the center of said rotor, an airinlet near the center of the casing, bubble forming nozzles on said rotor, said casing, and rotor co-operating to roll said bubbles during centrifu- 5 gal compression, and discharge means for the air and liquid. e

9. In a compressor, a casing, a rotor therein, a liquid supply to the center of said rotor, an air inlet near the center of the casing, bubble 10 forming nozzles on said rotor, said casing and rotor co-operating to roll said bubbles during centrifugal compression, and discharge means for the air and liquid differently spaced radially of the casing. I

5 10. In a compressor, a casing, a rotor therein," means aifording a liquid supply to said rotor, air inlet means communicating with said rotor, a regulating valve for the liquid supply, and means including a device governed by the volume of 20 liquid passing across the periphery of the rotor for controlling said valve.

11. In a compressor, a casing, a rotor therein, a liquid supply to said rotor, air inlet means leading to said rotor, means for freeing the liquid 25 of air at and for returning the liquid from the periphery of the rotor to its source of supply, and means for controllingthe temperature of the liquid in its passage between the edge of the rotor and the source.

12.-The method of compressing a. gas which comprises as steps, formation and entraining of bubbles of gas in a stream of liquid of progressively increasing pressure, and rolling said bubbles to decrease their size mechanically as well 35 as hydraulically.

13. The method of compressing a gas which comprises as steps, providing a moving stream. of air, discharging jets of liquid thereinto to cause a bubbly mixture, subjecting said mixture to pro- 40 gressively increasing pressure and concurrently subjecting the same to a rolling action.

14. The method of compressing a gas which comprises as steps, providing'a conelike sheet of air moving with diminishing thickness and increasing velocity from the apex towards the base thereof, discharging into the same liquid in broken-up form and at an angle to the flow of the air stream to produce a bubbly mass or quasiemulsion in the form of a sheet corresponding in shape to the surface of a flattening cone, and substantially increasing the unit pressure in said mass by centrifugal action and effecting relativelyopposite movement between the opposite surfaces of said last mentioned sheet.

" 15. The step in gas compression, of rolling gaseous bubbles in a liquid compression medium between converging surfaces.

16. The step in gas compression of rolling gaseous bubbles in a liquid compression medium be- 60 tween contiguous surfaces while increasing the fluid pressure.

1'7. The step in gas compression of subjecting gaseous bubbles in a liquid compression medium to concurrently increasing pressure and rolling action.

18. The step in gas compression of subjecting the mingled gas and liquid to a rolling action spirally.

19. The method of gas compression consisting of subjecting successive portions of mingled gas and liquid to a rolling action spirally and to a concurrently increasing hydraulic pressure.

20. In a compressor, a casing, a rotor in said 75 casing, means for supplying commingled gaseous fluid and liquid .tosaid casing'for a compressive action thereon by said-rotor, and means for substantially separating the compressed fluid from the liquid before the edge of the rotor is reached.

21. In a compressor, a casing, a rotor in said 5 casing, means for supplying commingled gaseous fluid and liquid to said casing for a compressive action thereon by said rotor, means for substantiallyv separating the compressed gaseous fluid from the liquid before the edge of the rotor is reached, and separate discharge means for said compressed gaseous fluid and said liquid.

22. In a compressor, in combination, a rotor in the form of a flat metal disc mounted to rotate on a stationary axis coincident with its own axis and having annular, opposite, lateral fluid engaging portions of substantial radial dimension and smooth throughout their entire radial and circumferential extent, and means forming a chamber for said rotor and providing a radiallyfree path for .fluid for guiding fluid from the portions of said rotor nearer the axis thereof towards the periphery thereof as said rotor turns.

23. In a compressor, in combination, a rotor in the form of a flat metal disc having a relatively thin, imperforate, smooth-surfaced body, and means forming a chamber for said rotor providing smooth walls for the conductingof fluid outwardly radially of the rotor. I

24. In a compressor, a casing having a compression chamber, a rotor in,said chamber in the form of a flat metal circular disc, means for supplying commingled air and liquid to said compression chamber for a compressive action thereon by said rotor, and means for separating the compressed air from said liquid.

25. In a compressor, a casing having a com-. pression chamber, a rotor in said chamber in the form of a flat, circular metal disc, means for supplying commingled air and liquid to said compression chamber, discharge means adjacent to the periphery of said rotor for discharging the compressed air from said chamber, and peripheral discharge means for discharging liquid from said chamber.

26. In a compressor, a casing, a rotor in said casing, means for supplying commingled air and liquid to said casing for action thereon by said rotor, discharge means for the compressed air and for said liquid, and means including an element projecting into said air discharge means. and controlled by overflow of liquid to said air discharge means for automatically regulating flow of liquid to said casing.-

2'7. In a compressor, a casing, a rotor in sai casing, means for supplying commingled air and liquid to said casing for action thereon by said rotor, discharge means for the compressed -air and said liquid, means including an element projecting into said air discharge means and controlled by overflow of liquid to said air discharge means for automatically regulating flow of liquid to said casing, and means associated with said automatic control means for manually regulating the liquid flow.

28. In a compressor, a casing having a compression chamber, a rotor in said chamber, means for supplying commingled air and liquid to the compression chamber for compression. therein 70 upon rotation of said rotor, discharge means adjacent the periphery of said rotor for compressed air, and collection and discharge means at the periphery of said rotor for the liquid.

29. In a compressor, a casing having a com- 75 pression chamber, a rotor in said chamber, means for supplying commingled air and liquid to the compression chamber for compression therein upon rotation of said rotor, discharge means ad- 5 jacent the periphery of said rotor for compressed air, collection and discharge means at the periphery of said rotor for the liquid, and means governed by the thickness of the liquid transversely of the rotor, at the periphery of the latter,

10 for controlling the rate of liquid supply.

30. In a compressor, a casing having a rotortherein, means for introducing air and liquid into said casing for action thereon by said rotor, said rotor effecting a centrifugal compression of said 15 air, means for separating the compressed air, and

means receiving said liquid at the periphery of the rotor and conducting it substantially tangentially therefrom, a wheel coaxial with the rotor and axially spaced therefrom for aiding in driving the rotor, and conducting means receiving the liquid from said substantially tangential discharge and supplying it to said wheel.

31. In a compressor, in combination, a rotor rotatable on a stationary axis and providing an outer thin smooth annular portion of substantial radial extent, and a housing providing smooth walls opposed to the sides of said annular portion and approaching the latter laterally towards the periphery thereof.

32. In a compressor, in combination, a rotor rotatable on a stationary axis and providing an outer thin smooth annular portion of substantial radial extent, and a housing cooperating'with said rotor to provide a passage'for fluid of diminishing dimension, axially of the rotor, towards the periphery of the latter.

WARREN NOBLE.

Images