WO2007021102A1

WO2007021102A1 - Filter for compressor

Info

Publication number: WO2007021102A1
Application number: PCT/KR2006/003157
Authority: WO
Inventors: Jun-Kew Ar
Original assignee: Korea Vortex Co., Ltd.; Aser Tech Co., Ltd.
Priority date: 2005-08-12
Filing date: 2006-08-11
Publication date: 2007-02-22

Abstract

A filter for a compressor to filter moisture and foreign substances in compressed air is provided. The filter includes a chamber formed of an inlet hole through which compressed air flows in, an outlet hole through which compressed air flows out, and a flow channel connecting the inlet hole and the outlet hole, wherein the compressed air has a high temperature and is provided by a compressor; and a cooling member formed on the flow channel of the chamber, wherein the cooling member includes an injection path extending towards the inner circumference of the chamber from the center portion of the cooling member and the compressed air flowing from the inlet hole through the injection path is injected. Therefore, compressed air with high temperature is rapidly cooled down and thus a compression efficiency of a compressor is maximized. Also, condensed water and foreign substances in compressed air are filtered thereby improving the performance and lifespan of the industrial devices using the compressed air.

Description

FILTER FOR COMPRESSOR

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to a filter for a compressor, which removes moisture and foreign substances in compressed air provided from a compressor, and more particularly, to a filter for a compressor, which rapidly cools down compressed air having a high temperature in order to maximize the compression efficiency of a compressor and which filters and discharges moisture and foreign substances in compressed air, thus improving the performance and lifespan of industrial equipment in which compressed air is used.

BACKGROUND ART

In general, compressors using compressed air are used in various industrial devices such as pneumatic valves and air cylinders. Compressed air emitted from compressors generally has a high temperature and includes moisture and foreign substances. When the compressed air passes through a device using the compressed air, the compressed air is cooled down and the density thereof increases, the pressure thereof decreases, and moisture in the compressed air condenses. Therefore, the lifespan and operating efficiency of the devices using the compressed air is reduced. A filter for a compressor is generally used to filter foreign substances and moisture, the foreign substances including oil and corpuscles in the compressed air which is emitted from the compressor.

Among such conventional filters for compressors, Korean Utility Model Registration No. 169181 discloses a filter for an air compressor. This filter for a compressor includes a main body 2 filtering moisture in the compressed air, an inlet 1 through which the compressed air flows into the main body 2, and an outlet 3 through which the compressed air is emitted from the main body 2, as illustrated in FIG. 1.

The inlet 1 includes a rotation inducing hole 6 for the compressed air flowing into the inlet 1 , which causes the compressed air entering the main body 2 to rotate. The compressed air flowing into the main body 2 using the rotation inducing hole 6 rotates in the main body 2 and collides with a first diaphragm 10 installed in the upper part of the main body 2. The compressed air flowing from the inlet 1 rotates in the main body 2 causing it to travel a long distance before colliding with the first diaphragm 10. Thus, i the compressed air is more effectively cooled down. While the compressed air is cooled down, moisture in the compressed air is condensed and condensed moisture is emitted through a trap 4 which is installed in the lower part of the main body 2.

The compressed air that collides with the first diaphragm 10 becomes turbulent while passing through a through-hole 9 formed in the first diaphragm 10. Then, the compressed air collides again with a second diaphragm 11 formed in the upper part of the first diaphragm 10 and is cooled down to condense moisture. The compressed air that collides with the second diaphragm 11 is emitted through a through-hole 9' formed in the second diaphragm 11 and then emitted through the outlet 3 to the device using the compressed air. While the compressed air is cooled down and collides with the first and second diaphragms 10 and 11 , steam in the compressed air is condensed and flows along the inner wall of the first diaphragm 10, the second diaphragm 11 , and the main body 2, thereby discharging to the outside of the filter for a compressor through the trap 4. However, this conventional filter for a compressor cannot sufficiently cool the compressed air and thus cannot filter moisture. In addition, since the compressed air is emitted, when the density of the compressed air is not sufficiently raised, the efficiency of the compressor is reduced.

In other words, although air is compressed with high temperature and emitted into the compressor, when the compressed air with low density due to its high temperature is emitted, the compressed air is cooled down so as to increase density and decrease pressure, thereby reducing performance of the device using the compressed air. In addition, moisture condensed while the compressed air is cooled down reduces the lifespan of a device using the compressed air.

DUSCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION

The present invention provides a filter for a compressor, which rapidly cools down compressed air with high temperature for maximizing a compression efficiency of a compressor and efficiently filtering moisture and foreign substances in the compressed air for improving performance and lifespan of the device using the compressed air.

According to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided a filter for a compressor including: a chamber formed of an inlet hole through which compressed air flows in, an outlet hole through which compressed air flows out, and a flow channel connecting the inlet hole and the outlet hole, wherein the compressed air has a high temperature and is provided by a compressor; and a cooling member formed on the flow channel of the chamber, wherein the cooling member includes an injection path extending towards the inner circumference of the chamber from the center portion of the cooling member and the compressed air flowing from the inlet hole through the injection path is injected.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The above and other aspects and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent by describing in detail an exemplary embodiment thereof with reference to the attached drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view schematically illustrating a conventional filter for a compressor; FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of a filter for a compressor according to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the filter for a compressor of FIG. 2; FIG. 4 is a perspective view of an injecting member of the filter for a compressor of FIG. 2; FIG. 5 is a bottom view of the injecting member of the filter for a compressor of

FIG. 2; and

FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating an operating process of the filter for a compressor of FIG. 2.

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

The present invention will now be described more fully with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which an exemplary embodiment of the invention is shown.

FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of a filter for a compressor according to an embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the filter for a compressor of FIG. 2; FIG. 4 is a perspective view of an injecting member of the filter for a compressor of FIG. 2; and FIG. 5 is a bottom view of the injecting member of the filter for a compressor of FIG. 2.

Referring to FIGS. 2 through 5, the filter for a compressor according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a chamber 100, a cooling member 200, a guide pipe 300, a horning pipe 400, and a deflector 600.

The chamber 100 is formed of a housing 110 and a cover 120 that screws onto the housing 110. The housing 110 has a container shape having an opened upper part. A male screw member 114 is formed in the outer circumference of the upper part of the housing 110, and a drain hole 112 is formed in the lower part of the housing 110 where moisture separated from the compressed air collects and then discharges. A trap (not illustrated) is connected to the drain hole 112 to store moisture emitted from the drain hole 112 and to discharge the moisture to the outside at an appropriate time.

The cover 120 is bonded with the upper part of the housing 110 to seal the inner space of the housing 110. A female screw member 128 is formed in the inner circumference of the cover 120. Therefore, the female screw member 128 is screwed onto the male screw member 114 formed on the housing 110 and thus the cover 120 and the housing 110 are bonded.

The cover 120 includes an inlet hole 122 through which the compressed air flows into the chamber 100 and an outlet hole 124 through which the compressed air in the chamber 100 is discharged to the outside. The compressed air flowing into the inlet hole 122 through a supply hose P of the compressor connected to the inlet hole 122 passes through a flow channel 130 formed in the chamber 100 and is then discharged to the outside through the outlet hole 124.

In addition, a tap hole 126 is formed in the center of the cover 120 and thus a diffuser 220 of a cooling member, which will be described later, is screwed into the tap hole 126. The cooling member 200 is disposed in the flow channel 130 of the chamber 100 and includes the injecting member 230, a diffuser 220, and a vortex spring 210.

The injecting member 230 includes a guiding channel 232 and a plurality of injection grooves 234. The guiding channel 232 guides the compressed air flowing into the inlet hole 122 to the center of the injecting member 230 and the injection grooves 234 are formed horizontally on the bottom surface of the injecting member 230. In addition, the injection grooves 234 are disposed to radiate in all directions at the same angle intervals and extend towards the inner circumference of the housing 110 from the intersection of the bottom surface of the injecting member 230 and the guiding channel 232.

The guiding channel 232 of the injecting member 230 includes an influx flow channel 232A whose internal diameter gradually becomes smaller as the compressed air progresses, in order to efficiently guide the compressed air flowing from the inlet hole 122 into the injection grooves 234.

In addition, the injecting member 230 is disposed in the upper part of the inside of the cover 120 to form the flow channel 130, wherein the flow channel 130 is connected from the inlet hole 122 to the influx flow channel 232A. Also, a sealing groove 236 is formed in the upper part of the injecting member 230 and thus an O-ring S is installed in the sealing groove 236 to seal the part where the injecting member 230 and the cover 120 meet.

A male screw member 238 is formed to bond with a guide pipe 300, which will be described later, on the outer circumference of the injecting member 230.

The diffuser 220 is disposed to contact with the bottom surface of the injecting member 230 and forms an injection path together with the injection grooves 234 of the injecting member 230 for the compressed air to be injected toward the inner circumference of the housing 110.

In order for the compressed air to form a vortex shape while passing through the injection path that is formed by the injection grooves 234 of the injecting member 230 and the diffuser 220, each injection groove 234 may be formed in a curved shape as illustrated in FIGS. 4 and 5 and have the same curvature.

The diffuser 220 includes a guide bar 222 which penetrates the guiding channel 232 of the injecting member 230. The upper end of the guide bar 222 may comprise a male screw member 226 which is screwed into the tap hole 126 of the cover 120 as described above. In this case, while the guide bar 222 of the diffuser 220 is screwed into the tap hole 126 of the cover 120, the upper surface of the diffuser 220 supports the injecting member 230, to which pressure is applied by the cover 120.

The vortex spring 210 is disposed in the guiding channel 232 of the injecting member 230 and guides the compressed air flowing into the guiding channel 232 into a vortex shape. The vortex spring 210 may have a diameter that gradually becomes smaller as the compressed air progresses, in order to efficiently guide the vortex of the compressed air into the injection path by interaction with the influx flow channel 232A.

Meanwhile, a fixing piece 224 extending in a horizontal direction is included in the guide bar 222 of the diffuser 220, and supports and fixes the upper part of the vortex spring 210. Therefore, the vortex spring 210 can be prevented from being shaken by the flow of the compressed air.

The guide pipe 300 has a cylindrical shape. An internal diameter of the guide pipe 300 is larger than the outer diameter of the injecting member 230 and thus a female screw member 330 formed on the upper part of the guide pipe 300 is screwed onto the male screw member 238 of the injecting member 230. The compressed air injected in a vortex shape through the injection path of the cooling member 200 and moisture separated from the compressed air collide with the inner wall of the guide pipe 300, which guides the compressed air and moisture into the lower end of the flow channel 130.

A combining projection 320 is formed on the outer circumference of the guide pipe 300 and the combining projection 320 is used to fix a roll filter 700, which will be described later, the guide pipe 300. The horning pipe 400 has a cylindrical shape and is bonded to the lower part of the guide pipe 300 to form a part of the flow channel 130 and to guide the compressed air and moisture to the lower side. As illustrated in the enlarged section of FIG. 3, spiral grooves 401 are formed on the inner circumference of the horning pipe 400 and thus guide the vortex of compressed air. The spiral grooves 401 are formed in a spiral form comprised of a breadth and an inclination. A baffle projection 310 is formed on the inner circumference of the guide pipe 300 so that moisture separated from the compressed air, which is injected by the cooling member 200 to collide with the baffle projection 310, flows downward.

In addition, a mounting groove 410 is disposed in the center of the inner side of the horning pipe 400 in order to mount a filtering member which filters foreign substances in the compressed air. The filtering member may be formed of a mesh net 420, and the mesh net 420 may be stacked in multiple stages and mounted in the mounting groove 410 of the horning pipe 400.

The deflector 600 is screwed into and mounted on the lower part of the horning pipe 400. The deflector 600 includes a diffusing plate 610. Compressed air flowing out from the horning pipe 400 collides with the diffusing plate 610 to be diffused. A plurality of vortex conversion grooves 611 are formed on the diffusing plate 610 at fixed intervals along the outer circumference of the diffusing plate 610, and thus a vortex direction of the compressed air which collides with the diffusing plate 610 to be diffused is rapidly converted. The vortex conversion grooves 611 formed on the diffusing plate 610 may be inclined in the opposite direction to the vortex direction of the compressed air that passes through the horning pipe 400 to suddenly convert the direction of the compressed air, as illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 3.

A fixing groove 620 is formed on the upper part of the diffusing plate 610 of the deflector 600 and an eliminator 500, which will be described later, is installed in the fixing groove 620.

The eliminator 500 has a cylindrical shape and is interposed between the lower surface of the horning pipe 400 and the fixing groove 620 of the deflector 600. The eliminator 500 is formed of a porous material to filter foreign substances in the compressed air. In addition, before moisture separated from the compressed air collides with the diffusing plate 610 of the deflector 600, the moisture collides with the inner wall of the eliminator 500 and the moisture flows down or absorbs into the eliminator 500 thus preventing the moisture from being scattered and mixed again with the compressed air.

The roll filter 700 is formed of a porous material and is disposed on the flow channel 130 in which the compressed air moves towards the outlet hole 124 after passing through the deflector 600, to filter foreign substances in the compressed air again. The roll filter 700 is interposed between the outer circumference of the guide pipe 300 and the inner wall of the housing 110. A bonding groove 710 is formed on the inner circumference of the roll filter 700 so the roll filter 700 can be fixed to the combining projection 320 formed on the outer circumference of the guide pipe 300 as described above. Hereinafter, a function of the filter for a compressor according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described more fully.

FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating an operating process of the filter for a compressor of FIG. 2. Referring to FIG. 6, arrows indicates a route followed by the compressed air as it flows into the inlet hole 122 of the chamber 100, passes through the flow channel 130, and discharges through the outlet hole 124.

First, when compressed air with high temperature provided from the compressor flows into the chamber 100 through the inlet hole 122 of the chamber 100, the compressed air is guided to the influx flow channel 232A of the injecting member 230 along the flow channel 130. Since the internal diameter of the influx flow channel 232A gradually becomes smaller towards the bottom of the influx flow channel 232A, the compressed air is compressed more while passing through the influx flow channel 232A. On the other hand, the compressed air rotates in a vortex shape due to the vortex spring 210 disposed in the guiding channel 232 and then enters into the injection paths. Since the size of the cross-sectional area of the injection paths formed by the injection grooves 234 and the diffuser 220 is remarkably smaller than the size of the cross- sectional area of the guiding channel 232, the pressure of the compressed air increases, and thus the compressed air passes through the injection paths. In this case, since the injection paths are formed in a curved shape having the same curvature as illustrated in FIGS. 4 and 5, the vortex rotation of the compressed air becomes stronger while passing through the injection paths.

The compressed air passing through each injection path is discharged to a wide area is suddenly discharged and thus pressure is decreased at the moment according to a Bernoulli's Principle. Due to a pressure decrease, the compressed air is adiabatically expanded. Also, heat energy in the compressed air is used while the compressed air is expanded and temperature is decreased so as to cool down. As such, when the compressed air is cooled down and the temperature of the compressed air falls below the dew point of the steam in the compressed air, some of the steam is condensed to form moisture.

On the other hand, the compressed air flowing out from the injection paths and then flowing into the guide pipe 300 and the horning pipe 400 rotates in the inside of the guide pipe 300 and the horning pipe 400 in a vortex shape. The moisture condensed out of the compressed air and foreign substances in the compressed air have a higher density than the compressed air and thus the centrifugal force due to rotation of the compressed air is influenced. Accordingly, the moisture and the foreign substances are pushed out towards the inner circumferences of the guide pipe 300 and the horning pipe 400, and the air which has relatively low density remains at the center, that is, the central axis of the guide pipe 300 and the horning pipe 400. The moisture pushed to the inner circumferences of the guide pipe 300 and the horning pipe 400 collides with the inner walls thereof flows down along the inner walls.

In addition, when the moisture condensed out of the compressed air and the air collide with the baffle projection 310 of the guide pipe 300, direction of progression of the moisture and air differs due to density difference. Accordingly, a phenomenon that moisture is separated from the compressed air is accelerated.

Moreover, since the spiral grooves 401 are formed on the inner circumference of the horning pipe 400, the vortex of the compressed air is continuously guided along the spiral grooves 401 and the separating effect of moisture and foreign substances from the compressed air is improved.

Foreign substances in the compressed air are filtered through the mesh net 420, which is installed in the horning pipe 400.

The compressed air discharged from the horning pipe 400 is passed through the eliminator 500 formed of porous material to filter foreign substances again. In addition, before the moisture formed of very small particles collides with the deflector 600 so as to scatter, very small particles of moisture form on the eliminator 500 and add together and flow down. The compressed air passed through the eliminator 500 collides with the diffusing plate 610 of the deflector 600. The direction of progression of the compressed air that collides with the diffusing plate 610 is suddenly changed. In this case, moisture having high density moves downwards and air having low density moves upwards. The vortex conversion grooves 611 formed on the diffusing plate 610 strengthen the function of the deflector 600.

The moisture separated from the compressed air after passing through the process described above flows downwards, discharges through the drain hole 112 and is collected in the trap (not illustrated) disposed in the drain hole 112 and is removed.

While the compressed air passing through the deflector 600 collides with the lower surface of the housing 110, the direction of progression thereof is converted along the flow channel 130 and moves upward. Then, foreign substances in the compressed air are filtered again at the roll filter 700 formed of a porous material and are provided to an apparatus using the compressed air through the outlet hole 124.

On the other hand, when the compressed air is cooled down by adiabatic expansion while discharging from the cooling member 200 and is moisture-free, the temperature of the compressed air is lower than the compressed air flowing into the inlet hole 122 and thus the density thereof is raised. Accordingly, while the compressed air is passed through the flow channel 130, the volume thereof is gradually decreased and the pressure thereof is increased.

In other words, the compressed air flowing into the inlet hole 122 has high temperature, low density, and high humidity and the compressed air flowing out through the outlet hole 124 has low temperature, high density, and low humidity.

The compressed air discharged from the filter for a compressor according to an embodiment of the present invention has high density and thus the compressed air does not cause malfunctions of pneumatic devices caused by a pressure decrease, and does not deteriorate the operational performance of pneumatic devices.

Moreover, since moisture and foreign substances in the compressed air are filtered through the filter for a compressor according to an embodiment of the present invention, the lifespan of pneumatic devices in which the compressed air is used is not shortened.

While the present invention has been particularly shown and described with reference to exemplary embodiments thereof, it will be understood by those of ordinary skill in the art that various changes in form and details may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. For example, the influx flow channel 232A whose internal diameter gradually becomes smaller as the compressed air progresses, may not be included in the guiding channel 232.

Also, the filter for a compressor may not include horning pipe 400, the eliminator 500, deflector 600, and the roll filter 700. In addition, as illustrated in FIGS. 4 and 5, the injection grooves 234 extend in a curved shape. However, the filter for a compressor may include injection grooves that extend in a different shape to that in the drawings.

Moreover, the filter for a compressor may not include the vortex spring 210.

INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY

As described above, since the compressed air discharged from the compressor is rapidly cooled down so as to decrease density thereof, a compression efficiency of the compressor can be improved.

In other words, compressed air is discharged from the compressor without significantly decreasing the pressure thereof and thus malfunctions of an apparatus, in which the compressed air is used, can be prevented, thereby improving the performance of the apparatus.

In addition, a filtering efficiency of the moisture and foreign substances in the compressed air is remarkably raised, thereby lengthening the lifespan of the apparatus using the compressed air.

Claims

What is claimed is:

1. A filter for a compressor comprising: a chamber formed of an inlet hole through which compressed air flows in, an outlet hole through which compressed air flows out, and a flow channel connecting the inlet hole and the outlet hole, wherein the compressed air has a high temperature and is provided by a compressor; and a cooling member formed on the flow channel of the chamber, wherein the cooling member includes an injection path extending towards the inner circumference of the chamber from the center portion of the cooling member and the compressed air flowing from the inlet hole through the injection path is injected,

2. The filter of claim 1 , wherein the cooling member includes a plurality of injection paths that are radially arranged and extended in a curved shape so that the compressed air forms a vortex while passing through the injection paths.

3. The filter of claim 2, wherein the cooling member further comprises: an injecting member including a guiding channel and a plurality of injection grooves, wherein the guiding channel guides the compressed air flowing into the inlet hole to the inlet of the injection path and the injection grooves, which constitute a portion of the injection path, are formed on the bottom surface of the injecting member; and a diffuser disposed to contact the bottom surface of the injecting member so as to form the injection path together with the injection grooves of the injecting member for the compressed air flowing out from the injection path to diffuse toward the inner wall of the chamber.

4. The filter of claim 3, wherein the cooling member further comprises a vortex spring disposed in the guiding channel of the injecting member to guide the compressed air into a vortex shape and the diffuser comprises a guide bar penetrating the vortex spring and the guiding channel to fix to the chamber.

5. The filter of claim 4, wherein the guiding channel of the injecting member has an influx flow channel whose internal diameter gradually becomes smaller as the compressed air progresses.

6. The filter of claim 4, wherein the vortex spring has a diameter that gradually becomes smaller as the compressed air progresses to guide the vortex of the compressed air.

7. The filter of claim 4, wherein the guide bar of the diffuser comprises a fixing piece supporting and fixing the upper part of the vortex spring so to prevent the vortex spring from being shaken by the flow of the compressed air

8. The filter of claim 1 , further comprising a guide pipe connecting with the cooling member to guide the compressed air flowing out from the injection path to the flow channel and to make moisture separated from the compressed air collide with the inner wall of the guide pipe to flow downward.

9. The filter of claim 8, wherein the guide pipe comprises a baffle projection in the inner circumference thereof, which causes moisture separated from the compressed air that is injected from the cooling member to collide with the baffle projection to flow downward.

10. The filter of claim 8, further comprising a roll filter interposed between the outer circumference of the guide pipe and the inner wall of the housing so as to be fixed between the guide pipe and housing, the roll filter filtering foreign substances in the compressed air, the compressed air flowing out through the outlet hole, wherein the roll filter is formed of a porous material.

11. The filter of claim 8, further comprising a horning pipe disposed on the lower part of the guide pipe, wherein spiral grooves are formed on the inner circumference of the horning pipe to guide the vortex of the compressed air.

12. The filter of claim 11 , wherein the homing pipe comprises a filtering member to filter foreign substances in the compressed air.

13. The filter of claim 12, wherein the filtering member is formed of a mesh net so as to be stacked in multiple stages.

14. The filter of claim 11 , further comprising a deflector including a diffusing plate disposed on the lower part of the horning pipe in which the compressed air flowing out from the horning pipe collides with diffusing plate to be diffused.

15. The filter of claim 14, wherein a plurality of vortex conversion grooves are formed on the outer circumference of the deflector to rapidly convert a vortex direction of the compressed air which collides with the diffusing plate to be diffused.

16. The filter of claim 14, further comprising a cylindrical shaped eliminator interposed between the horning pipe and the deflector which filters foreign substances in the compressed air flowing out from the horning pipe and prevents moisture separated from the compressed air from being scattered again, wherein the eliminator is formed of a porous material.