U.S. patent application number 12/451447 was filed with the patent office on 2010-05-27 for frame for fluid machines.
This patent application is currently assigned to Dresser Italia S.R.L.. Invention is credited to Andrea Bianchi, Paolo Petracchi.
Application Number | 20100129249 12/451447 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 39831940 |
Filed Date | 2010-05-27 |
United States Patent
Application |
20100129249 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Bianchi; Andrea ; et
al. |
May 27, 2010 |
FRAME FOR FLUID MACHINES
Abstract
Herein described is a frame (10) for a fluid machine of the
reciprocating type. The frame (10) bears one or more cylinders (12)
moving inside each of which, with a reciprocating movement, is a
piston operated by a crankshaft (14). The frame (10) is made up of
one or more modules (20) of the same size and shape, within each
one of the modules (20) being provided a single chamber (16)
adapted to accommodate the crank mechanisms of each single cylinder
(12). Each module (20) is further provided with a pair of opposite
side walls (22, 24) and with one or more fixing means (26) which
allow rigid coupling to each other, adjacently arranging their
respective side walls (22, 24), of two or more of the identical
modules (20) for providing a frame (10) for fluid machines provided
with two or more cylinders (12).
Inventors: |
Bianchi; Andrea; (Massa,
IT) ; Petracchi; Paolo; (Paggio A Caiano,
IT) |
Correspondence
Address: |
HEDMAN & COSTIGAN P.C.
1185 AVENUE OF THE AMERICAS
NEW YORK
NY
10036
US
|
Assignee: |
Dresser Italia S.R.L.
Casavatore
IT
|
Family ID: |
39831940 |
Appl. No.: |
12/451447 |
Filed: |
May 9, 2008 |
PCT Filed: |
May 9, 2008 |
PCT NO: |
PCT/IB2008/001205 |
371 Date: |
November 30, 2009 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
417/521 |
Current CPC
Class: |
F16M 1/02 20130101; F04B
39/12 20130101; F02F 7/0058 20130101; F16M 1/022 20130101; F04B
39/128 20130101; F04B 39/14 20130101; F02F 7/0031 20130101; F02F
7/0007 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
417/521 |
International
Class: |
F04B 41/00 20060101
F04B041/00; F04B 39/00 20060101 F04B039/00 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
May 17, 2007 |
IT |
MI2007A001000 |
Claims
1. Reciprocating compressor for compressible fluids, comprising a
frame (10) bearing one or more cylinders (12) moving inside each of
which, with a reciprocating movement, is a piston operated by a
crankshaft (14), the fluid to be compressed by said compressor
being introduced into each cylinder (12) through one or more
suctioning pipes (18), while the fluid compressed by said
compressor being ejected from said cylinder (12) towards one or
more discharge pipes (18'), characterised in that said frame (10)
is made up of one or more modules (20) of the same size and shape,
within each one of said modules (20) being provided a single
chamber (16) adapted to accommodate the crank mechanisms of each of
said cylinders (12), each of said modules (20) being further
provided with a pair of opposite side walls (22, 24) and with one
or more fixing means (26) which allow rigid coupling to each other,
adjacently arranging their respective side walls (22, 24), of two
or more of said identical modules (20) for providing a frame (10)
for reciprocating compressors provided with two or more cylinders
(12).
2. Reciprocating compressor according to claim 1, characterised in
that said fixing means (26) are inserted into suitable holes (26')
made on each of said opposite side walls (22, 24) of each of said
modules (20).
3. Reciprocating compressor according to claim 1, characterised in
that made on one of said side walls (22) of each of said modules
(20) is at least one shaped portion (28) which is inserted in a
shape-coupling manner into a respective shaped portion (30)
obtained on the other shaped portion of said side walls (26) of the
adjacent module (20), in order to facilitate the coupling of said
modules (20) when using fluid machines provided with two or more
cylinders (12).
4. Reciprocating compressor according to claim 3, characterised in
that fitted on each of said opposite side walls (22, 24) are one or
more centering pins (32).
5. Reciprocating compressor according to claim 1, characterised in
that each of said modules (20) is provided, on each of said
opposite side walls (22, 24), with a circular hole (34) which
allows the passage of said crankshaft (14).
6. Reciprocating compressor according to claim 5, characterised in
that inserted inside each of said circular holes (34) is a support
plate (36) for said crankshaft (14) to prevent excessive flexure
stress of said crankshaft (14) during the operation of said fluid
machine.
7. Reciprocating compressor according to claim 6, characterised in
that said support plate (36) for said crankshaft (14) is fixed onto
each of said opposite side walls (22, 24) by means of a plurality
of bolts (38).
8. Reciprocating compressor according to claim 5, characterised in
that inserted inside each of said circular holes (34) are one or
more support bearings (40) for said crankshaft (14) when said
modules (20) are coupled to each other to provide a frame (10) for
reciprocating compressors provided with two or more cylinders
(12).
9. Reciprocating compressor according to claim 1, characterised in
that said frame (10) is made through melting metal.
10. Reciprocating compressor according to claim 1, characterised in
that said frame (10) is made through machining by means of tool
machines.
Description
[0001] The present invention regards the fluid machines and, more
in particular, it refers to a frame for reciprocating
compressors.
[0002] As known, a compressor is a special kind of machine capable
of exploiting the task performed by an engine to increase the
pressure of a compressible fluid (gas or vapour). In reciprocating
compressors, the compression of the fluid is performed by one or
more moving pistons with reciprocating movement within a respective
cylinder. The fluid to be compressed is suctioned into the cylinder
by a suctioning pipe, while the compressed one is ejected from the
cylinder towards a discharge pipe. Usually, the piston or pistons
of a reciprocating compressor are operated by electric motors or by
internal combustion engines through a crankshaft for transmitting
drive and a traditional connecting rod/crank mechanism.
[0003] The industrial reciprocating compressors are usually
provided with an external casing, referred to as frame, whose
purpose is to accommodate the connecting rod/crank mechanism and
bear the cylinder or cylinders, countering the reciprocating forces
generated upon compression of the fluid.
[0004] As of date, the frames for reciprocating compressors,
generally made by melting metal and/or machining by means of tool
machines, are made up of a single body capable of resisting against
the stresses generated during the compression cycle and subsequent
to the rotational movement of the driving shaft for transmitting
drive to the pistons. Thus each single compressor must be provided
with a specific frame depending on the number of cylinders, usually
arranged vertically and in a linear manner, with which it is
provided. Consequently, it is necessary to design and manufacture
each frame separately, substantially increasing both the costs and
the production time.
[0005] Thus, the objective of the present invention is to provide a
frame for fluid machines, in particular but not exclusively
reciprocating compressors, capable of being used indistinctively
both on single-cylinder machines and on two or multi-cylinder
machines, without requiring different dies to obtain the specific
frames depending on the number of cylinders of the machine.
[0006] Another objective of the invention is to provide a frame for
fluid machines capable of facilitating and quickening the assembly
of the machine with respect to known art.
[0007] Still, another objective of the invention is to provide a
frame for a fluid machine capable of allowing reduction of costs
and production time as well as storage in the warehouse.
[0008] These objectives according to the present invention are
attained by manufacturing a frame for fluid machines, in particular
but not exclusively reciprocating compressors, as described in
claim 1.
[0009] Further characteristics of the invention are outlined by the
subsequent claims.
[0010] Characteristics and advantages of a frame for fluid
machines, in particular but not exclusively reciprocating
compressors, according to the present invention shall be clearer
from the following exemplifying and non-limiting description with
reference to the schematic drawings attached wherein:
[0011] FIG. 1A is a top plan view of a frame for fluid machines
according to the present invention, applied to a single-cylinder
reciprocating compressor;
[0012] FIG. 1B is a sectional view obtained along line A-A of FIG.
1A;
[0013] FIG. 2A is a top plan view of a frame for fluid machines
according to the present invention, applied to a two-cylinder
reciprocating compressor;
[0014] FIG. 2B is a sectional view obtained along line A-A of FIG.
2A;
[0015] FIG. 3A is a top plan view of a frame for fluid machines
according to the present invention, applied to a four-cylinder
reciprocating compressor;
[0016] FIG. 3B is a sectional view obtained along line A-A of FIG.
3A;
[0017] FIG. 4 is a side elevation view of a frame for fluid
machines according to the present invention; and
[0018] FIG. 5 is a side elevation view of a frame for fluid
machines according to the present invention, on which one or more
cylinders of fluid machines of a reciprocating type are vertically
mounted.
[0019] Referring to the figures, schematically shown is a frame for
fluid machines, indicated in its entirety with reference number 10
and applied as an example to a vertical reciprocating compressor
for compressible fluids, which can be used in any gas compression
station or system.
[0020] The frame 10 is provided to bear one or more cylinders 12,
moving inside each of which, with a reciprocating movement, is a
piston (not shown); operated by a crankshaft 14. The fluid to be
compressed is introduced into each cylinder 12 through one of more
suctioning pipes 18, while the compressed fluid is ejected from the
cylinder 12 itself towards one or more discharge pipes 18'.
[0021] According to the invention, the frame 10 is made up of one
or more modules 20 of the same shape and size, within each module
20 being provided a single chamber 16 adapted to accommodate the
crank mechanisms of each single cylinder 12. In addition, each
module 20 is provided with a pair of substantially flat opposite
side walls 22 and 24 and with one or more fixing means 26 which
allow rigid coupling to each other, adjacently arranging their
respective side walls, of two or more identical modules 20 to
provide a frame 10 for compressors provided with two or more
cylinders 12, as shown for example in FIGS. 2A, 2B, 3A and 3B.
[0022] In the embodiments illustrated the fixing means 26,
preferably made up of bolts of the known type, are inserted into
suitable holes 26' made on each side wall 22, 24 of each module 20,
thus allowing to arrange the modules 20 themselves adjacent to each
other in such a manner to provide frames 10 for reciprocating
compressors provided with two cylinders (FIGS. 2A and 2B), three
cylinders, four cylinders (FIGS. 3A and 3B) and more, without any
restriction regarding the number of cylinders.
[0023] In such manner, it is possible to adapt the frame 10
according to the invention in a flexible manner to various types of
reciprocating compressors, both with one or more cylinders, without
requiring different frames depending of the number of cylinders of
the machine.
[0024] Each of the identical modules 20 making up the frame 10
according to the invention can be made according to methods known
to the industry, for example through melting metal (cast iron) or
through machining by means of tool machines. In order to facilitate
the coupling of the modules 20 in case of multi-cylinder
compressors, made on one of the side walls 22 of each single module
20 can be at least one shaped portion 28 which is inserted in a
shape-coupling manner into a respective shaped portion 30 provided
on the other side wall 24 of the adjacent module 20. Due to the
minimum clearance between the shaped portions 28 and 30 and the
presence of one or more centering pins 32 fitted onto the side
walls 22 and 24, as well as the presence of the fixing bolts 26 and
the friction forces generated between the adjacent walls 22 and 24
of the adjacent modules 20, the modules 20 of the frame 10 are
capable of efficiently resisting, when coupled to each other,
against the forces generated during the operation cycle of the
compressor just like the case single-block frames according to the
known art.
[0025] Furthermore, each module 20 is provided, on each of its side
walls 22 and 24, with a circular hole 34 which allows the passage
of the crankshaft 14 and possibly one or more rotating
countershafts, if present on the compressor. In order to prevent
excessive flexure stress of the crankshaft 14 during the operation
of the machine there can be provided one or more support plates 36
which can be inserted into the holes 34. The support plates 36 of
the crankshaft 14 are fixed into the side walls 22 and 24 of each
module 20 by means of a plurality of bolts 38. In addition, when
the modules 20 are coupled to each other to provide a frame 10
adapted to support more cylinders 12 and, consequently, when the
holes 34 of the modules 20 adjacent to each other are connected to
each other to allow the passage of the crankshaft 14 (FIGS. 2B and
3B), support bearings 40, inserted into the holes 34, can be
provided to support the crankshaft 14 itself.
[0026] It has thus been observed that the frame for fluid machines,
in particular but not exclusively reciprocating compressors,
according to the present invention attains the objectives outlined
previously. In detail, the use of a single metal module made from a
single die allows to provide, in an easy and quick manner, modular
frames for machines with any number of cylinders. This occurs
simply by assembling a number of modules corresponding to the
number of cylinders of the machine to each other.
[0027] The frame for fluid machines, in particular but not
exclusively reciprocating compressors, of the present invention
thus conceived is in any case susceptible to various modifications
and variants, all falling within the same invention concept;
furthermore, all the details can be replaced by technically
equivalent elements. In practice, the materials used, alongside
their dimensions and shapes, may vary depending on the technical
requirements.
[0028] Therefore, the scope of protection of the invention is
defined by the attached claims.
* * * * *