U.S. patent number 3,736,074 [Application Number 05/245,718] was granted by the patent office on 1973-05-29 for inlet, filter and noise suppressor enclosure for compressing apparatus.
This patent grant is currently assigned to Worthington-Cei Incorporated. Invention is credited to John R. Kilbane, Peter G. Wendt.
United States Patent |
3,736,074 |
Kilbane , et al. |
May 29, 1973 |
INLET, FILTER AND NOISE SUPPRESSOR ENCLOSURE FOR COMPRESSING
APPARATUS
Abstract
A composite inlet, filter and noise suppressor enclosure to be
connected to apparatus for compressing air or gas includes at least
one compartment lined with sound absorbing material having an inlet
passage for the air or gas to be compressed with which a single or
multi-stage filter coacts, an outlet passage which communicates
with the suction inlet of the compressor in the compressing
apparatus, and a by-pass conduit for delivering compressed air or
gas from the compressing apparatus for recycling the same through
the chamber and the outlet passage back to the compressor. The
chamber in addition to said sound absorbing material having means
therein for both suppressing or silencing the air or gas flowing
from the inlet through the chamber to the compressor or from the
by-pass and blow-off system through the chamber to the compressor.
The enclosure further provided with simple access means for
replacement of the filter elements. Additionally, the combination
of the enclosure above described with an enclosure for housing all
compressor control system components, meters, etc.
Inventors: |
Kilbane; John R. (East Aurora,
NY), Wendt; Peter G. (Williamsville, NY) |
Assignee: |
Worthington-Cei Incorporated
(Buffalo, NY)
|
Family
ID: |
22927796 |
Appl.
No.: |
05/245,718 |
Filed: |
April 20, 1972 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
417/279; 415/119;
55/467; 181/205; 417/312; 55/338; 62/196.3; 181/268; 415/58.4;
415/121.2; 417/313; 96/381 |
Current CPC
Class: |
F04B
39/0033 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
F04B
39/00 (20060101); F04b 049/02 () |
Field of
Search: |
;55/276,338,467-473
;415/199A,178,179,119 ;181/35A,56,36C,36R,33K ;62/196
;417/279,313,312 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Foreign Patent Documents
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
467,194 |
|
Jun 1937 |
|
GB |
|
993,773 |
|
Jun 1965 |
|
GB |
|
1,448,873 |
|
Jul 1966 |
|
FR |
|
Primary Examiner: Nozick; Bernard
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. An inlet, filter and noise suppressor enclosure for a
compressing system including, a compressor having a suction inlet
and a discharge outlet comprising,
housing means forming a chamber having sound absorbing means lining
the chamber,
said chamber having an inlet for air or gas to be compressed and an
outlet connected to the suction inlet for the compressor,
filter means in the chamber in communication with said inlet to
filter air and gas to be compressed entering through said inlet to
the chamber,
and by-pass means connected to said housing and in communication
with said chamber and connected to the discharge outlet of the
compressor for passing compressed air or gas from the discharge of
said compressor back through the chamber for recycling the same
back to the inlet of said compressor.
2. In an inlet, filter and noise suppressor enclosure as claimed in
claim 1, including muffler means in said chamber to silence air
passed thereto and through said chamber to the suction inlet of the
compressor.
3. In an inlet, filter and noise suppressor enclosure as claimed in
claim 1 including,
a muffler,
said muffler having its inlet connected to the by-pass means and
disposed to extend into and to pass by-passed compressed air or gas
into the chamber.
4. In an inlet, filter and noise suppressor as claimed in claim 3
when the muffler is an elongated member including,
a relatively small inlet opening in communication with the
compressed air or gas discharged through the by-pass means,
a muffling chamber spaced from said inlet,
transverse convoluted passage means disposed between the inlet and
the muffling chamber,
and outlet means for the muffling chamber to pass by-passed
compressed air or gas to the chamber.
5. A composite filter, noise suppressor and control enclosure for a
compressing system including,a compressor having a suction inlet
and a discharge outlet comprising,
housing means having an upper section and a lower section disposed
in spaced relation to each other to provide an instrument panel
section therebetween,
said upper section forming an inlet space having a partition
dividing said inlet space into an outer inlet chamber and an inner
inlet and by-pass chamber,
said partition having an opening to provide communication between
said outer inlet chamber and said inner inlet and by-pass
chamber,
filter means connected to said partition and disposed in said
opening whereby air or gas delivered from any suitable source to
said outer inlet chamber will be filtered as it passes to said
inner inlet and by-pass chamber,
said inner inlet and by-pass chamber having a discharge outlet
communicating with the suction inlet of the compressor,
sound absorbing means lining said inner inlet and by-pass
chamber,
and by-pass means connected between the discharge outlet of said
compressor and the upper section of the housing means for
communication with said inner inlet and by-pass chamber to by pass
compressed air or gas from the discharge outlet of said compressor
to said inner inlet and by-pass chamber for recycling therethrough
back to the suction inlet of the compressor.
6. In the composite enclosure as claimed in claim 5 including
muffler means in said inner inlet and by-pass chamber for silencing
air or gas passing therethrough.
7. In the composite enclosure as claimed in claim 5 including a
partition in the upper section of the housing means forming,
a blow off chamber,
said by-pass means disposed to communicate with the blow off
chamber,
and outlet means in said partition to pass blow off air or gas from
the blow off chamber to the inner inlet and by-pass chamber.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Large multi-stage compressors assemblies are known as is shown in
U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,476,485 and 3,001,692.
These systems utilize inlet conduits or pipes for delivering air or
gas to be compressed and blow-off conduits or piping for recycling
compressed air or gas back to the suction inlet of the compressor
during idling or unloaded conditions of operation which conduits
include suitable filter and noise suppressing devices.
Such arrangements require the field installation of the respective
conduits or piping and connecting piping as well as the attachment
of the separate filters and silencers and noise suppressing devices
associated therewith.
In the enclosures of the present invention, a compact arrangement
is provided which includes a single compartment in the form of a
sound absorbing chamber which is easily adapted to perform two
functions, namely, the filtering and silencing of inlet air to be
delivered to the suction inlet of the compressor as well as the
silencing of the compressed or by-pass or blow-off air delivered
from the compressor or returned to the suction inlet when the
compressor is idling or unloaded.
The construction as herein disclosed avoids field installation of
the separate inlet piping and blow-off piping. Further, the close
proximity of the sound absorbing chamber of the enclosure to the
compressing apparatus avoids sound emissions which inherently
results from the connecting piping normally utilized with the prior
art systems.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In its simpliest form, the present invention covers an inlet
filter, and noise suppressing enclosure for a compressing system
including at least one compartment lined with sound absorbing
material, said compartment having an inlet opening in communication
with air or gas to be compressed and a discharge outlet for
delivering said air to the compression system, filter means
operatively associated with the inlet opening, by-pass means
operatively connected to the compartment for delivering compressed
air or gas by-passed from the compressor to the compartment for
recycling through the compartment and its discharge outlet back to
the compression system, and means to suppress noises and
transmission of noises in the air or gas entering the compartment
and passing to the discharge outlet.
These and other objects are novel features of the present invention
and will be more clearly and fully set forth in the detailed
description of various forms of the invention which are illustrated
in the accompanying drawings in which:
FIG. 1 is a front isometric view showing the invention as applied
to a composite multi-stage centrifugal compressor and multi-cooler
housing assembly.
FIG. 2 is a rear isometric view from the driving end of the
assembly shown in FIG. 1.
FIG. 3 is a right side elevational view of the form of inlet,
filter and noise suppressor enclosure shown in FIG. 1, partly in
vertical section.
FIG. 4 is a front elevation of the inlet, filter and noise
suppressor enclosure shown in FIG. 3 taken at line 4--4 and broken
away partly in vertical section.
FIG. 5 is a horizontal section taken on line 5--5 of FIG. 4.
FIG. 6 is an enlarged fragmentary view of the blow-off pipe and
blow-off muffler.
FIG. 7 is a partial cross section taken on line 7--7 of FIG. 6.
FIG. 8 is a fragment of the composite multi-stage centrifugal
compressor and multi-cooler housing assembly shown in FIGS. 1 and 2
with a combined inlet, filter, noise suppressor and control
enclosure in accordance with the present invention.
FIG. 9 is a front elevational view of the combined inlet, filter,
noise suppressor and control enclosure shown in FIG. 8.
FIG. 10 is a side elevational view of combined air inlet, filter,
noise suppressor and control enclosure of FIG. 3 partly in vertical
section.
FIG. 11 is a top view of the form of the invention shown in FIG. 10
partly in horizontal section.
FIG. 12 is a vertical section taken on line 12--12 of FIG. 10
showing the blow-off chamber.
DESCRIPTION OF GENERAL ARRANGEMENT
Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2 of the drawings a composite multi-stage
centrifugal compressor and multi-cooler housing assembly is shown
as including a multi-stage in line centrifugal compressor generally
designated 1 connected through a compound epicyclic gear train
section generally designated 2 to the shaft of a suitable driving
means generally designated 4.
The compressor 1 is shown as receiving air or other gas to be
compressed through one form of inlet, filter and noise suppressor
assembly generally designated 6 in accordance with the present
invention to be more fully described hereinafter. The air or other
gas will pass through the inlet, filter and noise suppressor
assembly 6 to the compressor 1 and is compressed in the compressor
through a plurality of compression stages, passed through a
plurality of intercoolers and an end cooler in multi-cooler 7 and
the compressed air or gas is discharged through a discharge line 8
to any desired use.
Compressor 1 with is associate compound epicyclic gearing and
driving means connected at one end and the inlet, filter and noise
suppressor assembly 6 connected to the other end are respectively
mounted on top of the multi-cooler 7. Thus, multi-cooler 7 serves
both as a base for the composite assembly and includes means
particularly arranged to coact with the compressor for the
interstage cooling of the air or gases being compressed from stage
to stage in the compressor and for the conditioning of the air or
gas being delivered from the compressor. This arrangement and
assembly is described in detail in co-pending U.S. application Ser.
No. 245,578 filed Apr. 19, 1972.
As shown in FIGS. 1a and 2 the discharge line 8 is provided with a
by-pass line 10 which communicates with the air inlet, filter and
noise suppressor assembly 6 so that compressed by-pass or blow off
air or gas can be recycled back to the suction inlet of the
compressor. An enclosure 11 is provided below the assembly 6 to
house and protect the controls for operating the composite
compressor system above described and for the various gauges which
show the conditions of such operation.
FIGS. 3, 4 and 5 show that the inlet, filter and noise suppressor
assembly 6 includes a generally box-like housing 12 defining a
combined inlet and by-pass chamber 13 for air or gas to be
compressed and for compressed air or gas being recycled when the
compression is idling or unloaded. In the upper portion of housing
12, a filter chamber 14 is formed which has an opening at 15 in
communication with the combined inlet and by-pass chamber 13. The
opening 15 has channels or brackets as at 16 for removably moutning
a filter element 17.
The filter element 17 may be any type of single or multi-layers
designs. Various types of filter units for this purpose are known
and easily purchaseable on the open market and therefor filter
element 17 will not be fully described herein.
The walls and a removable cover 18 of the box-like housing will be
made so as to suppress the propogation of noises by having any
suitable type of sound absorbing material 19 attached as by an
adhesive so as to line the entire interior of chambers 13 and 14.
Additionally, suitable gaskets as at 20 and suitable fasteners 21
will be provided between the removable door 18 and the associate
side of housing 12 to provide a substantially air tight enclosure
free of noise between the contacting parts.
Similarly gaskets as at 22 in the channels 16 will be of a material
which will act to hold the filter element 17 in snug engagement
when it is mounted on the channels 16.
The transmission pipe 23 from the source of air or gas to be
compressed is connected to the housing 12 so as to deliver the air
or gas to be compressed to the filter chamber 14. This air or gas
therefor will be filtered as it passes through filter 17 into the
chamber 13.
The chamber 13 in turn communicates through the connecting pipe 24
to the cone inlet 25 on the compressor 1 defining a portion of the
suction inlet (not shown) of the first stage of compression for the
compressor as is more fully described in said co-pending
application ser. no. 245,718.
The by-pass conduit 10 communicates with the combined inlet and
by-pass chamber 13 so that air or gas by-passed from the discharged
outlet 8 will be delivered through the connecting conduit 24 to the
suction inlet of the compressor 1.
In order to provide additional means for silencing or suppressing
the noises normally generated by the movement of air or gas through
the blow-off or by-pass line 10, a blow off muffler 30 is connected
in the housing 12. Muffler 30 includes an elongated gated body 31
which has a tapered section 32. Tapered section 32 extends from the
housing 12 for connection with the blow off or by-pass conduit 10
as shown in FIGS. 3, 4 and 5 of the drawings.
The elongated body 31 of muffler 30 forms a chamber or cavity which
is divided transversely by a pair of spaced plates as at 34 and 35
having a multiplicity of orifices as at 36 in plate 34 and 37 in
plate 35. On one side of the spaced plates 34 and 35 a passage 38,
is formed in the tapered section 32. Passage 38 has an inlet as at
33 adjacent the point of connection with the blow-off or by-pass
conduit 10 and thus will pass blow off air or gas to the
multi-orifice plates 34 and 35. The space in body 31 on the side of
the spaced plates 34 and 35 opposite from passage 37 forms a
muffling cavity 39. Air passing through the orifices 36 and 37 is
collected in the muffling cavity 39, and then passes through a
plurality of orifices 40 in that portion of the elongated body 31
which forms the muffling cavity 39. An end wall 41 closes the
muffling cavity 39.
The elongated body 31 may be perforated over only a part of the
portion which forms the muffling cavity 39 or may be perforated in
patterns as may best accomplish the desired function of abating and
silencing noises generated by the compressed by-pass air or gas
when the compressor is idling or operating at unloaded
conditions.
Thus, a simple single chambered enclosure has been described in
accordance with the present invention which acts to silence or
suppress the noises propogated by the flow of air or gas from the
inlet to thesuction of the compressing system and the compressed
air or gas by-passed from the discharge back to the suction inlet
of the compressor through the single chambered enclosure.
FIGS. 3, 4 and 5 show that the inlet filter and noise suppressor
assembly 6 is disposed above and in close proximity to the control
enclosure 11 and thus it serves to protect the control enclosure in
assembled position. The control enclosure 11 is provided with an
instrument and control panel as at 42 and a removable door as at
43.
The removable cover 18 permits easy access to the filter element 17
in the housing 12 for replacement thereof and the removable door 43
permits easy access to the controls and instruments mounted in
enclosure 11, for their repair, maintenance and replacement as may
be necessary.
COMBINED INLET, FILTER, NOISE
SUPPRESSOR AND CONTROL ENCLOSURE
In FIGS. 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 the inlet, filter and noise suppressor
enclosure 6 and the enclosure 11 for controls, meters etc are shown
as substantially independent elements in close association with
each other.
FIGS. 10, 11, and 12 show a composite inlet, filter noise
suppressor and control enclosure.
The composite enclosure generally designated 50 comprises an
elongated body which may be made of any suitable material such as
fiberglass. The body has a single facing portion 51 and is
sufficient depth as indicated by the outer side walls 52 and 53 to
provide adequate room for a lower housing 54 which forms a control
enclosure 54a to house the necessary controls, meters, etc., and an
upper housing section 55 which forms an outer inlet chamber 55a for
air or gas to be compressed.
The outer inlet chamber 55a is disposed above the control enclosure
54 and in instrument panel space 56 is formed between the inner
side walls 57 and 58, the sloping bottom 59 of a removable or
hinged door 60 which provides access to the interior of the outer
inlet chamber 55 and the sloping face of the instrument panel 61
for the control enclosure 54a so that the instrument panel 61 may
be easily viewed by the operator of the associated compressing
system and is sheltered, protected and the controls, instruments,
meters, etc. maintained in a weather-proof enclosure.
The control enclosures 54 is also provided with an access door 62
for repairs and maintainence of controls, meters, gauges, etc. and
replacement of these parts.
A box-like back housing 63 is affixed to the upper housing 55 of
the enclosure forming the outer inlet chamber 55a and this member
defines a combined inner inlet and by-pass chamber 55b which is
separated from the outer inlet chamber 55a by a partition 64.
Partition 64 has an opening as at 65 so that air or gas to be
compressed which is delivered by transmission pipe or conduit 66 to
the outer inlet chamber 55a can pass from outer inlet chamber 55a
to the combined inner inlet and by-pass chamber 55a. All of which
is already shown in FIGS. 10, 11 and 12 of the drawings.
FIGS. 10, 11 and 12 further show that a filter namely frame 67 is
connected to the partition 64 about the opening 65 so that a filter
element 67 can be removably mounted on the frame 66 by a removable
filter cover 68. The removable filter cover 68 is disposed in the
outer inlet chamber 55a so that it can be easily reached for
replacement of the filter 67 through the removable door 60 on the
upper housing 55.
The chamber 55b has a connecting conduit 70 which passes air or gas
from the chamber 55b to the suction inlet (not shown) of the
associate compressor in the same manner above described for the
form of the invention shown in FIGS. 3, 4 and 5.
Communicating with the combined inlet and by-pass chamber 55b is
the outlet end of a blow off pipe 71 which by-passes compressed air
or gas from the associated compressor back through chamber 55b to
the suction inlet of the compressor when the compressor is
unloaded.
The chamber 55b will be fully lined with any suitable sound
insulating material as at 72 and a muffler means such as the baffle
322 may be provided or a muffler similar to muffler 30 shown and
described above for the form of the invention shown at FIGS. 3, 4
and 5 may also be utilized.
The blow off pipe may also enter a separate blow off chamber as at
73 shown in FIG. 12 which will have suitably perforated openings as
at 74 to pass compressed by-passed air or gas to the chamber 55b
for recycling back through connecting conduit 70 to the associated
compressor.
The composite assembly 50 is also shaped to slope at the upper or
top section at the side section and the lower sections to improve
the appearance and ornamental effect thereof.
In the form of the invention shown in FIGS. 8 to 12 of the drawings
a more elaborate enclosure is disclosed then that shown in FIGS. 1
to 7 of the drawings. However, the element of both enclosures which
is common to those respective designs is the single sound absorbing
chamber for silencing and suppressing noises generated by the flow
of air through the transmitting means from the source through the
inlet to the suction inlet of the compressing system and from the
discharge through the by-pass means back to the same suction
inlet.
The close proximity in each form of the invention of this sound
absorbing chamber to its associated compressor avoids the inherent
sound emission which occurs in the inlet and blow off piping of the
prior art devices.
* * * * *