# US 10,371,149 B2 · Screw compressor element > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,371,149 B2 - Document ID: US10371149B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/507,056 - Filed: 2015-09-02 - Published: 2017-10-19 - Granted: 2019-08-06 - Earliest claimed: 2014-09-10 - Assignees: Atlas Copco Airpower, Naamloze Vennootschap - Applicants: Atlas Copco Airpower, Naamloze Vennootschap - Inventors: Koen Roger L Lodefier - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10371149B2 ## CPC - F04C 29/12: Arrangements for admission or discharge of the working fluid, e.g. constructional features of the inlet or outlet - F04C 18/16: with helical teeth, e.g. chevron-shaped, screw type {(for non-parallel axes of movement F04C18/48)} - F04C 2240/30: Casings or housings - F04C 2250/101: of the inlet - F04C: ROTARY-PISTON, OR OSCILLATING-PISTON, POSITIVE-DISPLACEMENT MACHINES FOR LIQUIDS (engines F03C); ROTARY-PISTON, OR OSCILLATING-PISTON, POSITIVE-DISPLACEMENT PUMPS ## Abstract A screw compressor element with a housing and two screw rotors that are affixed in the housing in a double cylindrical chamber provided to this end, whereby the housing is provided with an inlet opening on the inlet side of the screw compressor element, whereby the inlet opening extends in the cylindrical walls of the double cylindrical chamber with at least a section that extends in an axial direction, and a transverse section connecting thereto in the form of a strip that extends from the axial section on the inlet side to a side of the section in a direction transverse to the axial direction. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A screw compressor element for compressing gas, wherein this screw compressor element comprises: a housing and two helical rotors that are rotatably affixed in the housing in a double cylindrical chamber provided to this end, composed of two single cylindrical rotor chambers that merge into one another along two axial ribs, and wherein the double cylindrical chamber is defined by cylindrical walls of the rotor chambers and two end faces of the housing, respectively, an inlet end face on an inlet side and an outlet end face on an outlet side of the screw compressor element, wherein the housing is provided on the inlet side of the screw compressor element with an inlet opening for a supply of a gas to be compressed, wherein the inlet opening at least partially extends in the cylindrical walls of the rotor chambers with at least an axial section that extends in an axial direction on either side of one of the aforementioned axial ribs in a way such that the supply of gas flows in the axial direction from the inlet side, and a transverse section connected thereto in the form of a strip that extends perpendicularly from a base of the axial section on the inlet side of the screw compressor element away from a side of the axial section in a direction transverse to the direction of the axial ribs and connects to the inlet end face on the inlet side or is at a distance therefrom. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The screw compressor element according to claim 1, wherein the inlet opening in the plane of the walls of the rotor chambers has an essentially T-shape or L-shape. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The screw compressor element according to claim 2, wherein arms of the T-shaped or L-shaped inlet opening are connected together by an essentially triangular recess in the wall. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The screw compressor element according to claim 3, wherein the recess has a maximum depth of 5% of the dimensions of a diameter of the screw rotors, even better a maximum of 2% of the dimensions of the diameter of the screw rotors. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The screw compressor element according to claim 1, wherein the transverse section extends on both sides of the axial section. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The screw compressor element according to claim 1, wherein the transverse section has an essentially rectangular shape, with an essentially constant width. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The screw compressor element according to claim 1, wherein the axial section of the inlet opening has an essentially rectangular shape, with an essentially constant width. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The screw compressor element according to claim 1, wherein the axial section is formed by an opening through the housing. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The screw compressor element according to claim 1, wherein the transverse section connecting to the axial section is formed by a recess in the cylindrical walls. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The screw compressor element according to claim 9, wherein the recess in the wall gradually becomes shallower in the direction away from the axial section. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The screw compressor element according to claim 1, wherein the axial section is formed by a recess in the cylindrical walls. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The screw compressor element according to claim 11, wherein the recess in the wall gradually becomes shallower in the direction away from the transverse section. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The screw compressor element according to claim 1, wherein the transverse section connecting to the axial section is formed by an opening through the housing. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The screw compressor element according to claim 13, wherein a curved semicylindrical covering is affixed over the opening of the transverse section, and connecting to the housing, to form a channel. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The screw compressor according to claim 14, wherein the covering gradually becomes shallower or less wide or a combination thereof in the direction away from the axial section. ### Claim 16 (depends on 1) The screw compressor element according to claim 1, wherein an area of the axial section on either side of one of the aforementioned ribs is approximately equal to an area of a transverse strip or deviates therefrom by a maximum of 50%. ### Claim 17 (depends on 1) The screw compressor element according to claim 1, wherein sides of the axial section of the inlet opening extending in the axial direction are rounded to form a smooth transition to the transverse section. ### Claim 18 (depends on 1) The screw compressor element according to claim 1, wherein the transverse section connects to the inlet end face of the inlet side and extends with at least a part along the inlet end face of the inlet side. ### Claim 19 (depends on 1) The screw compressor element according to claim 1, wherein it is an oil-free screw compressor element. ### Claim 20 (depends on 1) The screw compressor, wherein the screw compressor at least comprises one screw compressor element according to claim 1. ### Claim 21 A screw compressor element for compressing gas, wherein this screw compressor element comprises: a housing and two helical rotors that are rotatably affixed in the housing in a double cylindrical chamber provided to this end, composed of two single cylindrical rotor chambers that merge into one another along two axial ribs, and wherein the double cylindrical chamber is defined by cylindrical walls of the rotor chambers and two end faces of the housing, respectively, an inlet end face on an inlet side and an outlet end face on an outlet side of the screw compressor element, wherein the housing is provided on the inlet side of the screw compressor element with an inlet opening for a supply of a gas to be compressed, wherein the inlet opening at least partially extends in the cylindrical walls of the rotor chambers with at least an axial section that extends in an axial direction on either side of one of the aforementioned axial ribs, and a transverse section connected thereto in the form of a strip that extends from a base of the axial section on the inlet side of the screw compressor element at a side of the axial section in a direction essentially transverse to the direction of the axial ribs and connects to the inlet end face on the inlet side or is at a distance therefrom, wherein half of the sum of the areas of the axial section on one side of one of the aforementioned ribs, on the one hand, and of a transverse strip on this same side, on the other hand, is less than the area of a traditional inlet opening with a ‘delta’ shape on the side concerned of the aforementioned ribs, less the area of the inlet opening on the side concerned of the aforementioned ribs. ### Claim 22 A screw compressor element for compressing gas, whereby this screw compressor element comprises: a housing and a helical rotor that is rotatably affixed in a cylindrical chamber in the housing, wherein the cylindrical chamber is defined by a cylindrical wall and two end faces of the housing, respectively, an inlet end face on an inlet side and an outlet end face on an outlet side of the screw compressor element, wherein the housing on the inlet side of the screw compressor element is provided with an inlet opening for a supply of gas to be compressed, wherein the inlet opening at least partially extends in the cylindrical wall of the rotor chambers with at least an axial section that extends in an axial direction in a way such that the supply of gas flows in the axial direction from the inlet side and a transverse section connecting thereto in the form of a strip that extends perpendicularly from a base of the axial section on the inlet side of the screw compressor element away from a side of the axial section in a direction transverse to the axial direction and connects to the inlet end face on the inlet side or is at a distance therefrom. ### Claim 23 (depends on 22) The screw compressor element according to claim 22, wherein the aforementioned inlet opening presents an L-shape.