# US 10,502,217 B2 · Integrally geared compressor having a combination of centrifugal and positive displacement compression stages > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,502,217 B2 - Document ID: US10502217B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/484,552 - Filed: 2017-04-11 - Published: 2017-10-12 - Granted: 2019-12-10 - Earliest claimed: 2016-04-11 - Assignees: Atlas Copco Comptec, LLC - Applicants: Atlas Copco Comptec, LLC - Inventors: Michael Andrews; Todd Steven Abbot Gibbs - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10502217B2 ## CPC - F04D 25/163: {driven by a common gearing arrangement} - F04B 23/08: the pumps being of different types - F04B 23/14: at least one pump being of the non-positive-displacement type - F04C 18/16: with helical teeth, e.g. chevron-shaped, screw type {(for non-parallel axes of movement F04C18/48)} - F04C 23/005: {of dissimilar working principle} - F04C 29/005: {Means for transmitting movement from the prime mover to driven parts of the pump, e.g. clutches, couplings, transmissions} - F04D 13/12: Combinations of two or more pumps (combinations with priming pumps or booster pumps to counteract vapour-lock F04D9/04) - F04D 17/12: Multi-stage pumps - F04D 19/046: {Combinations of two or more different types of pumps} - F04D 25/02: Units comprising pumps and their driving means - F04D 27/0261: {by varying driving speed} - F04D 29/4206: {especially adapted for elastic fluid pumps} - F04D: NON-POSITIVE-DISPLACEMENT PUMPS (engine fuel-injection pumps F02M; ion pumps H01J41/12; electrodynamic pumps H02K44/02) - F04B: POSITIVE-DISPLACEMENT MACHINES FOR LIQUIDS; PUMPS (machines for liquids, or pumps, of rotary-piston or oscillating-piston type F04C; non-positive-displacement pumps F04D; pumping of fluid by direct contact of another fluid or by using inertia of fluid to be pumped F04F) - F04C: ROTARY-PISTON, OR OSCILLATING-PISTON, POSITIVE-DISPLACEMENT MACHINES FOR LIQUIDS (engines F03C); ROTARY-PISTON, OR OSCILLATING-PISTON, POSITIVE-DISPLACEMENT PUMPS ## Abstract A compressor including a gear system configured to be driven by a drive unit, a plurality of compression stages coupled to the gear system, wherein the plurality of compression stages includes at least one centrifugal compression stage and at least one positive displacement compression stage, is provided. Furthermore, an associated method is also provided. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A compressor comprising: a gear system configured to be driven by a drive unit; a plurality of compression stages coupled to the gear system, wherein a gas discharged from a first compression stage is directed to a second compression stage: wherein the plurality of compression stages includes at least a centrifugal compression stage attached to a first end of a pinion shaft and at least a positive displacement compression stage attached to a second end of the pinion shaft along with a screw gearing, separate from the gear system, which allows for a speed adjustment of the positive displacement compression stage. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The compressor of claim 1, wherein the gear system is arranged in a single gearbox. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The compressor of claim 1, wherein the compressor is an integrally geared compressor. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The compressor of claim 1, wherein the gear system includes a plurality of pinion shafts, a plurality of pinion gears operably connected to the plurality of pinion shafts, a drive gear, and a drive shaft. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The compressor of claim 1, wherein the at least one centrifugal compression stage includes an impeller. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The compressor of claim 1, wherein the at least one positive displacement compression stage includes a rotary screw compressor. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The integrally geared compressor of claim 1, wherein the positive displacement compression stage is directly mounted. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The integrally geared compressor of claim 1, wherein the positive displacement compression stage is indirectly mounted. ### Claim 9 An integrally geared compressor having a gearbox, comprising: a drive gear, the drive gear including a drive shaft coupled to a drive unit; a first pinion gear meshed with the drive gear on a first side of the drive gear, the first pinion gear including a first pinion shaft; a second pinion gear meshed with the drive gear on a second side of the drive gear, the second pinion gear including a second pinion shaft; a third pinion gear meshed with the drive gear on a different plane than the first pinion gear and the second pinion gear, the third pinion gear include a third pinion shaft; a positive displacement compression stage coupled to: (i) the first pinion shaft, or (ii) the drive shaft, wherein the positive displacement compression stage includes a screw gearing separate from the drive gear that allows for a speed adjustment of the positive displacement compression stage; and a centrifugal compression stage coupled to the second pinion shaft. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The integrally geared compressor of claim 9, wherein the positive displacement compression stage including at least one screw. ### Claim 11 (depends on 9) The integrally geared compressor of claim 9, wherein the positive displacement compression stage is after a third compression stage of the integrally geared compressor. ### Claim 12 (depends on 9) The integrally geared compressor of claim 9, wherein the positive displacement compression stage is before a fourth compression stage of the integrally geared compressor. ### Claim 13 (depends on 9) The integrally geared compressor of claim 9, further comprising: a first secondary gear disposed on the drive shaft, the first secondary gear meshing with a fourth pinion gear, which is operably attached to a fourth pinion shaft. ### Claim 14 (depends on 9) The integrally geared compressor of claim 9, further comprising: a second secondary gear disposed on the drive shaft, the secondary gear messing with a fifth pinion gear, which is operably attached to a fifth pinion shaft. ### Claim 15 (depends on 9) The integrally geared compressor of claim 9, wherein the positive displacement compression stage is directly mounted. ### Claim 16 (depends on 9) The integrally geared compressor of claim 9, wherein the positive displacement compression stage is indirectly mounted. ### Claim 17 (depends on 9) The integrally geared compressor of claim 9, wherein the positive displacement compression stage is after a third compression stage of the integrally geared compressor. ### Claim 18 (depends on 9) The integrally geared compressor of claim 9, wherein the positive displacement compression stage is before a fourth compression stage of the integrally geared compressor. ### Claim 19 A method comprising: combining at least one centrifugal compression stage and at least one positive displacement compression stage in an integrally geared compressor having a gear system configured to be driven by a drive unit, wherein the at least one centrifugal compression stage is attached to a first end of a first pinion shaft and the at least one positive displacement compression stage is attached to a second end of the first pinion shaft along with a screw gearing separate from the gear system that allows for a speed adjustment of the at least one positive displacement compression stage; wherein a gas discharged from the at least one centrifugal compression stage is directed to the at least one positive displacement compression stage. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The method of claim 19, wherein the gear system includes a drive gear, the drive gear including a drive shaft coupled to the drive unit, a first pinion gear meshed with the drive gear on a first side of the drive gear, the first pinion gear including the first pinion shaft, a second pinion gear meshed with the drive gear on a second side of the drive gear, the second pinion gear including a second pinion shaft, and a third pinion gear meshed with the drive gear on a different plane than the first pinion gear and the second pinion gear, the third pinion gear includes a third pinion shaft.