Back to results
US 11,686,316 B2Granted
Integrally geared compressor having a combination of centrifugal and positive displacement compression stages
AssigneeAtlas Copco Comptec, LLC
InventorsMichael Andrews, Todd Steven Abbot Gibbs
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Combining at least one centrifugal compression stage and at least one positive displacement compression stage in an integrally geared compressor to allow for different types of compression based on a temperature or a volume of gas to be compressed by the integrally geared compressor.
Claims19
A method comprising:
- combining at least one centrifugal compression stage and at least one positive displacement compression stage in an integrally geared compressor;
- compressing a gas with the integrally geared compressor based on a temperature of gas to be compressed;
- switching from a first type of compression carried out at the at least one centrifugal compression stage and a second type of compression carried out at the at least one positive displacement stage as the gas goes from cryogenic to non-cryogenic.
A method comprising:
- mounting a centrifugal compression stage to a first end of a pinion shaft, the pinion shaft being part of a gear system enclosed by a housing of a compressor;
- and
- mounting a positive displacement compression stage to an opposing second end of the pinion shaft so that a single pinion shaft includes two different types of compression stages within the housing of the compressor;
- wherein the centrifugal compression stage is located closer to a delivery side of the compressor than the positive displacement compression stage as a function of a temperature or volume of gas to be compressed;
- wherein a screw gearing is attached to the second end of the pinion shaft and located between the positive displacement compression stage and the pinion shaft, the screw gearing being separate from the gear system, and allowing for a speed adjustment of the positive displacement compression stage with respect to the centrifugal compression stage.
2 more elements
A method comprising:
- drawing in a gas from a supply side of an integrally geared compressor;
- compressing the gas at a first compression stage with a first centrifugal compressor, the gas being cryogenic and low pressure at the first compression stage;
- directing the compressed gas to a second compression stage;
- further compressing the compressed gas at the second compression stage with a second centrifugal compressor;
- directing the compressed gas from the second stage to a third compression stage;
- and
- further compressing the compressed gas at the third compression stage with a positive displacement compressor, the compressed gas at the third compression stage being non-cryogenic and high pressure, wherein the third compression stage is proximate a delivery side of the integrally geared compressor;
- wherein the method allows for different types of compression based on a temperature or a volume of gas to be compressed by the compressor.
5 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.