Airflow compressor control system and method
AssigneeIngersoll-Rand Company
InventorsJimmy L. Levan, Vipul R. Mistry
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A gas compression system is operable to deliver a flow of compressed gas to a point of use. The gas compression system includes a compressor that is operable to produce a flow of compressed gas at a first pressure, a motor operable to drive the compressor at a compressor speed, and a gas treatment member positioned to receive the flow of compressed gas from the compressor and deliver the flow of compressed gas to the point of use at a second pressure. A controller is operable to vary the compressor speed in response to a difference between the first pressure and the second pressure.
Claims21
A gas compression system operable to deliver a flow of compressed gas to a point of use, the gas compression system comprising:
- a compressor operable to produce a flow of compressed gas at a first pressure;
- a motor operable to drive the compressor at a compressor speed;
- a gas treatment member positioned to receive the flow of compressed gas from the compressor and deliver the flow of compressed gas to the point of use at a second pressure;
- a controller operable to vary the compressor speed in response to a difference between the first pressure and the second pressure.
A method of controlling airflow generated by a compressor, the method comprising the steps of:
- measuring a first pressure value associated with the compressor;
- measuring a second pressure value indicative of a rate of use of air at a point of use;
- determining a pressure differential between the first pressure value and the second pressure value;
- and
- adjusting a motor speed based at least partially on the pressure differential.
A gas compression system operable to deliver a flow of compressed gas to a point of use, the gas compression system comprising:
- a compressor operable to produce a flow of compressed gas at a first pressure;
- a variable speed motor operable to drive the compressor at a compressor speed between a low speed and a high speed;
- a dryer positioned to receive the flow of compressed air from the compressor and deliver a flow of dried compressed air to the point of use at a second pressure;
- a first pressure sensor positioned to measure the first pressure and generate a first signal indicative of the first pressure;
- a second pressure sensor positioned to measure the second pressure and generate a second signal indicative of the second pressure;
- and
- a controller operable to receive the first signal and the second signal and to calculate a third signal indicative of the pressure difference between the first pressure and the second pressure, the controller operable to vary the compressor speed in response to the third signal.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.