Multi-stage compressor having interstage lubricant injection via an injection rod
OwnerRyan D. Hartman, Daniel R. Crum +2inventors
InventorsRyan D. Hartman, Daniel R. Crum, Ryan Coleman, Philipp Bothe
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Abstract
A compressor is disclosed which can include a first stage and a second stage. In one form the compressor includes contact cooled compressor stages. The compressor can include a rod useful to inject a lubricant for purposes of cooling/lubricating/sealing the rotating components of the compressor. In one form the rod is an elongate rod with openings which permit a lubricant such as oil to be injected. The injected oil can be atomized via the openings. The rod can be positioned in the interstage space between the first and second stages, and can include a variety of openings.
Claims21
1-21. (canceled)
A multi-stage compressor having a first stage rotary compressor located upstream from a second stage rotary compressor, the multi-stage compressor comprising:
- a transfer volume located intermediate to the first stage rotary compressor and the second stage rotary compressor, wherein the transfer volume is used to receive outflow from the first stage rotary compressor and convey the outflow to the second stage rotary compressor;
- and
- an oil feed rod that extends into the transfer volume, the oil feed rod having an open interior for the receipt of oil as well as a plurality of openings formed in an exterior periphery of the oil feed rod through which oil from the open interior of the oil feed rod can pass into the transfer volume, at least one opening of the plurality of openings configured to spray oil onto the second stage rotary compressor from a direction substantially orthogonal to an axis of rotation of the second stage rotary compressor.
An apparatus comprising:
- a first pair of compressor rotors;
- a second pair of compressor rotors;
- a passage that connects an outlet of the first pair of compressor rotors to an inlet of the second pair of compressor rotors;
- and
- an oil delivery rod that extends into the passage, the oil delivery rod including a plurality of openings positioned between a first exposed end and a second exposed end of the oil delivery rod, at least one opening of the plurality of openings configured to spray oil onto at least one compressor rotor of the second pair of compressor rotors from a direction substantially orthogonal to an axis of rotation of the at least one compressor rotor.
A method comprising:
- compressing a working fluid with a multi-stage compressor;
- routing the compressed working fluid from a first stage to a second stage of the multi-stage compressor;
- and
- spraying oil out of an elongated oil rod in an interstage region between the first stage and the second stage, the elongated oil rod having a plurality of openings arranged along a length of the elongated oil rod, at least one opening among the plurality of openings configured to spray oil onto a rotor of the second stage from a direction substantially orthogonal to an axis of rotation of the rotor.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.