Compressor supercharger with evaporative cooler
AssigneePraxair Technology, Inc.
InventorJames R. Warren
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Apparatus and method for increasing the capacity of a gas compressor. The apparatus comprises a supercharger for compressing a gas flow and an evaporative cooler for cooling and ducting the supercharged gas flow to the gas compressor. The cooler comprises a section of pipe connecting the supercharger and the compressor. Mounted on the wall of the pipe are nozzles oriented upstream to atomize water into droplets of mean diameter ranging from about 4 to about 12 microns. The pipe is sized to provide a residence time of from about 0.1 to about 0.5 seconds for the droplets in the gas flow.
Claims16
A system for increasing the capacity of a gas compressor comprising:
- (a) a supercharger for receiving, compressing and discharging a gas flow;
- and
- (b) an evaporative cooler comprising a section of pipe connecting said supercharger with the compressor, said pipe having a nozzle for spraying and evaporating a liquid into the gas flow for cooling of the gas flow, said nozzle having internal passages sized to atomize a liquid into droplets of mean diameter from about 4 to about 20 microns, said evaporative cooler being capable of completely evaporating the liquid sprayed into the gas flow before reaching the compressor so as to increase the capacity of the compressor and minimize the electrical power used by the compressor while delivering the desired mass flow of gas.
A method for increasing the gas flow capacity of a gas compressor, said method comprising:
- (a) supercharging the gas flow;
- (b) providing a liquid capable of evaporation into and cooling the gas flow;
- (c) atomizing the liquid into droplets having a mean diameter of from about 4 to about 20 microns;
- (d) introducing the liquid droplets into the gas flow;
- and
- (e) evaporating completely the liquid droplets sprayed into the gas flow before reaching the compressor so as to increase the capacity of the compressor and minimize the electrical power used by the compressor while delivering the desired mass flow of gas.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.