Reciprocating low pressure ratio compressor
AssigneeOvation Products Corporation
InventorWilliam Zebuhr
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A reciprocating compressor capable of producing a steady-state, continuous, non-pulsing outflow at volumes less than 25 gallons per hour. The compressor utilizes at least two pistons driven in a near axial manner with any lateral forces imparted to the compressor subsequently removed. The compressor is useful in a vapor compression distillate system but could also be adapted to pump liquids. A rotating cam is provided which through cam followers drives the pistons such that the compression stroke of one compensates for the vibrational force introduced into the apparatus by another piston caused by change in that piston's direction.
Claims32
A compressor of the type that forms a compressor inlet and compressor outlet, draws fluid in through the compressor inlet, compresses fluid thereby drawn thereinto, and drives the fluid thus compressed from the compressor outlet, wherein:
- A) the compressor includes a sequence of at least a first piston and a separate last piston, each piston providing respective upstream and downstream faces, the upstream face of the first piston being in communication with the compressor inlet, and the downstream face of the last piston being in communication with the compressor outlet;
- B) the compressor includes a piston driver that causes each piston to travel alternately in upstream and downstream directions out of phase with at least one other said piston;
- C) for each piston, the compressor forms a piston chamber in which that piston ton is slidably disposed and communicates with the compressor outlet during at least part of the time during which that piston travels in the downstream direction, each piston but the last being continuously disposed in such fluid communication with the next that the piston-chamber pressure sure prevailing on that piston's downstream face is substantially the same as the piston-chamber pressure prevailing on the next piston's upstream face;
- and
- D) the compressor includes check valves that permit fluid flow from upstream to downstream of each piston but substantially prevent fluid flow from downstream to upstream thereof.
A compressor as defined in claim 2 wherein the check valves include a check valve mounted on each piston for travel therewith.
A vapor-compression distiller comprising:
- A) a heat exchanger that forms an evaporation chamber that receives liquid to be distilled, a condensation chamber from which distilled liquid is discharged, and a heat-transfer medium that conducts heat from the evaporation chamber to the condensation chamber;
- and
- B) a compressor that forms a compressor inlet and compressor outlet, draws fluid from the evaporation chamber through the compressor inlet, compresses fluid thereby drawn thereinto, and drives the fluid thus compressed from the compressor outlet into the condensation chamber, wherein:
- i) the compressor includes a sequence of at least a first piston and a separate last piston, each piston providing respective upstream and downstream faces, the upstream face of the first piston being in communication with the compressor inlet, and the downstream face of the last piston being in communication with the compressor outlet;
- ii) the compressor includes a piston driver that causes each piston to travel alternately in upstream and downstream directions out of phase with at least one other said piston;
- iii) for each piston, the compressor forms a piston chamber in which that piston is slidably disposed and communicates with the compressor outlet during at least part of the time during which that piston travels in the downstream direction, each piston but the last being continuously disposed in such fluid communication with the next that the piston-chamber pressure prevailing on that piston's downstream face is substantially the same as the piston-chamber pressure prevailing on the next piston's upstream face;
- and
- iv) the compressor includes check valves that permit fluid flow from upstream to downstream of each piston but substantially prevent fluid flow from downstream to upstream thereof.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.