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US 6,638,029 B2Granted
Pressure ratio modulation for a two stage oil free compressor assembly
AssigneeHamilton Sunstrand Corporation
InventorJohn Kharsa
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AssigneeHamilton Sunstrand Corporation
InventorJohn Kharsa
Estimating the term…
A two-stage oil free compressor assembly includes a pressure modulation mechanism, which enhances the ambient temperature and altitude capability of the compressor. A selected amount of pressurized fluid is drawn from an output side of a second stage compressor portion and reintroduced into the lower pressure interstage circuit of the assembly, thus raising the interstage pressure. The fluid that flows through the pressure modulation mechanism can be further cooled using the interstage heat exchanger, depending on the needs of a particular situation. A valve in the pressure modulation mechanism is adjusted to control the amount of fluid utilized for pressure modulation. The inventive arrangement permits modulating the pressure ratio of each stage to achieve reasonably balanced discharge temperatures of the first and second stage. The inventive arrangement is particularly useful for situations where the compressor assembly is at a higher altitude, which tends to cause the second stage pressure ratio and discharge temperature to rise undesirably.
A compressor assembly, comprising:
A method of controlling a compressor assembly having a first stage compressor portion, a second stage compressor portion coupled with the first stage portion downstream of the first stage portion, and an interstage cooler between the first and second stage portions, comprising the steps of:
A compressor assembly, comprising:
A compressor assembly, comprising:
A compressor assembly, comprising:
A compressor assembly, comprising:
A compressor assembly, comprising:
A compressor assembly, comprising:
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.