Impeller cover and method
AssigneeNuovo Pignone S.p.A.
InventorJoseph O. Cruickshank
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Method and impeller cover for protecting an impeller from damage. The impeller cover includes a removable body having a first face and a second face opposing the first face, the second face being configured to match a front face of the impeller of the compressor, and further having a frontal portion covering an entire frontal portion of the impeller of the compressor, and a fixing mechanism connected to the removable body and being configured to fix the impeller cover to the impeller of the compressor. The impeller cover is disposable.
Claims21
An impeller cover for covering at least a face of an impeller of a compressor, the impeller cover comprising:
- a removable body having a first face and a second face opposing the first face, the second face being configured to match a front face of the impeller of the compressor such that no air pockets are formed between the removable body and the impeller, and further having a frontal portion covering an entire frontal portion of the impeller of the compressor;
- and
- a fixing mechanism connected to the removable body and being configured to fix the impeller cover to the impeller of the compressor, wherein
- the impeller cover is disposable.
A compressor comprising:
- a housing;
- an impeller provided on a shaft inside the housing and configured to rotate around a longitudinal axis;
- and
- an impeller cover for covering at least a face of the impeller, the impeller cover including,
- a removable body having first and second faces, the second face opposing the first face, the second face being configured to match a front face of the impeller such that no air pockets are formed between the removable body and the impeller, and further having a frontal portion covering an entire frontal portion of the impeller of the compressor, and
- a fixing mechanism connected to the removable body and being configured to fix the impeller cover to the impeller, wherein
- the first face of the removable body is configured to have a profile that achieves predetermined aerodynamic characteristics, and
- the impeller cover is disposable.
A method for protecting an impeller of a compressor from material build-up and/or erosion, the method comprising:
- covering a front face of the impeller with an impeller cover such that a frontal face of the impeller cover is configured to have a profile that achieves predetermined aerodynamic characteristics while a profile of a back face of the impeller cover corresponds to the front face of the impeller such that no air pockets are formed between the impeller cover and the impeller;
- and
- fixing the impeller cover to the impeller.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.