Patent ID: 8226378
Filing Date: 2012-07-24
Classification: F04C

Abstract:
1. Device to prevent the formation of condensate in compressed air discharged from an oil-injected compressor element including an air inlet and a compressed air outlet that receives compressed air from the compressor element and which is connected to an oil separator which is connected to the compressor element for the injection of oil via an injection pipe, and further including a cooler in communication with the injection pipe and which is bridged by a bypass, said device comprising: a controlled mixing valve having a single inlet and two outlets, said mixing valve being connected to the injection pipe at its inlet and at one of said outlets and is connected to the bypass at its other outlet; said device further comprising a control device and a measuring system connected thereto arranged to control said mixing valve for the adjustment of the temperature of the compressed air by adjusting the flow distribution through the mixing valve, said measuring system comprising at least one of an ambient temperature measuring device, an atmospheric pressure measuring device, and a relative humidity measuring device; said control device including a control algorithm that calculates the lowest possible compressed air temperature on the basis of measuring signals received from one or several of the measuring devices and sends a signal on the basis thereof to said mixing valve so as to restrict the degradation of the oil due to heating thereof and to avoid the formation of condensate in the compressed air.