HELICAL IMPELLER TYPE LIQUID RING COMPRESSOR

A helical impeller liquid ring compressor includes a compressor body cooperating with first and second cover plates to define a compression chamber for receiving a helical impeller and a liquid. The compressor body has a compression section. The first cover plate seals a suction end of the compression chamber, and has an air inlet in fluid communication with the compression chamber. The second cover plate seals a pressure end of the compression chamber, and has an air outlet in fluid communication with the compression chamber. The impeller extends through the compression chamber, and includes a shaft rod and at least one helical blade. Upon rotation of the impeller, a liquid ring is generated from the liquid, and cooperates with the shaft rod and the blade to form air chambers.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Before the present invention is described in greater detail in connection with the preferred embodiments, it should be noted that similar elements and structures are designated by like reference numerals throughout the entire disclosure.

Referring toFIGS. 2 and 5, the first preferred embodiment of a helical impeller type liquid ring compressor according to this invention includes a compressor body2, an upright first cover plate3, an upright second cover plate4, a compression chamber5, and a helical impeller6. The compressor body2has a compression section21, an intake chamber22in fluid communication with the compression chamber5, an exhaust chamber23in fluid communication with the compression chamber5, an intake tube24in fluid communication with the intake chamber22, and an exhaust tube25in fluid communication with the exhaust chamber23and the outside. The first cover plate3is disposed in the compressor body2between the compression chamber5and the intake chamber22for sealing a suction end53(i.e., an end proximate to the intake chamber22) of the compression chamber5. An air inlet31is formed in the first cover plate3, and is in fluid communication with the compression chamber5and the intake chamber22, so that a gas can be fed into the compression section21therethrough. The second cover plate4is disposed in the compressor body2between the compression chamber5and the exhaust chamber23for sealing a pressure end54(i.e., an end proximate to the exhaust chamber23) of the compression chamber5. An air outlet41is formed in the second cover plate4, and in fluid communication with the compression chamber5and the exhaust chamber23, so that the gas can flow out of the compression section21therethrough. The second cover plate4is horizontally spaced apart from the first cover plate3along a compression direction (I).

The compression chamber5is defined by the compression section21and the first and second cover plates3,4, such that the suction end53is in fluid communication with the air inlet31, and the pressure end54is in fluid communication with the air outlet41. The compression chamber5receives a liquid51. The helical impeller6is disposed rotatably and eccentrically within the compression chamber5, and extends through the compression chamber5along the compression direction (I). In this embodiment, the rotating axis of the helical impeller6is located above and spaced apart from a central axis of the compression chamber5along a horizontal direction such that, when the helical impeller6is not rotated, a lower end portion thereof is disposed in the liquid51. However, according to needs in use, the rotating axis of the helical impeller6may be located under the central axis of the compression chamber5.

The helical impeller6includes a shaft rod61extending through the compression chamber5, and a plurality of helical blades62disposed on the shaft rod61and in the compression chamber5and extending from the suction end53to the pressure end54. The compressor body2further has two bearings26disposed respectively in the suction end53and the pressure end54of the compression chamber5.

When the helical impeller6rotates within the compression chamber5, a liquid ring is generated from the liquid51along an inner wall surface of the compression section21by virtue of eccentric force. The liquid ring is in contact with a portion of said shaft rod61and a portion of each of the helical blades62, such that the helical impeller6is eccentric with respect to the liquid ring, so as to form a plurality of air chambers7among the shaft rod61, the helical blades62, and the liquid ring. The liquid51is driven by the helical blades62to flow toward the air outlet41along the compression direction (I). As such, when the intake tube24is connected to a gas source (not shown) to rotate the helical impeller6, since each of the air chambers7is not in fluid communication with an adjacent one of the air chambers7, the gas in each of the air chambers7circulates among a sucked stage, a compressed stage, and a discharged state. At the sucked stage, with particular reference toFIGS. 2 and 4, the air chamber7is in fluid communication with only the air inlet31, and the volume, the axial length71, and the radial length72of the air chamber7increase gradually, so that the gas is sucked into the air chamber7. At the compressed stage, with particular reference toFIGS. 3 and 5, the air chamber7is not in fluid communication with the air inlet31and the air outlet41, and the volume, the axial length71, and the radial length72of the air chamber7increase gradually, so that the gas in the air chamber7is compressed. At the discharged stage, the air chamber7is in fluid communication with only the air outlet41, and the volume of the air chamber7reduces gradually, so that the gas is discharged from the air chamber7to flow out of the compressor body2through the exhaust chamber23and the exhaust tube25. It should be noted that, the maximum volume of each of the air chambers7when in fluid communication with the air inlet31is greater than that of each of the air chambers7when in fluid communication with the air outlet41, so that the gas is compressed in the compression chamber5, and subsequently is discharged from the pressure end54.

Since both the axial length71and the radial length72of each of the air chambers7can be varied when the gas is compressed, the compression ratio can be increased significantly. Furthermore, during rotation of the helical impeller6, the helical blades62drive flow of the liquid51along the compression direction (I), so that the liquid5can be concentrated toward the air outlet41. In this manner, the liquid ring formed by the liquid51can compress more effectively the gas in the air chambers7when the air chambers7are located in proximity to the air outlet41.

If the shape of the compression chamber5is changed, the eccentric arrangement of the helical impeller6may be unnecessary. For example, with particular reference toFIGS. 6 and 7, when the cross-section of the compression chamber5is elliptical, the rotating axis of the helical impeller6may be located at the center of the compression chamber5. In this situation, a plurality of air inlets31and a plurality of air outlets41may be formed in the first and second cover plates3,4.

FIG. 8show the second preferred embodiment of a helical impeller type liquid ring compressor according to this invention, which is similar to the first preferred embodiment except for the number and pitch of the helical blades52. Alternatively, the helical impeller6may have only one helical blade62.

To sum up, since the blades62are helical, the compression ratio, the space efficiency, and the compressing effect of the liquid ring compressor can be increased.