Patent ID: 8123506

Claim:
A sliding vane rotary compressor comprising: a) a housing having an elongated cavity formed therein; b) a rotor mounted in the elongated cavity for rotation in said elongated cavity; said rotor having radially extending rotor vanes slidably carried in the outer surface thereof to engage the walls of said elongated cavity to form, between adjacent rotor vanes, a plurality of rotable pockets for the compression of fluid and the resultant increase of fluid pressure, with said rotor vanes being radially movable to change the volumetric capacity of said plurality of rotable pockets as they rotate within the elongated cavity; c) a stationary first fluid inlet for fluid to be compressed, a stationary second fluid inlet and a stationary fluid outlet, with each of said stationary first fluid inlet, said stationary second fluid inlet and said stationary fluid outlet extending through the housing and being in fluid communication with the plurality of rotable pockets, and with the stationary second fluid inlet being located, in the direction of rotation of the rotor, after said stationary first fluid inlet and before said stationary fluid outlet; d) means to insert a first amount of fluid through said stationary first fluid inlet and into one of the plurality of rotable pockets as said one of the plurality of rotable pockets rotates into fluid communication with said stationary first fluid inlet; and e) means to insert a second amount of fluid under pressure through said stationary second fluid inlet and into said one of the plurality of rotable pockets as said one of the plurality of rotable pockets rotates into fluid communication with said stationary second fluid inlet, said second amount of fluid combining with said first amount of fluid to thereby increase the fluid capacity and boost the fluid pressure in said one of the plurality of rotable pockets; wherein (i) the volumetric capacity of the plurality of rotable pockets approaches a minimum as said plurality of rotable pockets approach said stationary fluid outlet to thereby compress the fluid within said plurality of rotable pockets and (ii) the volumetric capacity of said plurality of rotable pockets approaches a maximum as said plurality of rotable pockets are in communication with said stationary second fluid inlet.