Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
CA 02983074 2017-10-17
COMPRESSOR COMPRISING A GUIDE VANE HAVING A WASHING
SYSTEM
The invention relates to a compressor according to the
preamble of claim 1.
From practice, the fundamental construction of a
compressor serving for compressing a working medium is
thoroughly known. Accordingly, a compressor comprises
at least one rotor side rotor-blade ring with a
plurality of rotor blades and at least one stator side
guide-vane ring with a plurality of guide vanes.
Accordingly, DE 10 2010 064 047 Al shows a turbo
machine with a radial compressor and a radial turbine,
wherein the compressor comprises a rotor-blade ring and
a guide-vane ring, wherein the guide-vane ring is
described as initial guide vane device.
The guide vanes of a guide-vane ring can be embodied
adjustably. Accordingly, an adjusting device of the
guide vanes of a guide-vane ring of an axial turbo
machine is known for example from DE 37 11 224 C2.
It is known that a compressor can comprise a washing
device in order to be able to wash or clean the
assemblies of the compressor. Such washing devices
according to the practice are additional installations
in the compressor. So as not to negatively affect the
through-flow and thus the efficiency of the compressor
too greatly, these additional installations are
positioned with a clear distance to the assemblies of
the compressor to be cleaned, in particular with
distance to the rotor blades of a rotor-blade ring to
be cleaned, as a result of which the cleaning effect is
negatively affected.
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There is therefore a need for a compressor the
assemblies of which can be cleaned better or more
effectively, namely without the risk that the through-
flow and thus the efficiency of the compressor are
negatively affected because of this.
Starting out from this, the present invention is based
on the object of creating a new type of compressor.
This object is solved through a compressor according to
claim 1. In the region of at least one guide-vane ring,
at least one guide vane of the same comprises a washing
system, via which washing agent is squirtable or
squirtable or sprayable onto the assemblies positioned
adjacent to the respective guide-vane ring, in
particular onto the rotor-blade ring positioned
adjacent to the respective guide-vane ring. The guide
vanes can be fixed or adjustable.
With the present invention it is proposed that at least
one guide vane of at least one guide-vane ring of a
compressor according to the invention comprises a
washing system, via which washing agent is squirtable
onto the assemblies positioned in each case adjacent to
the respective guide-vane ring, in particular onto a
rotor-blade ring positioned adjacent to the respective
guide-vane ring. Accordingly, the washing system is
integrated in at least one guide vane of the respective
guide-vane ring. No additional installations are
present in the compressor which could negatively affect
the flow through the compressor and thus the efficiency
of the same. Furthermore, the washing system is
positioned adjacent to the assemblies to be cleaned, so
that the same are reliably and effectively squirtable
with washing agent from the washing system. This allows
an effective cleaning of the assemblies of the
compressor to be cleaned.
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According to an advantageous further development of the
invention, a plurality of guide vanes in the region of
at least one guide-vane ring comprise a washing system,
wherein the number and position of the guide vanes in
the respective guide-vane ring having a washing system
is designed so that the assemblies that are squirtable
or sprayable via the washing system of the respective
guide-vane ring, in particular of the rotor-blade ring
positioned adjacent to the respective guide-vane ring
that are squirtable or sprayable by the same, is or are
not excitable into natural vibrations by the squirting
or spraying with the washing agent. With this
advantageous further development of the invention it
can be ensured that the assemblies of the compressor to
be cleaned are not excited into natural vibrations by
the washing process.
According to an advantageous further development of the
invention, the washing system of the respective guide
vane comprises at least one nozzle and at least one
washing agent duct leading to the respective nozzle,
wherein the or each washing agent duct runs within the
respective guide vane. The or each washing agent duct
of the respective guide vane is suppliable with the
washing agent via a supply duct introduced into a vane
root or into a driving pin of the respective guide
vane. This allows a particularly advantageous
integration of a washing system in a guide vane of a
guide-vane ring and the supply of the or each nozzle of
the washing system with washing agent starting out from
the vane root or driving pin of the respective guide
vane. The aforementioned arrangement is advantageous
for particularly adjustable guide vanes.
Preferentially, the or each guide vane having a washing
system is produced via an additive production method.
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This allows a particularly advantageous integration of
the washing system in the respective guide vane.
Preferred further developments of the invention are
obtained from the subclaims and the following
description. Exemplary embodiments of the invention are
explained in more detail by way of the drawing without
being restricted to this. It shows:
Fig. 1: a diagram of a compressor; and
Fig. 2: a guide vane of a compressor according to the
invention.
The present invention relates to a compressor. The
compressor can be an axial compressor or a radial
compressor. Such a compressor comprises at least one
rotor side rotor-blade ring with a plurality of rotor
blades and at least one stator side guide-vane ring
with a plurality of guide vanes.
Fig. 1 shows exemplarily in a highly schematic manner a
compressor 10 designed as axial compressor, which
serves for compressing a working medium 11.
In the shown exemplary embodiment, the compressor 10
comprises rotor-blade rings 12, 13 each with a
plurality of rotor blades 12a, 13a, which rotate
together with a shaft 14. Seen in flow direction of the
working medium 11, a guide-vane ring 14 and 16
respectively is positioned in each case upstream of
each rotor-blade ring 12, 13, whe/ein each of the
guide-vane rings 15, 16 has a plurality of guide vanes
15a and 16a respectively. The guide vanes 15a, 16a or
the guide-vane rings 15, 16 are stationary assemblies,
which like a housing 17 of the compressor do not rotate
but can be moveable or adjustable.
CA 02983074 2017-10-17
It is pointed out here that the compressor 10 designed
as axial compressor and shown in Fig. 1 is purely
exemplary in nature. The invention can also be employed
with radial compressors. Furthermore, the number of the
shown guide-vane rings and rotor-blade rings is purely
exemplary in nature.
According to the invention, at least one guide vane
15a, 16a of the respective guide-vane ring 15, 16 in
the region of at least one guide-vane ring 15, 16
comprises a washing system 18, which is an integral
part of the guide vane 15a, 16a. Via this washing
system 18, which is part of a guide vane 15a, 16a,
washing agent is squirtable or sprayable onto the
assemblies of the compressor positioned adjacent to the
respective guide vane 15, 16, in particular onto a
rotor-blade ring 12, 13 positioned adjacent to the
respective guide-vane ring 15, 16, in order to clean
the respective assembly.
Fig. 2 shows schematically a guide vane 15a and 16a of
a guide-vane ring 15 and 16 respectively of the
compressor 10, which comprises a washing system 18
integrated in the guide vane 15a, 16a, wherein the
washing system 18 of the guide vane 15a, 16a of Fig. 2
comprises at least one preferentially more nozzle 19 or
nozzles 19 integrated in the guide vane 15a, 16a which
serve for squirting or spraying an assembly to be
cleaned positioned adjacent to the respective guide-
vane ring 15, 16. A washing agent duct 20 integrated in
the guide vane 15a, 16a, via which the respective
nozzle 19 can be supplied with washing agent, interacts
with each nozzle 19. The washing agent ducts 20 leading
to the nozzles 19 are suppliable with washing agent via
a supply channel 22 introduced into or integrated in a
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vane root 21 or in a driving pin 21 of the respective
guide vane 15a, 16a.
The supply via the driving pin 21 or vane root 21 is
predominantly effected with adjustable guide vanes 15a,
16a.
The plurality of nozzles 19 of the respective guide
vane 15a, 16a are distributed over the height of the
respective guide vane 15a, 16a which extends
transversely to the flow direction through the
respective guide vane ring 15, 16, preferentially
evenly distributed or positioned so that they optimally
spray the rotor blades.
Position and spray angle of the nozzles 19 of the
respective guide vane 15a, 15b are preferentially
designed for an optimal cleaning of the respective
assemblies of the compressor 10 to be cleaned.
The respective guide vane 15a, 16a can be an adjustable
guide vane 15a, 16a of a guide-vane ring designed for
example as adjustable initial guide vane ring. In this
case, the vane root 21 is designed as driving pin in
order to adapt the relative position of the respective
guide vane 15a, 16a in the flow duct of the compressor
and thus the inflow of the rotor-blade ring 12, 13
positioned downstream of the respective guide-vane ring
15, 16.
The supply channel 22 of the respective guide vane 15a,
16a introduced into the vane root or driving pin can be
supplied with the washing agent via a flexible supply
hose, in the case of an adjustable guide-vane ring
alternatively via a driveshaft of the guide-vane ring,
which serves for adjusting the guide vanes of the
respective guide-vane ring.
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It is therefore in the interest of the present
invention that at least one guide vane 15a, 16a of at
least one guide-vane ring 15, 16 of a compressor has a
washing system 18 integrated in the same, via which
washing agent is squirtable or sprayable onto
assemblies positioned to the respective guide-vane ring
15, 16, in particular onto a rotor-blade ring 12, 13
positioned adjacent to the respective guide-vane ring
15, 16.
Since a rotor-blade ring 12, 13 during the operation
rotates relative to the fixed guide-vane ring 15, 16 it
is adequate when a single guide vane of the guide-vane
- ring comprises a washing system 18, since via the
rotation of the rotor-blade ring the rotor blades 12a,
13a of the same are moved past the respective guide
vane 15a, 16a, which comprises the washing system 18,
so that the adjacent rotor-blade ring can be completely
sprayed or squirted with washing agent and thus cleaned
even via the washing system 18 of a single guide vane.
According to an advantageous further development it is
possible that a plurality of guide vanes 15a, 16a,
preferentially in the region of at least one guide-vane
ring 15, 16, each have a washing system 18. The number
and position of the guide vanes 15a, 16a having such a
washing system 18 is designed or selected in such a
manner that the assemblies that are squirtable or
sprayable via the washing systems 18 of the respective
guide vanes 15a, 16a of the respective guide-vane ring
15 and 16 respectively, in particular the rotor-blade
ring 12 and 13 respectively which is positioned
adjacent to the respective guide-vane ring 15a, 16a and
is squirtable or sprayable from the same is not
excitable into natural vibrations by the squirting or
spraying with the washing agent.
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This then makes possible a particularly advantageous
cleaning of the compressor without the risk of a
vibration excitation of the respective assemblies to be
cleaned, in particular of the respective rotor-blade
ring to be cleaned.
As already explained, the nozzles 19 and the washing
agent duct 20 are an integral part of the respective
guide vane 15a and 16a respectively. Here it can be
provided that the respective guide vane 15a and 16a
respectively is produced by an additive production
method. Additive production methods are also described
as generative production methods, these include for
example selective laser melting or selective laser
sintering. Via such an additive or generative
production method, a guide vane 15a, 16a can be
particularly advantageously produced with integrated
washing system 18.
In contrast with this it is also possible, however,
that the guide vane 15a, 16a, comprising a washing
system 18, is produced as a casting. Here, the washing
agent ducts 20 as well as nozzle 19 can already be
formed during the casting. Furthermore it is possible
to subsequently introduce the nozzles 19 and ducts 20
into the respective guide vane 15a, 16a after the
casting.
The compressor according to the invention makes
possible an effective cleaning of assemblies of the
same without the need of additional installations,
which negatively affect the flow through the
compressor. At least one guide vane of a guide-vane
ring comprises a washing system which is an integral
part of the respective guide vane. By way of this,
rotor blades of a rotor-blade ring in particular
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positioned directly adjacent to the respective guide-
vane ring can be effectively cleaned.
