Compressor valve assembly with removably affixed guide in a reciprocating compressor
A compressor valve assembly is disclosed. The valve assembly includes a guide having a cylindrical cup portion and a cylindrical stem portion that extends axially in a socket where the guide can be removably affixed to a stop plate. The disclosed valve assembly is conducive to user-friendly serviceability while realizing an increased flow area with operational capability at relatively higher pressures and practically no susceptibility to bending stresses.
1. A compressor valve assembly comprising:
a seat disposed at an inlet side of the compressor valve assembly, the seat comprising an inlet flow aperture;
a stop plate disposed at an outlet side of the compressor valve assembly, the stop plate in abutting relationship against the seat;
a guide removably affixed to the stop plate, the guide having a cylindrical cup portion and a cylindrical stem portion extending axially in a socket defined by a cylindrical wall in the stop plate, a base perimeter of the cylindrical cup portion being spaced apart relative to the bottom of the stop plate; and
a group of outlet flow apertures disposed in the stop plate and arranged about the cylindrical stem portion, a segment of respective cross sections of the group of outlet flow apertures spanned by the cylindrical cup and extending up to a point circumscribed by the outer surface of the cylindrical wall, wherein the guide further comprises a conical transition disposed between the base perimeter of the cylindrical cup and the cylindrical stem portion.
2. The compressor valve assembly of claim 1 , wherein the conical transition defines a taper angle relative to the longitudinal axis of the guide.
3. The compressor valve assembly of claim 2 , wherein the taper angle has a range from 25 degrees to 65 degrees.
4. The compressor valve assembly of claim 3 , wherein the taper angle has a range from 30 degrees to 60 degrees.
5. The compressor valve assembly of claim 4 , wherein the taper angle has a range from 35 degrees to 55 degrees.
6. The compressor valve assembly of claim 1 , wherein an inner surface of the cylindrical wall has a thread configured to provide a threaded connection with a threaded mating surface of the cylindrical stem portion.
7. The compressor valve assembly of claim 1 , further comprising a seal element and a spring disposed in the cylindrical cup portion of the guide, an inner surface of the cylindrical cup portion of the guide configured to guide travel of the seal element along the inner surface of the cylindrical cup portion so that a seal head of the seal element moves to close the inlet flow aperture when the spring is uncompressed and moves away from the inlet flow aperture when the spring is compressed during operation of the compressor valve assembly.
8. A compressor valve assembly comprising:
a seat disposed at an inlet side of the compressor valve assembly, the seat comprising an inlet flow aperture;
a stop plate disposed at an outlet side of the compressor valve assembly, the stop plate in abutting relationship against the seat;
a guide removably affixed to the stop plate, the guide having a cylindrical cup portion and a cylindrical stem portion extending axially in a socket defined by a cylindrical wall in the stop plate, a base perimeter of the cylindrical cup portion being spaced apart relative to the bottom of the stop plate; and
a group of outlet flow apertures disposed in the stop plate and arranged about the cylindrical stem portion, a segment of respective cross sections of the group of outlet flow apertures spanned by the cylindrical cup and extending up to a point circumscribed by the outer surface of the cylindrical wall, wherein each segment of the respective cross sections of the group of outlet flow apertures has an outlet flow area defined by a partial intersection of a circle having a radius formed by a respective outlet flow aperture and a circle having a radius (r 1 ) formed by the base perimeter of the cylindrical cup, wherein said circles have respective center points at a distance (d) from one another, wherein the radius (r 2 ) of the respective outlet flow aperture is smaller relative to the radius (r 1 ) of the base perimeter of the cylindrical cup.
9. The compressor valve assembly of claim 1 , wherein the group of outlet flow apertures is formed by four outlet flow apertures arranged in a square centered about the longitudinal axis of the guide.
10. The compressor valve assembly of claim 8 , wherein the area of the partial intersection is defined by the following:
A
int
=
r
1
2
cos
-
1
(
d
1
r
1
)
-
d
1
r
1
2
-
d
1
2
+
r
2
2
cos
-
1
(
d
2
r
2
)
-
d
2
r
2
2
-
d
2
2
where
d
1
=
r
1
2
-
r
2
2
+
d
2
2
d
and
d
2
=
r
2
2
-
r
1
2
+
d
2
2
d
.
11. A compressor valve assembly comprising:
a guide removably affixed to a stop plate, the guide having a cylindrical cup portion and a cylindrical stem portion extending axially in a socket defined by a cylindrical wall in the stop plate, a base perimeter of the cylindrical cup portion being spaced apart relative to the bottom of the stop plate,
a group of outlet flow apertures disposed in the stop plate and arranged about the cylindrical stem portion, a segment of respective cross sections of the group of outlet flow apertures spanned by the cylindrical cup and extending up to a point circumscribed by the outer surface of the cylindrical wall,
wherein each segment of the respective cross sections of the group of outlet flow apertures has an outlet flow area defined by a partial intersection of a circle having a radius formed by a respective outlet flow aperture and a circle having a radius (r 1 ) formed by the base perimeter of the cylindrical cup, wherein said circles have respective center points at a distance (d) from one another, wherein the radius (r 2 ) of the respective outlet flow aperture is smaller relative to the radius (r 1 ) of the base perimeter of the cylindrical cup.
12. The compressor valve assembly of claim 11 , wherein the area of the partial intersection is defined by the following:
A
int
=
r
1
2
cos
-
1
(
d
1
r
1
)
-
d
1
r
1
2
-
d
1
2
+
r
2
2
cos
-
1
(
d
2
r
2
)
-
d
2
r
2
2
-
d
2
2
where
d
1
=
r
1
2
-
r
2
2
+
d
2
2
d
and
d
2
=
r
2
2
-
r
1
2
+
d
2
2
d
.
13. The compressor valve assembly of claim 11 , wherein the guide further comprises a conical transition disposed between the base perimeter of the cylindrical cup and the cylindrical stem portion.
14. The compressor valve assembly of claim 13 , wherein the conical portion defines a taper angle relative to the longitudinal axis of the guide wherein the taper angle has a range from 25 degrees to 65 degrees.
15. The compressor valve assembly of claim 14 , wherein the taper angle has a range from 30 degrees to 60 degrees.
16. The compressor valve assembly of claim 15 , wherein the taper angle has a range a range from 35 degrees to 55 degrees.
17. The compressor valve assembly of claim 11 , wherein an inner surface of the cylindrical wall has a thread configured to provide a threaded connection with a threaded mating surface in the cylindrical stem portion.
18. The compressor valve assembly of claim 11 , further comprising a seal element and a spring disposed in the cylindrical cup portion of the guide, an inner surface of the cylindrical cup portion of the guide configured to guide travel of the seal element along the inner surface of the cylindrical cup portion so that a seal head of the seal element moves to close the inlet flow aperture when the spring is uncompressed and moves away from the inlet flow aperture when the spring is compressed during operation of the compressor valve assembly.
19. The compressor valve assembly of claim 11 , wherein the group of outlet flow apertures is formed by four outlet flow apertures arranged in a square centered about the longitudinal axis of the guide.