AIR COMPRESSOR HAVING VACUUM AND ASSOCIATED METHODS FOR LOADING AND EXTRACTING MATERIALS
Assemblies, apparatuses, and methods to extract or convey a material from a source of the material may include a vacuum generation and sound attenuation assembly. The vacuum generation and sound attenuation assembly may include a compressor housing having a vacuum source, a cooling system, and a vacuum controller. The vacuum source may include a compressor powered by an electric motor and positioned to cause a vacuum flow between the source of the material, and the vacuum generation and sound attenuation assembly. The vacuum generation and sound attenuation assembly may further include a sound attenuation chamber positioned to receive at least a portion of the vacuum flow from, and attenuate sound generated by, the vacuum source. The compressor housing and sound attenuation chamber of the vacuum generation and sound attenuation assembly may be arranged compactly on a common chassis for ease of transport and deployment.
1 . A compressor and vacuum generation assembly to enhance extraction of material from a material source, the compressor and vacuum generation assembly comprising:
a compressor housing;
one or more compressors in the compressor housing;
one or more vacuum generators at least partially contained in the compressor housing and configured to receive pressurized fluid from the one or more compressors, the one or more vacuum generators including a venturi mechanism positioned to use a venturi effect to generate a vacuum flow between the material source and the one or more vacuum generators; and
one or more vacuum controllers at least partially contained in the compressor housing and configured control one or more parameters of the compressor and vacuum generation assembly.
2 . The compressor and vacuum generation assembly of claim 1 , further comprising one or more electric motors in the compressor housing to provide power to the one or more compressors.
3 . The compressor and vacuum generation assembly of claim 2 , wherein at least one of the one or more electric motors comprises a variable speed motor, and the one or more vacuum controllers control a speed of the variable speed motor.
4 . The compressor and vacuum generation assembly of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the one or more compressors comprises a screw compressor.
5 . The compressor and vacuum generation assembly of claim 1 , further comprising a recirculating fan positioned in the compressor housing at a lower elevation than the one or more compressors and the one or more vacuum generators, the recirculating fan positioned to direct heat and moisture flows out of the compressor housing.
6 . The compressor and vacuum generation assembly claim 1 , wherein the one or more parameters controlled by the vacuum controller comprises one or more of:
one or more fluid supply control valves associated with the one or more vacuum generators,
an exhaust control valve to control a vacuum pressure generated by the one or more vacuum generators,
one or more operating setpoints of the one or more electric motors, or
one or more operating setpoints of the one or more compressors.
7 . The compressor and vacuum generation assembly claim 6 , further comprising one or more sensors within the compressor housing, wherein the one or more vacuum controllers is positioned to control the one or more parameters of the compressor and vacuum generation assembly at least partially responsive to one or more of:
(1) an operator setting, or
(2) a sensor signal indicative of one or more of:
the vacuum pressure,
a temperature,
a relative moisture,
a vacuum flow rate, or
a parameter related to the material extracted from the material source.
8 . The compressor and vacuum generation assembly of claim 1 , further comprising a cooling system in the compressor housing to remove heat from an interior of the compressor housing.
9 . The compressor and vacuum generation assembly of claim 8 , wherein the cooling system comprises one or more aftercoolers, the one or more aftercoolers comprising one or more heat exchange surfaces.
10 . The compressor and vacuum generation assembly of claim 9 , wherein the cooling system further comprises a fan to force air through the one or more heat exchange surfaces to remove heat from the compressor housing.
11 . The compressor and vacuum generation assembly of claim 1 , further comprising a moisture separator in the compressor housing to remove moisture from the vacuum flow.
12 . The compressor and vacuum generation assembly of claim 1 , further comprising:
one or more suction inlet ports positioned to establish a flow path into the compressor housing for the one or more vacuum generators; and
one or more exhaust ports positioned to establish a flow path out of the compressor housing for the one or more vacuum generators.
13 . The compressor and vacuum generation assembly claim 12 , wherein the one or more exhaust ports is positioned at a lower elevation of the compressor housing than an elevation of the one or more suction inlet ports.
14 . The compressor and vacuum generation assembly of claim 12 , wherein the one or more exhaust ports is positioned at a higher elevation of the compressor housing than an elevation of the one or more suction inlet ports.