Diaphragm compressor system and method
A roll-diaphragm compressor and a roll-diaphragm compressors system, including methods for manufacturing and using same. The roll-diaphragm compressor includes a compressor body having a concave portion that defines a rounded interface wall and an apex portion adjacent to the concave portion that comprises an inlet and outlet port. The roll-diaphragm compressor also includes a flexible roll-diaphragm coupled to the compressor body about a compressor body edge and a compression chamber defined by the concave portion, apex portion and roll-diaphragm. The roll-diaphragm compressor further includes a piston head rigidly coupled to a central portion of the roll-diaphragm and configured to drive the roll-diaphragm to a first configuration where the roll-diaphragm engages the interface wall as part of a compression cycle.
1. A roll-diaphragm compressor comprising:
a compressor body including:
a concave portion that defines a rounded convex interface wall; and
an apex portion adjacent to the concave portion that comprises an inlet and outlet port;
a flexible roll-diaphragm coupled to the compressor body about a compressor body edge;
a compression chamber defined by the concave portion, apex portion and roll-diaphragm; and
a piston head rigidly coupled to a central portion of the roll-diaphragm and configured to drive the roll-diaphragm to a first configuration where the roll-diaphragm engages the rounded convex interface wall as part of a compression cycle, wherein the roll-diaphragm compressor is configured to generate a variable displacement compression cycle, and wherein a maximum cycle volume of the compression chamber can be selectively configured by moving the rounded convex interface wall.
2. The roll-diaphragm compressor of claim 1 , wherein the piston head corresponds to and is configured to reside within the apex portion when the roll-diaphragm is in the first configuration.
3. The roll-diaphragm compressor of claim 1 , wherein the roll-diaphragm rollingly engages the rounded convex interface wall as part of the compression cycle.
4. The roll-diaphragm compressor of claim 1 , wherein the piston head is configured to drive the roll-diaphragm in a rolling cycle motion.
5. The roll-diaphragm compressor of claim 1 , wherein an operating pressure external to the compression chamber is maintained at a greater pressure than a maximum pressure generated inside the compression chamber during the compression cycle.
6. A roll-diaphragm compressor system consisting essentially of:
a first roll-diaphragm compressor as described claim 1 , and
a second roll-diaphragm compressor as described in claim 1 .
7. The roll-diaphragm compressor system of claim 6 , further comprising:
an architecture that holds the first and second compressor in an opposing configuration along a common axis; and
a piston assembly disposed between the first and second roll-diaphragm compressor configured to drive a respective first and second piston head of the first and second roll-diaphragm compressor.
8. The roll-diaphragm compressor of claim 7 , wherein said piston assembly comprises a first and second crank that are offset from each other about a central crank-shaft axis, the first and second crank configured to drive the first and second roll-diaphragm compressor in staggered respective compression cycles.
9. A roll-diaphragm compressor system comprising:
a first roll-diaphragm compressor as described claim 1 ,
a second roll-diaphragm compressor as described in claim 1 ;
a third roll-diaphragm compressor as described in claim 1 ;
an architecture that holds the first, second and third roll-diaphragm compressors in an offset opposing configuration without any of the diaphragm compressors being aligned along a common axis; and
a piston assembly disposed between the first, second and third roll-diaphragm compressors configured to drive a respective first, second and third piston head of the first, second and third roll-diaphragm compressors.
10. The roll-diaphragm compressor of claim 1 , wherein the diaphragm defines a dome profile.
11. The roll-diaphragm compressor of claim 1 , wherein the diaphragm comprises tensile elements that extend radially from the diaphragm central portion.
12. The roll-diaphragm compressor of claim 1 , wherein the diaphragm comprises a plurality of coupling holes proximate to the diaphragm edge.
13. The roll-diaphragm compressor of claim 1 , wherein the roll-diaphragm comprises a plurality of leaves that extend from the diaphragm central portion to a diaphragm edge, each leaf having side edges that are coupled with side edges of adjoining leaves to generate a dome profile of the roll-diaphragm.
14. The roll-diaphragm compressor of claim 13 , wherein said leaves comprise tensile elements that extend radially from the diaphragm central portion.
15. The roll-diaphragm compressor of claim 13 , wherein a plurality of said leaves comprise a coupling hole proximate to the diaphragm edge.
16. A method of driving a roll-diaphragm compressor comprising:
providing a roll-diaphragm compressor having a flexible roll-diaphragm coupled with an edge of a compressor body that defines a concave portion having a convex interface wall, the roll-diaphragm and convex interface wall defining a compression chamber, wherein the roll-diaphragm compressor is configured to generate a variable displacement compression cycle, and wherein a maximum cycle volume of the compression chamber can be selectively configured by moving the convex interface wall;
driving the roll-diaphragm to a first concave configuration wherein the roll-diaphragm is spaced apart from the convex interface wall such that the compression chamber is at a maximum volume;
driving the roll-diaphragm to a second convex configuration wherein the roll-diaphragm rollingly engages the convex interface wall such that the compression chamber is at a minimum volume.
17. The method claim 16 , wherein said driving the roll-diaphragm to a first concave configuration draws a volume fluid into the compression chamber via an inlet port of the compressor body.
18. The method claim 17 , wherein said driving the roll-diaphragm to a second convex configuration expels the volume of fluid from the compression chamber.
19. A roll-diaphragm compressor comprising:
a compressor body including:
a concave portion that defines a rounded interface wall; and
an apex portion adjacent to the concave portion that comprises an inlet and outlet port;
a flexible roll-diaphragm coupled to the compressor body about a compressor body edge, the flexible roll-diaphragm exhibiting anisotropic material properties that provide radial inextensibility but allow circumferential compliance to allow for rolling behavior;
a compression chamber defined by the concave portion, apex portion and roll-diaphragm; and
a piston head rigidly coupled to a central portion of the roll-diaphragm and configured to drive the roll-diaphragm to a first configuration where the roll-diaphragm engages the interface wall as part of a compression cycle, wherein the roll-diaphragm compressor is configured to generate a variable displacement compression cycle, and wherein a maximum cycle volume of the compression chamber can be selectively configured by moving the interface wall.