Multi-stage compressor having interstage lubricant injection via an injection rod
A compressor is disclosed which can include a first stage and a second stage. In one form the compressor includes contact cooled compressor stages. The compressor can include a rod useful to inject a lubricant for purposes of cooling/lubricating/sealing the rotating components of the compressor. In one form the rod is an elongate rod with openings which permit a lubricant such as oil to be injected. The injected oil can be atomized via the openings. The rod can be positioned in the interstage space between the first and second stages, and can include a variety of openings.
1. A multi-stage contact cooled compressor having a first stage rotary compressor located upstream from a second stage rotary compressor, the multi-stage contact cooled compressor comprising:
a transfer volume located intermediate to the first stage rotary compressor and the second stage rotary compressor, wherein the transfer volume is used to receive outflow from the first stage rotary compressor and convey the outflow to the second stage rotary compressor; and
an oil feed rod having an exterior periphery that extends in a longitudinal direction, the oil feed rod oriented to protrude into the transfer volume such that the longitudinal direction is orthogonal to a line parallel to an axis of rotation of the second stage rotary compressor, the oil feed rod having an open interior for the receipt of oil as well as a plurality of openings formed in the exterior periphery of the oil feed rod through which oil from the open interior of the oil feed rod can pass into the transfer volume.
2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the oil feed rod extends from a wall that defines the transfer volume and terminates at an end, the exterior periphery of the oil feed rod defined between the wall and the end.
3. The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the oil feed rod includes a circular cross-sectional shape, and wherein each of the plurality of openings are symmetric.
4. The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the oil feed rod is in the form of a hollow tube, and wherein the plurality of openings are sized to produce a spray of oil droplets.
5. The apparatus of claim 4 , wherein the oil feed rod further comprises a second plurality of openings formed in the exterior periphery of the oil feed rod, the second plurality of openings configured to discharge the oil in a non-orthogonal direction relative to the longitudinal direction.
6. The apparatus of claim 4 , wherein the oil feed rod includes at least one opening at the end of the tube.
7. The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the oil feed rod includes an asymmetric distribution of the plurality of openings such that the plurality of openings are isolated on a portion of the exterior periphery.
8. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the openings of the oil feed rod include a plurality of elongated slots that extend parallel to the longitudinal direction.
9. An apparatus comprising:
a first contact cooled compressor stage that includes a first pair of compressor rotors;
a second contact cooled compressor stage having a second pair of compressor rotors;
a passage that connects an outlet of the first contact cooled compressor stage to an inlet of the second contact cooled compressor stage; and
an oil delivery rod having an external oil delivery surface that extends in a longitudinal direction, the oil delivery rod positioned to extend into the passage such that the longitudinal direction is orthogonal to a line parallel to an axis of rotation of the second pair of compressor rotors, the external oil delivery surface including a plurality of openings positioned between a first exposed end of the oil delivery rod and a second exposed end of the oil delivery rod, the plurality of openings configured to spray oil into a passing flow of working fluid produced by the first contact cooled compressor stage.
10. The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the plurality of openings extend between an inner surface of the oil delivery rod and the external oil delivery surface.
11. The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the plurality of openings are elongated slotted openings.
12. The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the plurality of openings are sized to atomize oil that is conveyed through the openings.
13. The apparatus of claim 12 , wherein a spray pattern formed by the plurality of openings extends around the entirety of the periphery of the oil delivery rod.
14. The apparatus of claim 12 , wherein the plurality of openings includes an opening formed at an end of the oil delivery rod.
15. A method comprising:
compressing a working fluid with a multi-stage contact cooled compressor;
routing the compressed working fluid from a first stage to a second stage of the multi-stage contact cooled compressor; and
spraying oil out of an elongated oil rod in an interstage region between the first stage and the second stage, the elongated oil rod elongated in a longitudinal direction that is orthogonal to a line parallel to an axis of rotation of the second stage of the multi-stage contact cooled compressor, the elongated oil rod having a plurality of openings formed in the elongated oil rod and arranged along the longitudinal direction such that oil is provided to the compressed working fluid from the first stage prior to being entrained in a compression process of the second stage.
16. The method of claim 15 , wherein the spraying includes atomizing the oil.
17. The method of claim 15 , wherein spraying includes conveying the oil through the plurality of openings having a slot shape.
18. The method of claim 15 , wherein the spraying includes isolating the spraying to one side of the oil rod such that an oil spray pattern is not omnidirectional.
19. The method of claim 15 , which further includes spraying oil through an opening formed in an end of the elongated oil rod such that a spray pattern provided by the opening formed in the end of the elongated oil rod extends in a direction along a length of the elongated oil rod.