Vertical vapor compressor

Abstract

A vapor compressor for use with a distillation system, the compressor including a housing defining an interior volume. The housing includes an inlet and an outlet. A shaft has a first end and a second end and extends along a longitudinal axis of the housing. A first compression stage includes a first impeller and a first stator, the first impeller including a first plurality of impeller blades having a first dimension. The first stator includes a first plurality of stator blades having a second dimension. A second compression stage includes a second impeller and a second stator, the second impeller including a second plurality of impeller blades having a third dimension. The second stator includes a second plurality of stator blades having a fourth dimension. The first dimension and the third dimension are measured along corresponding portions of the first plurality of impeller blades and the second plurality of impeller blades, and the first dimension is greater than the third dimension.

1 . A vapor compressor for use with a distillation system, comprising:
 a housing defining an interior volume, the housing including an inlet and an outlet;   a shaft having a first end and a second end, the shaft extending along a longitudinal axis of the housing;   a first compression stage including a first impeller and a first stator, the first impeller including a first plurality of impeller blades having a first dimension in a direction parallel to the longitudinal axis of the housing, the first stator including a first plurality of stator blades having a second dimension in a direction parallel to the longitudinal axis of the housing; and   a second compression stage including a second impeller and a second stator, the second impeller including a second plurality of impeller blades having a third dimension in a direction parallel to the longitudinal axis of the housing, the second stator including a second plurality of stator blades having a fourth dimension in a direction parallel to the longitudinal axis of the housing;   wherein the first dimension and the third dimension are measured along corresponding portions of the first plurality of impeller blades and the second plurality of impeller blades, and the first dimension is greater than the third dimension.   
   
   
       2 . The vapor compressor of  claim 1 , wherein the second dimension and the fourth dimension are measured along corresponding portions of the first plurality of stator blades and the second plurality of stator blades, and the third dimension is greater than the fourth dimension. 
   
   
       3 . The vapor compressor of  claim 1 , wherein the longitudinal axis of the vapor compressor is vertically oriented. 
   
   
       4 . The vapor compressor of  claim 3 , wherein the first end of the shaft is located within the internal volume defined by the housing and the second end of the shaft is disposed outside of the housing. 
   
   
       5 . The vapor compressor of  claim 4 , wherein the first impeller and the second impeller are non-rotatably fixed adjacent to the first end of the shaft. 
   
   
       6 . The vapor compressor of  claim 4 , wherein the second end of the shaft is rotatably supported by a bearing assembly disposed outside of the housing. 
   
   
       7 . The vapor compressor of  claim 6 , further comprising:
 a shaft aperture defined by the housing, the shaft passing through the shaft aperture; and   a seal received in the shaft aperture, the seal being disposed around the shaft;   wherein the bearing assembly and the seal are separated by an axial spacing portion of the shaft.   
   
   
       8 . The vapor compressor of  claim 7 , further comprising a deflector plate fixed to the axial spacing portion of the shaft between the seal and the bearing assembly, the deflector plate rotating with the shaft. 
   
   
       9 . The vapor compressor of  claim 8 , wherein the deflector plate includes a plurality of blades. 
   
   
       10 . The vapor compressor of  claim 1 , wherein the first stator includes a first bottom plate and a first sidewall, the sidewall extending upwardly and defining a first cylindrical volume with the first bottom plate, wherein the first impeller is disposed within the first cylindrical volume of the first stator. 
   
   
       11 . A vapor compressor for use with a distillation system, comprising:
 a housing defining an interior volume, the housing including a cylindrical sidewall, an inlet and an outlet;   a shaft having a first end and a second end, the shaft extending along a longitudinal axis of the housing;   a first compression stage including a first impeller and a first stator, the first impeller including a first plurality of impeller blades, the first stator including a first back plate, a first plurality of stator blades and a first cylindrical sidewall extending upwardly from the first back plate, thereby defining a first cylindrical volume, the first impeller being disposed within the first cylindrical volume of the first stator; and   a second compression stage including a second impeller and a second stator, the second impeller including a second plurality of impeller blades, the second stator including a second back plate, a second plurality of stator blades and a second cylindrical sidewall extending upwardly from the second back plate, thereby defining a second cylindrical volume, the second impeller being disposed within the second cylindrical volume of the second stator,   wherein the longitudinal axis of the vapor compressor is vertically oriented.   
   
   
       12 . The vapor compressor of  claim 11 , wherein the first compression stage is disposed between the inlet and the second compression stage. 
   
   
       13 . The vapor compressor of  claim 12 , wherein the first cylindrical sidewall of the first stator and the second cylindrical sidewall of the second stator are adjacent to and concentric with the cylindrical sidewall of the housing. 
   
   
       14 . The vapor compressor of  claim 11 , wherein the first back plate of the first impeller defines a first central aperture, each second impeller blade of the second impeller includes a blade tip extending upwardly therefrom, wherein each blade tip of the second plurality of impeller blades extends upwardly into the first central aperture of the first stator. 
   
   
       15 . The vapor compressor of  claim 11 , wherein a first height of each of the plurality of first impeller blades is greater than a second height of each of the plurality of second impeller blades, wherein the first height and the second height are measured from a top edge to a bottom edge of the first impeller blade and the second impeller blade, respectively, in a direction parallel to the longitudinal axis of the housing. 
   
   
       16 . The vapor compressor of  claim 11 , wherein the first end of the shaft is located within the internal volume defined by the housing and the second end of the shaft is disposed outside of the housing. 
   
   
       17 . The vapor compressor of  claim 16 , wherein the second end of the shaft is rotatably supported by a bearing assembly disposed outside of the housing. 
   
   
       18 . The vapor compressor of  claim 17 , further comprising:
 a shaft aperture defined by the housing, the shaft passing through the shaft aperture; and   a seal received in the shaft aperture, the seal being disposed around the shaft;   wherein the bearing assembly and the seal are separated by an axial spacing portion of the shaft.   
   
   
       19 . The vapor compressor of  claim 18 , further comprising a deflector plate non-rotatably fixed to the axial spacing portion of the shaft between the seal and the bearing assembly, the deflector plate rotating with the shaft. 
   
   
       20 . A vapor compressor for use with a distillation system, comprising:
 a housing defining an interior volume, the housing including a cylindrical sidewall, an inlet and an outlet;   a shaft having a first end and a second end, the shaft extending along a longitudinal axis of the housing;   a first compression stage including a first impeller and a first stator, the first impeller including a first plurality of impeller blades, the first stator including a first back plate defining a first central aperture and a first cylindrical sidewall extending upwardly from the first back plate, thereby defining a first cylindrical volume, the first impeller being disposed within the first cylindrical volume of the first stator; and   a second compression stage including a second impeller and a second stator, the second impeller including a second plurality of impeller blades, each second impeller blade including a blade tip extending upwardly therefrom, the second stator including a second back plate and a second cylindrical sidewall extending upwardly from the second back plate, thereby defining a second cylindrical volume, the second impeller being disposed within the second cylindrical volume of the second stator,   wherein said blade tips of the second plurality of impeller blades extend upwardly into the first central aperture of the first stator.   
   
   
       21 . The vapor compressor of  claim 20 , wherein a first height of each of the plurality of first impeller blades is greater than a second height of each of the plurality of second impeller blades, wherein the first height and the second height are measured from a top edge to a bottom edge of the first impeller blade and the second impeller blade, respectively, in a direction parallel to the longitudinal axis of the housing. 
   
   
       22 . A vapor compressor for use with a distillation system, comprising:
 a housing defining an interior volume, the housing including an inlet and an outlet;   a vertical shaft having a first end located in said housing and a second end outside of said housing, the shaft being rotatably driven at said second end;   at least one compression stage located in said housing, said compression stage including an impeller rotatable with the shaft; and   at least one bearing assembly located outside of said housing and supporting said shaft for rotation.   
   
   
       23 . The vapor compressor of  claim 22 , further comprising:
 a shaft aperture defined by the housing, the shaft passing through the shaft aperture; and   a seal received in the shaft aperture, the seal being disposed around the shaft;   wherein the bearing assembly and the seal are separated by an axial spacing portion of the shaft.   
   
   
       24 . The vapor compressor of  claim 23 , further comprising a deflector plate fixed to the axial spacing portion of the shaft between the seal and the bearing assembly, the deflector plate rotating with the shaft. 
   
   
       25 . The vapor compressor of  claim 24 , wherein the deflector plate includes a plurality of blades.