Compressor System and Method of Lubricating the Compressor System

Abstract

A compressor system comprising a compressor (e.g., rotary screw compressor) a gearbox and a lubrication system for providing lubrication to the compressor and the gearbox is disclosed. The compressor and the gearbox are provided in operational association with one another within a compressor housing. The compressor system further comprises a gear pump for lubricating the gearbox and a compressor oil circuit for lubricating the compressor from a lubricant source within the lubrication system. The lubrication system further includes at least two lubricant feeds, with one feed connecting the gear pump and one feed connecting the compressor oil circuit. Upon activation of the gear pump and/or the compressor oil circuit, lubricant from the lubricant source is encouraged to flow through the associated lubricant feed for distribution to the associated portion of the compressor system. An additional connection line connecting the gear pump and the compressor oil circuit is provided to continuously provide lubrication to associated portions upon the gear pump or the lubricant feed connecting the compressor oil circuit becomes inoperative.

1 ) A compressor system, comprising:
 at least one compressor oil circuit in operable association with a compressor for compressing fluids;   at least one gear pump in operable association with a gearbox, the gearbox comprising a plurality of gears mounted on a gear shaft for driving the compressor;   a lubrication system for lubricating the gearbox and the compressor, the lubrication system comprising, (i) a lubricant source for providing a lubricant; and (ii) at least two lubricant feeds for providing a lubricant from the lubricant source to the compressor and the gearbox; and   at least one connection line connecting the compressor and the gearbox for providing lubrication thereto by transferring the lubricant from the gear pump to the compressor oil circuit and/or from the compressor oil circuit to the gear pump;   wherein the at least one compressor oil circuit is connected at least indirectly to at least one of the at least two lubricant feeds, the compressor oil circuit capable of receiving the lubricant from the lubricant source through the at least one of the at least two lubricant feeds for distribution within the compressor; and   wherein the at least one gear pump is connected at least indirectly to at least one of the at least two lubricant feeds, the gear pump capable of receiving the lubricant from the lubricant source through the at least one of the at least two lubricant feeds for distribution within the gearbox.   
   
   
       2 ) The system of  claim 1 , wherein the compressor is a rotary screw compressor comprising a helically grooved main rotor and at least two star rotors in operational association with the main rotor. 
   
   
       3 ) The system of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one connection line is capable of transferring the lubricant from the compressor to the gearbox and/or from the gearbox to the compressor when the gear pump is inoperative. 
   
   
       4 ) The system of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one connection line is capable of transferring the lubricant from the compressor to the gearbox and/or from the gearbox to the compressor when the at least one of the at least two lubricant feeds connected at least indirectly to the at least one compressor oil circuit is inoperative. 
   
   
       5 ) The system of  claim 1 , wherein the gearbox further comprises:
 a gearbox housing mounted within a compressor housing by at least one gear bearing.   
   
   
       6 ) The system of  claim 5 , wherein the gearbox is mounted integral to the compressor housing. 
   
   
       7 ) The system of  claim 1 , wherein the lubricant source is an oil sump for providing a supply of lubricant for lubricating the compressor and the gearbox. 
   
   
       8 ) The system of  claim 1 , wherein the at least two lubricant feeds comprise a first lubricant feed connected at least indirectly to the lubricant source and in fluid communication with the compressor; and a second lubricant feed connected at least indirectly to the lubricant source and in fluid communication with the gearbox. 
   
   
       9 ) The system of  claim 1 , wherein the lubrication system is integral to the compressor housing. 
   
   
       10 ) The system of  claim 1  further comprising at least one secondary pump connected at least indirectly to the at least two lubricant feeds for lubricating the compressor and the gearbox. 
   
   
       11 ) The system of  claim 10 , wherein the at least one secondary pump for lubricating the compressor and the gearbox comprises locating the at least one secondary pump either adjacent to the lubricant source, or adjacent to the compressor. 
   
   
       12 ) The system of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one connection line connecting the compressor and the gearbox is positioned either external to the compressor housing or internal to the compressor housing. 
   
   
       13 ) The system of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one connection line further comprises a first end and a second end, the first end being connected to a gear pump in the gearbox and the second end being connected to the at least one compressor oil circuit in the compressor for transferring the lubricant from the gearbox to the compressor and/or from the compressor to the gearbox. 
   
   
       14 ) A method of providing lubrication to a compressor system, the method comprising:
 providing (a) a compressor for compressing fluids; (b) a gearbox having a plurality of gears for driving the compressor; (c) a lubricant source for providing a lubricant; (d) at least two lubricant feeds originating from the lubricant source; (e) a gear pump in operational association with the gearbox for providing lubrication thereto; and (f) a compressor oil circuit in operational association with the compressor for providing lubrication thereto;   providing at least one connection line connecting the compressor and the gearbox for providing lubrication thereto by transferring the lubricant from the gear pump to the compressor oil circuit and/or from the compressor oil circuit to the gear pump; and   transferring the lubricant from the lubricant source to the compressor and the gearbox through the at least two lubricant feeds;   wherein the at least one connection line is capable of transferring lubricant from the gear pump to the compressor oil circuit and/or from the compressor oil circuit to the gear pump for a particular period of time when either the gear pump or at least one of the at least two lubricant feeds connected at least indirectly to the compressor oil circuit is at least partially inoperative.   
   
   
       15 ) The method of  claim 14 , further comprising:
 connecting the gear pump at least indirectly to at least one of the at least two lubricant feeds; and   receiving the lubricant from the lubricant source through the at least one of the at least two lubricant feeds for distribution of the received lubricant within the gearbox by the gear pump.   
   
   
       16 ) The method of  claim 14 , further comprising:
 receiving the lubricant from the lubricant source through the at least one of the at least two lubricant feeds connected at least indirectly to the compressor oil circuit for distribution of the received lubricant within the compressor by the compressor oil circuit.   
   
   
       17 ) The method of  claim 14 , wherein the providing the at least one connection line connecting the compressor and the gearbox further comprises positioning the at least one connection line either external to the compressor housing or internal to the compressor housing 
   
   
       18 ) The method of  claim 14 , further comprising providing at least one secondary pump connected at least indirectly to the at least one lubricant feed for providing the lubricant to the compressor and the gearbox. 
   
   
       19 ) The method of  claim 18 , wherein the providing the at least one secondary pump for providing lubricant to the compressor and the gearbox comprises locating the at least one secondary pump either adjacent to the lubricant source or adjacent to the compressor. 
   
   
       20 ) A compressor system in combination with a lubrication system, the combination comprising:
 a compressor system comprising:
 a rotary screw compressor; and 
 a gearbox in operational association with the rotary screw compressor; and 
   a lubrication system for lubricating the compressor system, the lubrication system comprising:
 a lubricant source for providing a lubricant; and 
 at least two lubricant feeds originating from the lubricant source and in fluid communication with the compressor system; 
   wherein the compressor system further comprises (i) a gear pump in operational association with the gearbox for providing lubrication thereto and connected at least indirectly to at least one of the at least two lubricant feeds, the gear pump capable of receiving the lubricant from the lubricant source through the at least one of the at least two lubricant feeds for distribution within the gearbox; and (ii) a compressor oil circuit in operational association with the compressor for providing lubrication thereto and connected at least indirectly to at least one of the at least two lubricant feeds, the compressor oil circuit capable of receiving the lubricant from the lubricant source through the at least one of the at least two lubricant feeds for distribution within the compressor; and   wherein the at least one connection line is capable of transferring lubricant from the gear pump to the compressor oil circuit and/or from the compressor oil circuit to the gear pump for a particular period of time when either the gear pump or the at least one of the at least two lubricant feeds connected at least indirectly to compressor oil circuit is at least partially inoperative.   
   
   
       21 ) The combination of  claim 20 , wherein the rotary screw compressor of the compressor system further comprises:
 a compressor housing;   a main rotor having helical grooves and mounted for rotation on a rotor axis in a rotor bore in said compressor housing; and   a pair of star rotors rotatably mounted in said housing and engageable with said helical grooves to define a plurality of gas compression chambers;   
   
   
       22 ) The combination of  claim 20 , wherein the compressor system further comprises at least one secondary pump connected at least indirectly to the at least one lubricant feed for providing the lubricant to the compressor and the gearbox. 
   
   
       23 ) The combination of  claim 20 , wherein the at least one connection line connecting the compressor and the gearbox is for transferring the lubricant from the gearbox to the compressor and/or from the compressor to the gearbox, and wherein the connection line is located either external to the compressor housing or internal to the compressor housing and ensures proper compressor lubrication during startup and operation. 
   
   
       24 ) The combination of  claim 20 , wherein the at least one connection line provides lubrication to the compressor system to enhance lubricant flow.