Compressor assembly

Abstract

A compressor assembly includes compressor means having an inlet, an outlet and a means for drawing air through the inlet and exhausting compressed air through the outlet, rotary drive input means, and gear means for changing the speed of the rotary drive input means and having an input connected to the rotary drive input means and an output driving the compressor means, the gear means comprising planetary gear means.

1 . A compressor assembly comprising:
 compressor means having an inlet, an outlet and a means for drawing air through the inlet and exhausting compressed air through the outlet;   rotary drive input means; and   gear means for changing the speed of the rotary drive input means and having an input connected to the rotary drive input means and an output driving the compressor means, the gear means comprising planetary gear means.   
     
     
         2 . The compressor assembly of  claim 1  wherein the gear means comprises step-up gear means. 
     
     
         3 . The compressor assembly of  claim 1  wherein the planetary gear means comprises a carrier connected to the rotary drive input means, a plurality of planet gears mounted on the carrier and engaging with a fixed annulus and engaging with a sun gear which forms the output of the planetary gear means. 
     
     
         4 . The compressor assembly of  claim 1  further comprising a plurality of rotary drive input means. 
     
     
         5 . The compressor assembly of  claim 4  wherein the plurality of rotary drive input means rotates together. 
     
     
         6 . The compressor assembly of  claim 5  further comprising a gear mounted on a first rotary drive input means engaging with a gear mounted on a second rotary drive input means. 
     
     
         7 . The compressor assembly of  claim 4  further comprising a first and second rotary drive input means which are adapted to be rotated in opposite directions. 
     
     
         8 . The compressor assembly of  claim 1  wherein the compressor means comprises first and second rotary inputs driven by the output of the gear means. 
     
     
         9 . The compressor assembly of  claim 8  further comprising first and second input shafts driven by the output of the gear means. 
     
     
         10 . The compressor assembly of  claim 9  wherein the first and second input shafts of the compressor means are substantially parallel. 
     
     
         11 . The compressor assembly of  claim 9  further comprising inter-engaging gears mounted on the first and second input shafts of the compressor. 
     
     
         12 . The compressor assembly of  claim 11  wherein the ratio of the inter-engaging gears on the first and second input shafts of the compressor means is greater than 1. 
     
     
         13 . The compressor assembly of  claim 1  wherein the compressor means comprises a helical screw compressor. 
     
     
         14 . A system having a flow path for fluid, the system comprising:
 pump means for pressurizing fluid for flowing along the flow path;   cooling means through which the flow path passes for dispersing heat from the flowing fluid;   a fluid-operated motor actuated by the pressurized fluid; and   a fan driven by the fluid-operated motor for generating an air current passing over the cooling means.   
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 14  wherein the fluid-operated motor is in the flow path of fluid. 
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 14 , further comprising a second fluid-operated motor actuated by the pressurized fluid. 
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 16  wherein the second fluid-operated motor is in the flow path of the pressurized fluid. 
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 16 , further comprising a second fan driven by the second fluid-operated motor. 
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 18  wherein the second fan is adapted to generate an air current passing over a cooling means. 
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 19  wherein the second motor is adapted to generate an air current passing over a cooling means for a flow of fluid. 
     
     
         21 . The system of  claim 20  wherein the second fan is adapted to generate an air current passing over a cooling means for a flow of fluid other than the fluid which operates the second fluid-operated motor. 
     
     
         22 . The system of  claim 21  wherein the flow of fluid comprises the output of the compressor. 
     
     
         23 . The system of  claim 22  wherein the output is from the compressor of which the flow path of pressurized fluid generated by the pump means forms part. 
     
     
         24 . The system of  claim 14  further comprising pressure relief valve means in the flow path.