Systems and methods for compressing air

Abstract

A system for compressing air includes: a variable speed driver having a drive shaft; at least one pre-main air compressor having at least one stage and adapted to receive and compress a flow of ambient or other air and to be driven by the drive shaft of the variable speed driver; at least one main air compressor having at least one stage on a first pinion shaft and adapted to receive and further compress a flow of compressed air transmitted from the at least one pre-main air compressor; at least one booster air compressor having at least one stage on a second pinion shaft and adapted to receive and further compress a flow of further compressed air transmitted from the at least one main air compressor; and another driver adapted to drive at least one of the first pinion shaft and the second pinion shaft through at least one transmission.

1 . A system for compressing air, comprising:
 a variable speed driver having at least one drive shaft;   at least one pre-main air compressor having at least one stage and adapted to receive and compress a flow of ambient air or other air and to be driven by the at least one drive shaft of the variable speed driver;   at least one main air compressor having at least one stage on a first pinion shaft and adapted to receive and further compress at least a portion of a flow of compressed air transmitted from the at least one pre-main air compressor;   at least one booster air compressor having at least one stage on a second pinion shaft and adapted to receive and further compress at least a portion of a flow of further compressed air transmitted from the at least one main air compressor; and   at least one other driver adapted to drive at least one of the first pinion shaft and the second pinion shaft directly or indirectly through at least one transmission.   
     
     
         2 . A system as in  claim 1 , wherein:
 a first drive shaft of the variable speed driver drives a first pre-main air compressor at a variable speed, and   a second drive shaft of the variable speed driver drives a second pre-main air compressor at the variable speed.   
     
     
         3 . A system as in  claim 2 , wherein at least one of the first pre-main air compressor and the second pre-main air compressor is a centrifugal air compressor. 
     
     
         4 . A system as in  claim 1 , wherein:
 a first stage of the at least one main air compressor on the first pinion shaft is adapted to receive and further compress the at least a portion of the flow of compressed air transmitted from the at least one pre-main air compressor at a pre-defined discharge pressure, and   a second stage of the at least one main air compressor on the first pinion shaft is adapted to receive and further compress at least a portion of a flow of further compressed air transmitted from the first stage of the at least one main air compressor.   
     
     
         5 . A system as in  claim 1 , wherein:
 a first stage of the at least one booster air compressor on the second pinion shaft is adapted to receive and further compress the at least a portion of the flow of further compressed air transmitted from the at least one main air compressor, and   a second stage of the at least one booster air compressor on the second pinion shaft is adapted to receive and further compress at least a portion of a flow of further compressed air transmitted from the first stage of the at least one booster air compressor.   
     
     
         6 . A system as in  claim 1 , further comprising:
 at least one supplementary booster air compressor having at least one stage on a third pinion shaft and adapted to receive and further compress at least a portion of a flow of further compressed air transmitted from the at least one booster air compressor,   wherein the at least one other driver or another driver is adapted to drive at least one of another drive shaft, the first pinion shaft, the second pinion shaft, and the third pinion shaft directly or indirectly through the at least one transmission or another transmission.   
     
     
         7 . A system as in  claim 6 , wherein:
 a first stage of the at least one supplementary booster air compressor on the third pinion shaft is adapted to receive and further compress at least a portion of the flow of further compressed air transmitted from a second stage of the at least one booster air compressor, and   a second stage of the at least one supplementary booster air compressor on the third pinion shaft is adapted to receive and further compress at least a portion of a flow of further compressed air transmitted from the first stage of the at least one supplementary booster air compressor.   
     
     
         8 . A system as in  claim 1 , wherein the at least one transmission comprises at least one bull gear. 
     
     
         9 . A system as in  claim 1 , further comprising:
 at least one cooler, each cooler adapted to cool at least one of at least a portion of the flow of compressed air transmitted from the at least one pre-main air compressor, at least a portion of the flow of further compressed air transmitted from the at least one main air compressor, and at least a portion of a flow of further compressed air transmitted from the at least one booster air compressor.   
     
     
         10 . A system for compressing air, comprising:
 a variable speed driver having a first drive shaft and a second drive shaft;   a first pre-main centrifugal air compressor having at least one stage and adapted to receive and compress a first flow of ambient air and to be driven at a first variable speed by the first drive shaft of the variable speed driver;   a second pre-main centrifugal air compressor having at least one stage and adapted to receive and compress a second flow of ambient air and to be driven at the first variable speed by the second drive shaft of the variable speed driver;   a manifold adapted to receive and combine at least a portion of a first flow of compressed air from the first pre-main centrifugal air compressor and at least a portion of a second flow of compressed air from the second pre-main centrifugal air compressor;   a main air compressor having
 a first stage on a first pinion shaft and adapted to receive and further compress at least a portion of a flow of compressed air transmitted from the manifold at a pre-defined discharge pressure; and 
 a second stage on the first pinion shaft and adapted to receive and further compress at least a portion of a flow of further compressed air transmitted from the first stage of the main air compressor; 
   a booster air compressor having
 a first stage on a second pinion shaft and adapted to receive and further compress at least a portion of a flow of further compressed air transmitted from the main air compressor, and 
 a second stage on a second pinion shaft and adapted to receive and further compress at least a portion of a flow of further compressed air transmitted from the first stage of the booster air compressor; 
   a supplementary booster air compressor having
 a first stage on a third pinion shaft adapted to receive and further compress at least a portion of a flow of further compressed air transmitted from the second stage of the booster air compressor, and 
 a second stage on the third pinion shaft adapted to receive and further compress at least a portion of a flow of further compressed air transmitted from the first stage of the supplementary booster air compressor; 
 one other driver adapted to drive at least one of another drive shaft, the first pinion shaft, the second pinion shaft, and the third pinion shaft directly or indirectly through at least one of a bull gear and an other transmission; and 
   at least one cooler, each cooler adapted to cool at least one of at least a portion of the first and second flows of compressed air transmitted from the first and second pre-main centrifugal air compressors, at least a portion of each flow of further compressed air transmitted from each stage of the main air compressor, at least a portion of each flow of further compressed air transmitted from each stage of the booster air compressor, and at least a portion of each flow of further compressed air transmitted from each stage of the supplementary booster air compressor.   
     
     
         11 . A method for compressing air, comprising the steps of:
 transmitting a flow of ambient air or other air to at least one pre-main air compressor having at least one stage;   driving the at least one pre-main air compressor with a variable speed driver having at least one drive shaft;   compressing the flow of ambient air or other air in the at least one pre-main air compressor, thereby producing a flow of compressed air from the at least one pre-main air compressor;   transmitting at least a portion of the flow of compressed air from the at least one pre-main air compressor to at least one main air compressor having at least one stage on a first pinion shaft;   compressing further the at least a portion of the flow of compressed air in the at least one main air compressor, thereby producing a flow of further compressed air from the at least one main air compressor;   transmitting at least a portion of the flow of further compressed air from the at least one main air compressor to at least one booster air compressor having at least one stage on a second pinion shaft;   compressing further the at least a portion of the flow of further compressed air in the at least one booster air compressor, thereby producing a flow of further compressed air from the at least one booster air compressor; and   driving at least one of the first pinion shaft and the second pinion shaft with at least one other driver directly or indirectly through at least one transmission.   
     
     
         12 . A method as in  claim 11 , wherein:
 a first drive shaft of the variable speed driver drives a first pre-main air compressor at a variable speed, and   a second drive shaft of the variable speed driver drives a second pre-main air compressor at the variable speed.   
     
     
         13 . A method as in  claim 12 , wherein at least one of the first pre-main air compressor and the second pre-main air compressor is a centrifugal air compressor. 
     
     
         14 . A method as in  claim 11 , wherein:
 a first stage of the at least one main air compressor on the first pinion shaft receives and further compresses the at least a portion of the flow of compressed air transmitted from the at least one pre-main air compressor at a pre-defined discharge pressure, and   a second stage of the at least one main air compressor on the first pinion shaft receives and further compresses at least a portion of a flow of further compressed air transmitted from the first stage of the at least one main air compressor.   
     
     
         15 . A method as in  claim 11 , wherein:
 a first stage of the at least one booster air compressor on the second pinion shaft receives and further compresses the at least a portion of the flow of further compressed air transmitted from the at least one main air compressor, and   a second stage of the at least one booster air compressor on the second pinion shaft receives and further compresses at least a portion of a flow of further compressed air transmitted from the first stage of the at least one booster air compressor.   
     
     
         16 . A method as in  claim 11 , comprising the further steps of:
 transmitting at least a portion of the flow of further compressed air from the at least one booster air compressor to at least one supplementary booster air compressor having at least one stage on a third pinion shaft;   driving with the at least one other driver or another driver at least one of another drive shaft, the first pinion shaft, the second pinion shaft, and the third pinion shaft directly or indirectly through the at least one transmission or another transmission; and   compressing further the at least a portion of the flow of further compressed air from the at least one booster air compressor, thereby producing a flow of further compressed air from the supplementary booster air compressor.   
     
     
         17 . A method as in  claim 16 , wherein:
 a first stage of the at least one supplementary booster air compressor on the third pinion shaft receives and further compresses at least a portion of the flow of further compressed air transmitted from a second stage of the at least one booster air compressor, and   a second stage of the at least one supplementary booster air compressor on the third pinion shaft receives and further compresses at least a portion of a flow of further compressed air transmitted from the first stage of the at least one supplementary booster air compressor.   
     
     
         18 . A method as in  claim 11 , wherein the at least one transmission comprises at least one bull gear. 
     
     
         19 . A method as in  claim 11 , comprising the further step of:
 cooling with at least one cooler at least one of at least a portion of the flow of compressed air transmitted from the at least one pre-main air compressor, at least a portion of the flow of further compressed air transmitted from the at least one main air compressor, and at least a portion of a flow of further compressed air transmitted from the at least one booster air compressor.   
     
     
         20 . A method for compressing air, comprising the steps of:
 transmitting a first flow of ambient air to a first pre-main centrifugal air compressor having at least one stage;   driving the first pre-main centrifugal air compressor at a first variable speed with a first drive shaft of a variable speed driver;   transmitting a second flow of ambient air to a second pre-main centrifugal air compressor having at least one stage;   driving the second pre-main centrifugal air compressor at the first variable speed with a second drive shaft of the variable speed driver;   compressing the first flow of ambient air in the first pre-main centrifugal air compressor, thereby producing a first flow of compressed air at a pre-defined discharge pressure;   compressing the second flow of ambient air in the second pre-main centrifugal air compressor, thereby producing a second flow of compressed air at the pre-defined discharge pressure;   combining in a manifold at least a portion of the first flow of compressed air from the first pre-main centrifugal air compressor and at least a portion of the second flow of compressed air from the second pre-main centrifugal air compressor;   transmitting a flow of compressed air from the manifold to a main air compressor having a first stage on a first pinion shaft and a second stage on the first pinion shaft;   compressing further in the first stage of the main air compressor at least a portion of the flow of compressed air transmitted from the manifold;   compressing further in the second stage of the main air compressor at least a portion of a flow of further compressed air transmitted from the first stage of the main air compressor;   transmitting a flow of further compressed air from the main air compressor to a booster air compressor having a first stage on a second pinion shaft and a second stage on the second pinion shaft;   compressing further in the first stage of the booster air compressor at least a portion of the flow of further compressed air from the main air compressor;   compressing further in the second stage of the booster air compressor at least a portion of a flow of further compressed air transmitted from the first stage of the booster air compressor;   transmitting a flow of further compressed air from the booster air compressor to a supplementary booster air compressor having a first stage on a third pinion shaft and a second stage on the third pinion shaft;   compressing further in the first stage of the supplementary booster air compressor at least a portion of the flow of further compressed air from the booster air compressor;   compressing further in the second stage of the supplementary booster air compressor at least a portion of a flow of further compressed air transmitted from the first stage of the supplementary booster air compressor, thereby producing a flow of further compressed air from the supplementary booster air compressor;   driving at least one of another drive shaft, the first pinion shaft, the second pinion shaft, and the third pinion shaft with at least one other driver directly or indirectly through at least one of a bull gear and an other transmission; and   cooling with at least one cooler at least one of at least a portion of the first and second flows of compressed air transmitted from the first and second pre-main centrifugal air compressors, at least a portion of each flow of further compressed air transmitted from each stage of the main air compressor, at least a portion of each flow of further compressed air transmitted from each stage of the booster air compressor, and at least a portion of each flow of further compressed air transmitted from each stage of the supplementary booster air compressor.