Reciprocating compressor and manufacturing method

Abstract

A manufacturing method for manufacturing a cylinder for a reciprocating compressor is disclosed. The method comprises the step of manufacturing a compressor barrel comprising a cylinder chamber, a first suction valve seat, fluidly coupled to the cylinder chamber through a respective first gas suction port; and a first delivery valve seat, fluidly coupled to the cylinder chamber through a respective first gas delivery port. The method further comprises the step of manufacturing a gas inlet plenum and further manufacturing a gas discharge plenum, separately from the compressor barrel.

What we claim is: 
     
         1 . A manufacturing method for manufacturing a cylinder for a reciprocating compressor; said method comprising the following steps:
 manufacturing a compressor barrel comprising a cylinder chamber, a first suction valve seat, fluidly coupled to the cylinder chamber through a respective first gas suction port; and a first delivery valve seat, fluidly coupled to the cylinder chamber through a respective first gas delivery port;   manufacturing a gas inlet plenum and further manufacturing a gas discharge plenum, separately from the compressor barrel.   
     
     
         2 . The manufacturing method of  claim 1 , further comprising the steps of: mounting a first suction valve in said first suction valve seat; mounting a first delivery valve in said first delivery valve seat; and mounting the gas inlet plenum and the gas discharge plenum on the compressor barrel and in fluid communication with the first suction valve seat and the first delivery valve seat, respectively. 
     
     
         3 . The manufacturing method of  claim 1 , wherein the step of manufacturing the gas inlet plenum comprises the step of manufacturing the gas inlet plenum by additive manufacturing. 
     
     
         4 . The manufacturing method of  claim 1 , wherein the step of manufacturing the gas discharge plenum comprises the step of manufacturing the gas discharge plenum by additive manufacturing. 
     
     
         5 . The manufacturing method of  claim 1 , wherein the compressor barrel comprises: a second suction valve seat, fluidly coupled to the cylinder chamber through a second gas suction port, and a second delivery valve seat, fluidly coupled to the cylinder chamber through a respective second gas delivery port; wherein the gas inlet plenum is configured to provide fluid communication with the first suction valve seat and the second suction valve seat; wherein the gas discharge plenum is configured to provide fluid communication with the first delivery valve seat and the second delivery valve seat; wherein the first suction valve seat and the first delivery valve seat are arranged proximate to a head end of the cylinder chamber; and wherein the second suction valve seat and the second delivery valve seat are arranged proximate to a crank shaft end of the cylinder chamber. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , further comprising the steps of: mounting a respective suction valve in the first suction valve seat and in the second suction valve seat; mounting a respective delivery valve in the first delivery valve seat and in the second delivery valve seat; mounting the gas inlet plenum on the compressor barrel and in fluid communication with the first suction valve seat and the second suction valve seat; mounting the gas discharge plenum on the compressor barrel and in fluid communication with the first delivery valve seat, and second delivery valve seat. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the compressor barrel is provided with cooling ducts extending substantially parallel to an axial extension of said compressor barrel. 
     
     
         8 . A manufacturing method for manufacturing a cylinder for a reciprocating compressor; said method comprising the following steps:
 mounting a first suction valve in a first suction valve seat provided in a compressor barrel and fluidly coupled through a first gas suction port to a cylinder chamber arranged in the compressor barrel;   mounting a first delivery valve in a first delivery valve seat provided in the compressor barrel and fluidly coupled to the cylinder chamber through a first gas delivery port;   mounting a gas inlet plenum on the compressor barrel and in fluid communication with the first suction valve seat;   mounting a gas discharge plenum on the compressor barrel and in fluid communication with the first delivery valve seat.   
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , further comprising the following steps:
 mounting a second suction valve in a second suction valve seat provided in the compressor barrel and fluidly coupled through a second gas suction port to the cylinder chamber;   mounting a second delivery valve in a second delivery valve seat provided in the compressor barrel and fluidly coupled to the cylinder chamber through a second gas delivery port;   mounting the gas inlet plenum in fluid communication with second suction valve seat, and mounting the gas discharge plenum in fluid communication with the second delivery valve seat;   wherein a piston is arranged in the cylinder chamber, the piston dividing the cylinder chamber in a head-end chamber and a crank-end chamber, respectively; and wherein the first suction valve and the first delivery valve are in fluid communication with the head-end chamber, and the second suction valve and the second delivery valve are in fluid communication with the crank-end chamber.   
     
     
         10 . A reciprocating compressor comprising:
 a compressor barrel with a cylinder chamber therein;   a piston, adapted for reciprocatingly sliding in the cylinder chamber;   a first suction valve fluidly coupled to the cylinder chamber;   a first delivery valve fluidly coupled to the cylinder chamber;   a gas inlet plenum fluidly coupled to the first suction valve;   a gas discharge plenum fluidly coupled to the first delivery valve;   
       wherein the gas inlet plenum and the gas discharge plenum are mechanically connected to the compressor barrel and external thereto. 
     
     
         11 . The reciprocating compressor of  claim 10 , wherein at least one, and preferably both of the gas inlet plenum and the gas discharge plenum are formed by additive manufacturing. 
     
     
         12 . The reciprocating compressor of  claim 10 , wherein the first suction valve is arranged in a first suction valve seat provided in the compressor barrel and in fluid communication with the cylinder chamber through a first gas suction port; and wherein the first delivery valve is arranged in a first delivery valve seat provided in the compressor barrel and in fluid communication with the cylinder chamber through a first gas delivery port. 
     
     
         13 . The reciprocating compressor of  claim 10 , wherein: the piston divides the cylinder chamber in a head-end chamber and a crank-end chamber; the first suction valve and the first delivery valve are fluidly coupled to the head-end chamber; a second suction valve and a second delivery valve are fluidly coupled to the crank-end chamber; the gas inlet plenum is fluidly coupled to the first suction valve and to the second suction valve; and the gas discharge plenum is fluidly coupled to the first delivery valve and to the second delivery valve. 
     
     
         14 . The reciprocating compressor of  claim 13 , wherein the second suction valve is arranged in a second suction valve seat provided in the compressor barrel and in fluid communication with the cylinder chamber through a second gas suction port; and wherein the second delivery valve is arranged in a second delivery valve seat provided in the compressor barrel and in fluid communication with the cylinder chamber through a second gas delivery port. 
     
     
         15 . The reciprocating compressor of  claim 10 , wherein the compressor barrel comprises a plurality of cooling ducts, extending in a longitudinal direction substantially parallel to the direction of movement of the piston in the cylinder chamber.