Compressor

Abstract

Provided is a compressor for use in a gas well which produces natural gas, wherein the compressor controls the operating state of an impeller to suppress a reduction in the efficiency and the range of operation when liquid contamination occurs. In a compressor used in a natural gas well, contamination of the impeller of the compressor with a liquid component gives rise to a reduction in the compressor efficiency and the range of operation of the compressor. In order to enable a compressor which runs in an operating environment that is contaminated with a liquid component to operate without causing a reduction in the efficiency of the impeller or a reduction in the range of operation, the present invention provides a method of controlling the operating state of the impeller when liquid contamination occurs.

1 . A compressor comprising:
 a rotation shaft;   a motor configured to drive the rotation shaft;   an inverter configured to supply electric power to the motor;   arithmetic operation means for controlling the inverter; and   an impeller attached to the rotation shaft,   wherein at least information regarding shaft power detected from the motor is used to control a rotating state of the impeller such that adhesion of liquid droplets to blades of the impeller is suppressed.   
     
     
         2 . The compressor according to  claim 1 , wherein the arithmetic operation means performs control such that a rotation speed of the motor is temporarily raised via the inverter in a case in which it is determined that a liquid film has been formed. 
     
     
         3 . A compressor comprising:
 a rotation shaft;   a motor configured to drive the rotation shaft;   an inverter configured to supply electric power to the motor;   arithmetic operation means for controlling the inverter;   an impeller attached to the rotation shaft; and   a sensor disposed on an upstream side of the impeller,   wherein at least information regarding a flowing speed of a liquid from the sensor is used to control a rotating state of the impeller such that adhesion of liquid droplets to blades of the impeller is suppressed.   
     
     
         4 . The compressor according to  claim 3 , wherein information regarding liquid droplet diameters is used with at least the information regarding the flowing speed of the liquid from the sensor to control the rotating state of the impeller such that adhesion of the liquid droplets to the blades of the impeller is suppressed. 
     
     
         5 . The compressor according to  claim 3 , further comprising:
 storage means, wherein   the storage means includes a database for determining a state in which formation of a liquid film is determined.