Compressor device and compressor assembly comprising such a compressor device

Abstract

A compressor device including a compressor element which is at a fluid duct outlet provided with an adapter of acoustic impedance which includes an adapter inlet duct and an adapter outlet duct interconnected by means of an adapter intermediate duct part which encloses at least one expansion chamber. A maximum opening with an equivalent diameter of the adapter intermediate duct part is substantially larger than a minimum opening of the adapter inlet duct with an equivalent diameter.

1 - 18 . (canceled) 
     
     
         19 . A compressor device comprising:
 a compressor element for compressing a fluid, comprising a fluid duct for guiding the fluid through the compressor element from a fluid duct inlet to a fluid duct outlet,   wherein an adapter of acoustic impedance is provided at the fluid duct outlet comprising an adapter inlet duct and an adapter outlet duct which are interconnected by means of an adapter intermediate duct part which encloses at least one expansion chamber,   wherein an internal cross-sectional area of the adapter inlet duct forms a minimum opening with a certain minimum equivalent internal diameter and   wherein an internal cross-sectional area of the adapter intermediate duct part forms a maximum opening with a certain maximum equivalent internal diameter and   wherein the maximum equivalent internal diameter of the adapter intermediate duct part is substantially larger than the minimum equivalent internal diameter of the adapter inlet duct.   
     
     
         20 . The compressor device according to  claim 19 , wherein the compression of fluid in the compressor element results in a forward or downstream pressure pulsation wave in the compressed fluid and that the adapter modifies the acoustic impedance in such a way that the compressed or partly compressed fluid which is present in the compressor element is influenced and this in such a way that a reflection pressure pulsation wave coming from the adapter in a backward or upstream direction, influences or compensates at least partly the forward or downstream pressure pulsation wave, so that the pressure of the compressed fluid upstream of the adapter has an overall less pulsating character and/or shows a phase shift compared to a compressor device which has no such adapter of acoustic impedance. 
     
     
         21 . The compressor device according to  claim 19 , wherein the length of the adapter inlet duct between the compressor element and the adapter intermediate duct part is smaller than four times the minimum equivalent internal diameter of the adapter inlet duct. 
     
     
         22 . The compressor device according to  claim 19 , wherein the maximum equivalent internal diameter of the adapter intermediate duct part is larger than twice the minimum equivalent internal diameter of the adapter inlet duct. 
     
     
         23 . The compressor device according to  claim 22 , wherein an internal cross-sectional area forms an opening with an equivalent internal diameter which is at least twice the minimum equivalent internal diameter of the adapter inlet duct and that the ratio defined by the distance between this internal cross-sectional area of the adapter intermediate duct part and the far end of the adapter inlet duct divided by the double of the minimum equivalent internal diameter of the adapter inlet duct is less than 1. 
     
     
         24 . The compressor device according to  claim 19 , wherein the internal cross-sectional area or opening of the adapter intermediate duct part increases monotonically from the adapter inlet duct towards a maximum internal cross-sectional area or opening of the adapter intermediate duct part. 
     
     
         25 . The compressor device according to  claim 19 , wherein the internal cross-sectional area or opening of the adapter intermediate duct part decreases monotonically from a maximum internal cross-sectional area or opening of the adapter intermediate duct part towards the adapter outlet duct. 
     
     
         26 . The compressor device according to  claim 19 , wherein the adapter intermediate duct part encloses more than one expansion chamber. 
     
     
         27 . The compressor device according to  claim 19 , wherein the adapter inlet duct and/or the adapter outlet duct extend partly into the adapter intermediate duct part. 
     
     
         28 . The compressor device according to  claim 27 , wherein the part of the adapter inlet duct and/or the adapter outlet duct which extend(s) into the adapter intermediate duct part is perforated. 
     
     
         29 . The compressor device according to  claim 27 , wherein the adapter inlet duct and/or the adapter outlet duct extend(s) entirely through the adapter duct part for interconnecting the adapter inlet duct and the adapter outlet duct by means of an internal duct part and that the internal duct part is at least partly perforated 
     
     
         30 . The compressor device according to  claim 19 , wherein a damping material for attenuating gas pulsations, such as an acoustic foam, steel wool or the like is provided in an expansion chamber of the adapter intermediate duct part. 
     
     
         31 . The compressor device according to  claim 19 , wherein the adapter intermediate duct part has one or more of the following characteristics:
 the adapter intermediate duct part is executed as a quarter wavelength resonator;   the adapter intermediate duct part is executed as a Helmholtz resonator;   the adapter intermediate duct part comprises an expansion chamber with a mainly spherical shape, hemispherical shape, conical shape, cubical shape, prismatic shape, cylindrical shape, rectangular shape or box shape or which has an S-shaped cross-section;   the adapter intermediate duct part comprises a pair of expansion chambers which are spaced from one another by means of an intermediate spacer duct; and/or,   the adapter intermediate duct part comprises multiple expansion chambers which are positioned symmetrically with respect to or around the adapter inlet duct and/or the adapter outlet duct or with respect to a plane which is perpendicular to a direction in which the adapter inlet duct and/or the adapter outlet duct or to a direction in which the adapter intermediate duct part or an intermediate spacer duct extend(s).   
     
     
         32 . The compressor device according to  claim 19 , wherein the adapter inlet duct or the adapter outlet duct is provided with a flexible coupling or a flexible spacer ring. 
     
     
         33 . The compressor device according to  claim 19 , wherein the compressor element is a tooth compressor. 
     
     
         34 . The compressor device according to  claim 19 , wherein the compressor element is of a type with one or more of the following nominal operational conditions:
 it has a nominal flow rate which is in the range between 40 and 140 l/s; and/or,   it has a rotor with a nominal rotor speed range between 3000 and 9000 rpm.   
     
     
         35 . A compressor assembly for compressing a fluid, comprising a housing, a fluid duct for guiding the fluid through a compressor device from a fluid duct inlet to a fluid duct outlet, one or more compressor stages in the fluid duct, at least one of the compressor stages formed by a compressor device according to  claim 19 , wherein downstream in the fluid stream of each compressor stage a cooler for cooling compressed fluid is provided in the fluid duct. 
     
     
         36 . A compressor assembly for compressing a fluid, comprising a housing, a fluid duct for guiding the fluid through a compressor device from a fluid duct inlet to a fluid duct outlet,
 wherein the compressor assembly comprises a low-pressure stage and a high-pressure stage in the fluid duct,   wherein downstream of the low-pressure stage, an air-cooled intercooler is provided in the fluid duct and wherein downstream of the high-pressure stage an air-cooled aftercooler is provided in the fluid duct,   wherein the low-pressure stage and/or the high-pressure stage comprises a compressor element and adapter of acoustic impedance according to  claim 19 ,   wherein downstream in the fluid stream of each compressor stage a cooler for cooling compressed fluid is provided in the fluid duct.