Compressed-air system

Abstract

The invention relates to a compressed air system ( 10 ), in particular for the compressed air supply of at least one consumer with varying demand, having a plurality of compressed air compressors ( 12 ) connected in parallel, having a pressure boosting device ( 14 ) which is connected upstream of at least some of the compressed air compressors for the variable boosting of a preliminary pressure, and having a control and/or regulating device ( 18 ) which is set up for controlling and/or regulating the pressure boosting device in accordance with a desired pressure and/or actual pressure on the consumer side.

1 . A compressed air system ( 10 ), for supplying compressed air to at least one consumer with fluctuating demand, comprising:
 a plurality of compressed air compressors ( 12 ) connected in parallel;   a pressure-boosting apparatus ( 14 ) which is disposed upstream of at least some of the compressed air compressors ( 12 ) and configured to variably increase a pre-pressure; and   a control and/or regulating device ( 18 ) which is configured to control and/or regulate the pressure-boosting apparatus ( 14 ) based on a consumer-side setpoint pressure and/or consumer-side actual pressure.   
     
     
         2 . The compressed air system ( 10 ) according to  claim 1 , wherein the control and/or regulating device ( 18 ) is configured to control and/or regulate the pressure-boosting apparatus ( 14 ) to generate a variable pre-pressure based on a comparison between a consumer-side setpoint pressure and a consumer-side actual pressure and/or wherein the control and/or regulating device ( 18 ) is configured to control and/or regulate a consumer-side actual pressure by variably adjusting the pre-pressure of at least some or all of the compressed air compressors ( 12 ) by means of the pressure-boosting apparatus ( 14 ). 
     
     
         3 . (canceled) 
     
     
         4 . The compressed air system ( 10 ) according to  claim 1 , wherein the control and/or regulating device ( 18 ) is configured to control and/or regulate a consumer-side actual pressure so as to maintain a constant minimum pressure, by variably adjusting the pre-pressure for at least some or all of the compressed air compressors ( 12 ) by means of the pressure-boosting apparatus ( 14 ). 
     
     
         5 . (canceled) 
     
     
         6 . The compressed air system ( 10 ) according to  claim 1 , wherein the pressure-boosting apparatus ( 14 ) comprises at least one blower ( 22 ) configured to variably increase the pre-pressure for a plurality of or all of the compressed air compressors ( 12 ), and/or wherein the pressure-boosting apparatus ( 14 ) is regulated and/or controlled with respect to rotational speed. 
     
     
         7 . The compressed air system ( 10 ) according to  claim 1 , wherein the pressure-boosting apparatus ( 14 ) comprises a housing ( 30 ) disposed upstream of a plurality of or all of the compressed air compressors ( 12 ) and/or in which at least one blower ( 22 ) for compressing air is arranged, and/or wherein at least one intake filter ( 32 ) is disposed upstream of the pressure-boosting apparatus ( 14 ) for filtering an intake flow for a plurality of or all of the compressed air compressors ( 12 ). 
     
     
         8 . (canceled) 
     
     
         9 . (canceled) 
     
     
         10 . (canceled) 
     
     
         11 . The compressed air system ( 10 ) according to  claim 1 , wherein at least one pressure equalizing device ( 38 ) is connected in parallel with the pressure-boosting apparatus ( 14 ). 
     
     
         12 . The compressed air system ( 10 ) according to  claim 11 , wherein the pressure equalizing device ( 38 ) is disposed within a housing ( 30 ) of the pressure-boosting apparatus ( 14 ) and/or wherein the pressure equalizing device ( 38 ) and the pressure-boosting apparatus ( 14 ) are arranged at a common housing wall portion ( 40 ). 
     
     
         13 . The compressed air system ( 10 ) according to  claim 11 , wherein the pressure equalizing device ( 38 ) is configured to automatically open a pressure equalizing opening ( 42 ) and/or wherein the pressure equalizing device ( 38 ) comprises a vacuum relief flap ( 46 ) and a pressure equalizing opening ( 42 ) which is configured to be closed by the vacuum relief flap ( 46 ). 
     
     
         14 . The compressed air system ( 10 ) according to  claim 11 , wherein the pressure equalizing device ( 38 ) is configured to open a pressure equalizing opening ( 42 ) when a pre-pressure for at least one compressed air compressor ( 12 ) and/or for all compressed air compressors ( 12 ) falls below a minimum value and/or in the event of a failure or shutdown of the pressure-boosting apparatus ( 14 ). 
     
     
         15 . The compressed air system ( 10 ) according to  claim 1 , wherein a cooling device ( 48 ) for cooling a pre-compressed air flow is disposed downstream of the pressure-boosting apparatus ( 14 ) and/or wherein the cooling device ( 48 ) is disposed upstream of at least some of the compressed air compressors ( 12 ) and/or the cooling device ( 48 ) extends at least partially through a housing ( 30 ) for the pressure-boosting apparatus ( 14 ) and/or comprises a heat exchanger. 
     
     
         16 . (canceled) 
     
     
         17 . The compressed air system ( 10 ) according to  claim 1 , wherein a manifold ( 50 ) for distributing a pre-compressed air flow to the compressed air compressors ( 12 ) is disposed upstream of at least some or all of the compressed air compressors ( 12 ). 
     
     
         18 . The compressed air system ( 10 ) according to  claim 17 , wherein the manifold ( 50 ) is disposed downstream of a cooling device ( 48 ) for cooling a pre-compressed air flow and/or wherein the manifold ( 50 ) is disposed between the pressure-boosting apparatus ( 14 ) and the compressed air compressors ( 12 ) and/or between the cooling device ( 48 ) and the compressed air compressors ( 12 ). 
     
     
         19 . (canceled) 
     
     
         20 . The compressed air system ( 10 ) according to  claim 1 , wherein at least some or all of the compressed air compressors ( 12 ) are disposed downstream of a common blow-off valve ( 52 ) for reducing consumer-side pressure. 
     
     
         21 . The compressed air system ( 10 ) according to  claim 20 , wherein the common blow-off valve ( 52 ) is configured as a control valve and/or the common blow-off valve ( 52 ) is controlled and/or regulated by the control and/or regulating device ( 18 ); and/or
 wherein the control and/or regulating device ( 18 ) is configured to control and/or regulate the blow-off valve ( 52 ) based on a setpoint pressure and/or an actual pressure on the consumer side and/or to control and/or regulate a consumer-side actual pressure by means of the blow-off valve ( 52 ) so as to maintain a constant minimum pressure.   
     
     
         22 . (canceled) 
     
     
         23 . The compressed air system ( 10 ) according to  claim 20 , wherein the control and/or regulating device ( 18 ) is configured to switch at least one compressed air compressor ( 12 ) in response to an operating position of the blow-off valve ( 52 ) to switch the compressor ( 12 ) on or off, and/or to control and/or regulate the compressor ( 12 ); optionally wherein the control and/or regulating device is configured to switch at least one compressed air compresser in response to an operating position assumed by the blow-off value when crossing a predetermined limit value. 
     
     
         24 . (canceled) 
     
     
         25 . (canceled) 
     
     
         26 . (canceled) 
     
     
         27 . The compressed air system ( 10 ) according to  claim 20 , wherein at least one expansion turbine ( 54 ) is provided and/or is disposed downstream of the common blow-off valve ( 52 ) and/or wherein compressed air blown-off via the blow-off valve ( 52 ) can be supplied to an expansion turbine ( 54 ) and/or wherein at least one expansion turbine ( 54 ) is disposed upstream of the common blow-off valve ( 52 ) and/or wherein compressed air that is to be blown-off via the blow-off valve ( 52 ) can be supplied to an expansion turbine ( 54 ) prior to blow-off and/or the expansion turbine ( 54 ) is connected to a generator ( 56 ) for generating electrical power. 
     
     
         28 .- 31 . (canceled) 
     
     
         32 . The compressed air system ( 10 ) according to  claim 27 , wherein a supply valve ( 58 ) for the supply of compressed air to the expansion turbine ( 54 ) is disposed between the common blow-off valve ( 52 ) and the expansion turbine ( 54 ), and/or
 wherein at least some or all of the compressed air compressors ( 12 ) are provided with a downstream outlet valve ( 60 ) for discharging compressed air into the atmosphere; optionally wherein the outlet valve is disposed downstream of the common blow-off valve.   
     
     
         33 . (canceled) 
     
     
         34 . (canceled) 
     
     
         35 . The compressed air system ( 10 ) according to  claim 20 , wherein a buffer storage ( 62 ) is provided for storing compressed air and/or is disposed downstream of the common blow-off valve ( 52 ) and/or that compressed air blown off via the blow-off valve ( 52 ) can be supplied to a buffer storage ( 62 ). 
     
     
         36 . The compressed air system ( 10 ) according to  claim 35 , wherein a pneumatic pressure intensifier ( 64 ) for increasing the pressure of the compressed air blown into the buffer storage ( 62 ) is disposed upstream of the buffer storage ( 62 ) and/or downstream of the blow-off valve ( 52 ), and/or wherein an infeed valve ( 66 ) for supplying compressed air to the consumer side is disposed downstream of the buffer storage ( 62 ). 
     
     
         37 .- 40 . (canceled) 
     
     
         41 . The compressed air system ( 10 ) according to  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the compressed air compressors ( 12 ) is configured as a regulated compressed air compressor ( 12 ). 
     
     
         42 . The compressed air system ( 10 ) according to  claim 41 , wherein the control range of a regulated compressed air compressor ( 12 ) is greater than the delivery capacity of a fixed compressor. 
     
     
         43 . The compressed air system ( 10 ) according to  claim 41 , wherein the control and/or regulating device ( 18 ) is configured to switch on or off, at least one compressed air compressor ( 12 ) configured as a fixed compressor based on a rotational speed and/or an operating state of a regulated compressed air compressor ( 12 ). 
     
     
         44 .- 60 . (canceled)