Abstract: A horizontal piston compressor is disclosed, including a frame with a cylinder, and a piston reciprocably received in the cylinder. The has piston h an inner chamber and first and second end walls. The piston and the cylinder form a compression chamber for compressing the gas. A valve and an orifice are disposed in the first end wall, and are configured to supply gas from the compression chamber to the inner chamber during a compression stroke of the piston. A gas bearing supports the piston relative to the frame. The gas bearing includes an opening for supplying gas from the inner chamber to a space between the piston and the cylinder such that the gas supplied to the space exerts an upward pressure on the piston. The valve may be a spring-loaded valve, and the orifice may be an orifice insert positioned between the valve and the compression chamber.

Abstract: A connecting rod (24) has a modified end adapted to ensure that a lubricant film of sufficient thickness exists in an end bearing thereof when the connecting rod is placed in both tension and compression. The connecting rod includes an elongated body portion or shaft (40), a big end (42) defining a first coupling bore (44) at a first longitudinal end of the body portion (40), and a small end (46) defining a second coupling bore (48) at a second longitudinal end of the body portion (40). The small end (46) and the big end (42) each have a proximal side (50,52) nearest the shaft (40) and a distal side (54,56) furthest from the shaft (40). An opening (100) is formed in the shaft (40) adjacent the proximal side (52) for adjusting a stiffness of the proximal side (52).

Abstract: A seal arrangement for use in a reciprocating piston compressor includes first and second seal rings engaged along respective side surfaces, and first and second cover rings disposed around the first and second seal rings such that the outside diameters of the first and second seal rings engage the inside diameters of the first and second cover rings, respectively. A support ring is engaged with the first seal ring and the first cover ring. A backup ring is engaged with the second seal ring and the second cover ring. In some embodiments, the first seal ring has a width that is smaller than a width of the second seal ring. In other embodiments the second seal ring has a circumferential groove formed on an inside surface thereof, the groove disposed directly adjacent the first seal ring. In further embodiments, the seal rings are formed of PEEK with a nano-material additive.

Abstract: A seal arrangement for use in a reciprocating piston compressor includes first and second seal rings (44,46) engaged along respective side surfaces, and first and second cover rings (40,42) disposed around the first and second seal rings (44,46) such that the outside diameters (OD5,OD6) of the first and second seal rings (44,46) engage the inside diameters (ID3,ID4) of the first and second cover rings (40,42), respectively. A support ring (36) is engaged with the first seal ring (44) and the first cover ring (40). A backup ring (38) is engaged with the second seal ring (46) and the second cover ring (42). In some embodiments, the first seal ring (44) has a width (W5) that is smaller than a width (W6) of the second seal ring (46). In other embodiments the second seal ring (146) has a circumferential groove (149) formed on an inside surface thereof, the groove (149) disposed directly adjacent the first seal ring (144).