Modular pressure pulsation dampener
A modular system of pressure pulsation dampeners for use in an air compressor system. A modular pulsation dampener system will include components of various configurations, materials and silencing characteristics. Components may be selected and interconnected to form a silencer having desired physical and pressure pulsation characteristics. The modular system can be utilized with compressed air systems having various configurations. Examples of components that may be included in a modular system include a pipe elbow, straight pipe sections, a flat metal plate with a hole in the center, a perforated tube and various acoustic materials.
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The present invention relates to a pressure pulsation damper for use in an air compressor system. More particularly, the present invention relates to a modular system of pressure pulsation dampers and their components.
A pulsation dampener reduces the mechanical vibrations in the downstream piping system caused by the pressure pulsations originating from the outlet of the compressor. Pulsation dampers also reduce the noise heard from the compressor by reducing the pressure pulsations inside the piping system. Most pulsation dampers are designed for a specific compressor application. Each pulsation damper is custom design tuned for a specific frequency range and space requirement inside the compressor package. With the current number of compressor designs, redesigns and new designs, the number and variation of compressor pulsation dampers continues to increase.
SUMMARYThe present invention provides a solution to pressure pulsations that frequently exists in compressed air piping systems by providing a modular system of pulsation dampeners that can be tuned for various compressed air systems. A compressed air system generally includes the piping and interconnecting components located between a compressor airend to the point of use of the compressed air. The modular pressure pulsation dampener includes components of various configurations, materials and silencing characteristics. Components may be selected and interconnected to form a pulsation dampener having desired physical and acoustical characteristics. The modular system can be utilized with air compressors of different sizes and configurations. Examples of components that may be included in a modular system include a pipe elbow, straight pipe sections, a flat metal plate with a hole in the center, a perforated tube and various acoustic materials.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG.3 is a side elevation view of a reducing plate for use with the present invention.
The present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawing figures wherein like numbers represent like elements throughout. Certain terminology, for example, “top”, “bottom”, “right”, “left”, “front”, “frontward”, “forward”, “back”, “rear” and “rearward”, is used in the following description for relative descriptive clarity only and is not intended to be limiting.
Referring to
FIG.2 shows a 90 degree elbow section of pipe 20. The pipe 20 has a hollow cylindrical body 22 that is bent at 90 degrees. The pipe 20 may be made with other bends, for example, a 45 degree bend or a 180 degree bend. A through passage 24 extends through the pipe 20. Radial flanges 26 and 28 are provided on each end of the pipe body 22 for connection of the pipe 20 to other components of the system.
The straight pipe 10, bent pipe 20, reducing plate 30 and the perforated tubes 40 provide basic components to the modular pressure pulsation dampener system of the present invention. The components can be combined to form numerous other pulsation dampener components. For example,
Various methods may be utilized to suspend the perforated tubes 40 within the pipe sections 10, 20. For example,
In addition to the basic components described above, additional acoustic materials may be utilized with the basic components to achieve various acoustical effects. For example,
Referring to
The various components 10, 20, 30, 40, 50, 60 can be combined in any number of ways to provide versatile solutions to pressure pulsations that exist in the piping system of compressed air systems. The designs can be modified to accommodate various physical restraints. For example, differing numbers of components can be utilized to achieve different assemblies with different inlet and outlet spacing requirements. Additionally, the differing acoustical members can provide a wide range of silencing options. For example, it is possible to field analyze an existing compressed air system to determine its pressure pulsation and acoustical needs. Once the needs are determined, the necessary components 10, 20, 30, 40, 50, 60 can then be selected to meet those acoustical needs.
Claims
1. A modular pulsation damper system comprising:
- a selection of fluidly interconnectable components including at least two components having different physical characteristics and two components having different pulsation dampening characteristics; and
- means for interconnecting at least two of the components to define a pulsation damper assembly having a desired physical configuration and pulsation dampening characteristic.
2. The modular pulsation damper system of claim 1 wherein the fluidly interconnectable components are selected from the group comprising a pipe elbow, a straight pipe section, a flat metal plate with a hole in the center, a perforated tube and a venturi tube.
3. The modular pulsation damper system of claim 1 further comprising a selection of various acoustic materials.
4. The modular pulsation damper system of claim 3 wherein the various acoustic materials are positionable within or adjacent to the fluidly interconnectable components.
5. The modular pulsation damper system of claim 3 wherein the various acoustic materials includes a cylinder of corrugated absorptive sheet metal.
6. The modular pulsation damper system of claim 3 wherein the various acoustic materials includes a batting of absorptive metal fiber.
7. The modular pulsation damper system of claim 1 wherein the selection of fluidly interconnectable components includes a subassembly comprising a perforated tube positioned within a pipe elbow or a straight pipe section.
8. A method of providing a pulsation damper assembly comprising the steps of:
- providing a selection of fluidly interconnectable components including at least two components having different physical and pressure pulsation dampening characteristics;
- determining a desired physical configuration of the pressure pulsation assembly;
- determining a desired fluctuating pressure pulsation attenuation characteristic of the pulsation assembly; and
- selecting and interconnecting at least two of the components to define a pressure pulsation assembly having the desired physical configuration and pulsation attenuation characteristic.
9. The method of claim 8 wherein the fluidly interconnectable components are selected from the group comprising a pipe elbow, a straight pipe section, a flat metal plate with a hole in the center, a perforated tube and a venturi tube.
10. The method of claim 8 further comprising the step of providing a selection of various acoustic materials.
11. The method of claim 10 wherein the various acoustic materials are positionable within or adjacent to the fluidly interconnectable components.
12. The method of claim 10 wherein the various acoustic materials includes a cylinder of corrugated absorptive sheet metal.
13. The method of claim 10 wherein the various acoustic materials includes a batting of absorptive metal fiber.
14. The method of claim 8 further comprising the step of providing a subassembly comprising a perforated tube positioned within a pipe elbow or a straight pipe section.
Type: Application
Filed: Dec 10, 2004
Publication Date: Jun 15, 2006
Applicant: Ingersoll-Rand Company (Montvale, NJ)
Inventors: Michael Lucas (Mooresville, NC), Robert Rodgers (Mooresville, NC)
Application Number: 11/008,915
International Classification: F01N 1/24 (20060101);