Multistage compressor

Abstract

The invention relates to a multistage compressor for providing high-pressure gas in filling stations, said compressor consisting of a high-pressure compressor and a multistage booster compressor (W). Both compressors comprise membrane pump chambers which are controlled by camshafts. The booster compressor (VV) can contain a plurality of stages (S 1 , S 2 , S 3 ), the chambers in each stage forming groups (G 1 , G 2 , G 3 ) of chambers. The chambers of a group are synchronously operated in phase. The chambers of two successive stages are operated in opposition of phase. The number of chambers in a group is approximately the same as the pressure ratio π, so that the size of the chambers can be standardised.

1 . A multistage compressor comprising a high-pressure compressor (HD) having at least one periodically driven membrane pump chamber (HD 1 ),
 characterized in that a booster compressor (VV) is provided upstream of the high-pressure compressor (HD), said booster compressor having at least one booster compressor stage (S 1 -S 3 ), each booster compressor stage comprising a plurality of chambers ( 11 - 14 ) combined into at least one group (G 1 -G 4 ), and   that the chambers of a group are driven together and synchronously.   
   
   
       2 . The multistage compressor of  claim 1 , characterized in that the number (n) of the chambers in a group (G 1 -G 4 ) of the booster compressor (VV) is substantially equal to the compression ratio (π) of this stage. 
   
   
       3 . The multistage compressor of  claim 1 , characterized in that the booster compressor (VV) includes at least two booster compressor stages (S 1 -S 3 ), each chamber of the second booster compressor stage (S 2 ) being fed by a group (G 1 -G 4 ) of chambers of the first booster compressor stage (S 1 ). 
   
   
       4 . The multistage compressor of  claim 3 , characterized in that a third booster compressor stage (S 3 ), where each chamber is fed by a group of chambers of the second booster compressor stage (S 2 ). 
   
   
       5 . The multistage compressor of  claim 1 , characterized in that the chambers are operated by one or a plurality of synchronized camshafts ( 52 ), and that, according two the two-stroke method, an intake and a compression of the gas is performed in the chambers ( 53 ) during one half of a rotation of a camshaft between 0° and 180°, which is completed at an upper dead centre at a cam angle of 90° and which is followed by an expulsion of the gas into the next stage up to a camshaft angle of 180°. 
   
   
       6 . The multiple compressor of  claim 1 , characterized in that, with several chambers existing in a stage of the booster compressor (VV), the compression of the gas is performed synchronized in time and, when the compression is completed, the gas is delivered to two or more chambers of the following stage of the booster compressor also synchronized in time. 
   
   
       7 . The multistage compressor of  claim 1  characterized in that the gas leaving two or more chambers of the last stage of the booster compressor is introduced into the first stage of a high-pressure compressor (HD) at the end of the compression stroke. 
   
   
       8 . A multistage compressor of  claim 1 , characterized in that the dimensions of the membrane chambers ( 53 ) of the booster compressor (VV) are configured such that membranes ( 52 ) of equal diameter may be used for different structural sizes of a membrane compressor that cover a range of the multiple pressure increase and gas delivery. 
   
   
       9 . The multistage compressor of  claim 1 , characterized in that the mass moment of inertia caused by the gas forces is balanced in an even number of stages of the booster device (VV). 
   
   
       10 . The multistage compressor of  claim 1 , characterized in that, with an odd number of stages of the booster compressor (VV), the mass moment of inertia, which is caused by the gas forces in a stage and is not balanced, is balanced by a circumferential counter weight at the camshaft.