Moveable inlet guide vanes

Abstract

An inlet guide vane assembly for a compressor is provided. The inlet guide vane assembly may include a hub configured to be disposed in an inlet of the compressor, and an inlet guide vane extending from the hub. The inlet guide vane may include a stationary section configured to be coupled with the inlet and a mobile section disposed adjacent the stationary section. The mobile section may include a rod configured to extend through an opening formed in the inlet. The inlet guide vane assembly may also include at least one biasing member disposed about the rod and configured to exert a biasing force on the mobile section to urge the mobile section radially outward.

We claim: 
     
         1 . An inlet guide vane assembly for a compressor, comprising:
 a hub configured to be disposed in an inlet of the compressor;   an inlet guide vane extending from the hub and comprising:
 a stationary section configured to be coupled with the inlet; and 
 a mobile section disposed adjacent the stationary section and comprising 
   a rod configured to extend through an opening formed in the inlet; and   at least one biasing member disposed about the rod and configured to exert a biasing force on the mobile section to urge the mobile section radially outward.   
     
     
         2 . The inlet guide vane assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the mobile section is configured to rotate about an axis of the rod to vary one or more fluid properties of a process fluid flowing through the inlet of the compressor. 
     
     
         3 . The inlet guide vane assembly of  claim 2 , further comprising at least one bearing disposed about the rod and configured to facilitate the rotation of the mobile section about the axis. 
     
     
         4 . The inlet guide vane assembly of  claim 3 , wherein the at least one bearing is a flanged bearing, and the biasing member is further disposed between the flanged bearing and a rotatable member coupled with the rod. 
     
     
         5 . The inlet guide vane assembly of  claim 3 , further comprising a spacer disposed adjacent the at least one biasing member and configured to facilitate the alignment of the at least one biasing member. 
     
     
         6 . The inlet guide vane assembly of  claim 4 , further comprising an actuating member operably coupled with the rotatable member, the actuating member configured to rotate about the inlet to actuate the rotatable member and the mobile section coupled therewith. 
     
     
         7 . The inlet guide vane assembly of  claim 6 , further comprising an actuator operatively coupled with the actuating member via an actuating link, the actuator configured to rotate the actuating member about the inlet via the actuating link. 
     
     
         8 . The inlet guide vane assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one biasing member is a Belleville washer. 
     
     
         9 . A compressor, comprising:
 a casing at least partially defining an impeller cavity;   an impeller disposed in the impeller cavity;   an inlet coupled with or integral with the casing, an inner surface of the inlet at least partially defining an inlet passageway fluidly coupled with the impeller cavity; and   an inlet guide vane assembly comprising:
 a hub disposed in the inlet passageway; 
 at least one inlet guide vane extending between the inner surface and the hub, and configured to control at least one fluid property of a process fluid flowing through the inlet passageway; and 
 at least one biasing member disposed about a portion of the inlet guide vane and configured to exert a biasing force on the inlet guide vane to urge the inlet guide vane toward the inner surface of the inlet. 
   
     
     
         10 . The compressor of  claim 9 , wherein the casing further defines a diffuser fluidly coupled with the impeller cavity, and a volute fluidly coupled with the diffuser. 
     
     
         11 . The compressor of  claim 9 , wherein the process fluid flowing through the inlet passageway comprises carbon dioxide. 
     
     
         12 . The compressor of  claim 9 , further comprising a rotary shaft disposed in the casing and configured to be driven by a driver, wherein the impeller is coupled with and configured to be driven by the rotary shaft. 
     
     
         13 . The compressor of  claim 12 , wherein the impeller is configured to receive the process fluid from the inlet passageway and discharge the process fluid to a diffuser at an absolute Mach number of about  1 . 3  or greater. 
     
     
         14 . The compressor of  claim 9 , wherein the compressor is configured to compress the process fluid to a compression ratio of at least about  10 . 1 . 
     
     
         15 . The compressor of  claim 9 , wherein the at least one biasing member is a Belleville washer. 
     
     
         16 . The compressor of  claim 9 , wherein the inlet guide vane comprises:
 a stationary section coupled with the inlet and the hub; and   a mobile section disposable adjacent the stationary section, the mobile section comprising a rod extending through an opening formed in the inlet.   
     
     
         17 . The compressor of  claim 16 , further comprising at least one flanged bearing disposed about the rod and configured to facilitate the rotation of the mobile section within the opening of the inlet. 
     
     
         18 . A compression system, comprising:
 a driver; and   a compressor coupled with and configured to be driven by the driver, the compressor comprising:
 a casing; 
 an inlet coupled with or integral with the casing, the inlet and the casing at least partially defining an inlet passageway of the compressor, the inlet passageway configured to receive a process fluid; 
 a rotary shaft disposed in the casing and configured to couple the compressor with the driver; 
 an impeller coupled with and configured to be rotated by the driver via the rotary shaft; and 
 an inlet guide vane assembly comprising:
 a hub disposed in the inlet passageway; 
 at least one inlet guide vane extending radially between the inlet and the hub, and configured to control at least one fluid property of the process fluid flowing through the inlet passageway; 
 at least one biasing member disposed about a portion of the at least one inlet guide vane and configured to urge the at least one inlet guide vane radially outward. 
 
   
     
     
         19 . The compression system of  claim 18 , wherein the impeller is configured to discharge the process fluid to the diffuser at an absolute Mach number of about 1.3 or greater, and wherein the compressor is configured to provide a compression ratio of at least about 10:1. 
     
     
         20 . The compression system of  claim 19 , wherein the at least one biasing member is a Belleville washer.