US 12,221,963 B2
Compact variable volume index valve for screw compressor background
Jonathan D. Batdorff, Fort Wayne, IN (US); Hideki Fujimoto, Shizuoka (JP); and Christian Vaughn, La Porte, IN (US)
Assigned to Hitachi Global Air Power US, LLC, Michigan City, IN (US)
Appl. No. 18/685,493
Filed by Hitachi Global Air Power US, LLC, Michigan City, IN (US)
PCT Filed Sep. 10, 2021, PCT No. PCT/US2021/049919
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Feb. 21, 2024,
PCT Pub. No. WO2023/038633, PCT Pub. Date Mar. 16, 2023.
Prior Publication US 2024/0352935 A1, Oct. 24, 2024
Int. Cl. F04C 28/12 (2006.01); F04C 18/16 (2006.01); F04C 28/16 (2006.01)
CPC F04C 28/12 (2013.01) [F04C 18/16 (2013.01); F04C 28/16 (2013.01)] 10 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A Compact Variable Volume Index Valve for a screw compressor having a compressor housing defining a compression chamber, the compact variable volume index valve comprising:
a linear valve member positioned adjacent a compression chamber outlet end of the compression chamber; and
an actuator structure coupled to the linear valve member and oriented to move the linear valve member radially along the compression chamber outlet end of the compression chamber to adjust a radial location where gas exits the compression chamber,
wherein the actuator structure is coupled to a shutter of a spiral valve of the screw compressor such that the actuator structure moves the linear valve member based on a position of the spiral valve of the screw compressor.
 
6. A screw compressor comprising:
a compressor housing defining a compression chamber having a compression chamber outlet end and a plurality of bypass ports communicating with the compression chamber;
a spiral valve positioned adjacent the plurality of bypass ports communicating with the compression chamber, the spiral valve comprising a shutter configured to selective open and close one or more of the plurality of bypass ports based on a rotational position; and
a compact variable volume index valve comprising:
a linear valve member positioned adjacent the compression chamber outlet end of the compression chamber; and
an actuator structure coupled to the linear valve member and oriented to move the linear valve member radially along the compression chamber outlet end of the compression chamber to adjust a radial location where gas exits the compression chamber,
wherein the actuator structure is coupled to the shutter of the spiral valve of the screw compressor such that the actuator structure moves the linear valve member based on a position of the spiral valve of the screw compressor.