COMPRESSOR SYSTEM INCLUDING A FLOW AND TEMPERATURE CONTROL DEVICE

摘要

A compressor system includes a compressor including a gas inlet and a lubricant inlet. The compressor is operable to compress a gas and discharge a mixed flow of compressed gas and lubricant. A valve housing includes a hot lubricant inlet, a cooled lubricant inlet, and a lubricant outlet connected to the hot and cooled lubricant inlets. A sleeve is disposed within the valve housing and is movable between a first position and a second position. The sleeve at least partially defines a mixing chamber and includes a first aperture in fluid communication with the hot lubricant inlet to selectively admit a hot lubricant into the mixing chamber and a second aperture in fluid communication with the cooled lubricant inlet to selectively admit a cooled lubricant into the mixing chamber. The hot lubricant and cooled lubricant mix in the mixing chamber to define a bulk lubricant that is directed to the lubricant inlet of the compressor via the lubricant outlet. A thermal element is positioned to sense a temperature and is coupled to the sleeve to move the sleeve in response to the sensed temperature. The movement of the sleeve is operable to vary the amount of hot lubricant admitted through the first aperture and to vary the amount of cooled lubricant admitted through the second aperture to control a temperature of the bulk lubricant.