Coltec Industries, Inc.

Paul G Moffat

Steven DeWayne Centers

An electronic control system is disclosed to control and to prevent damage to a standalone or a network of oil free, two stage compressor packages. The electronic control system uses pressure and temperature sensors to detect actual shutdown conditions or predict shutdown conditions based on the operating state of the compressor package and the current temperatures or pressures of the air at strategic locations in the compressor package. It has been determined through experimentation that, if the pressure at the inlet of the stage two compressor is less than the discharge pressure of the stage two compressor by more than an allowable value, then a high temperature condition will occur in the stage two compressor and cause the compressor to seize. It has also been determined the pressure differential occurs first in this situation and that the electronic control system can predict the failure based on the pressure differential data and to shut the compressors down before the stage two compressor failure occurs. The electronic control system then records the shutdown event in an area of nonvolatile memory and displays the reason for the shutdown on a LCD display visible to the compressor operator. A plurality of electronic control systems can be connected in a peer-to-peer network to coordinate control of a plurality of compressors connected to the same air distribution system. A modem connected to the electronic control system supports remote diagnostics, monitoring, and control. Methods for controlling the operation of the compressor packages using the electronic control system are also disclosed.

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Daphne, AL, United States of America

Paul G Moffat