Gas compressor

Abstract

The compressor, as evidenced in the several embodiments presented herein, comprises, in its essentials, a self-contained gear housing which, centrally thereof, receives a power input shaft for driving a bull gear. The bull gear drives either one or a plurality of other gears which, in turn, are coupled to one or a complementary plurality of gas compressing impellers. Integral with the outer wall of one side of the gear housing is defined one or a same plurality of gas handling structures within which the impeller(s) are confined. The gas handling structures comprise inlet pipes, compression chambers, diffusers and open-ended plenum chambers. According to the requirements of the user, domed enclosures are replaceably bolted to the gas handling structure either directly, or through intervening inter- or after-cooler heat exchangers, and with inter-stage ducting, to define of the gas compressor either a single compressing stage, a plurality of independent stages, or successive, series-coupled compressing stages. The several components comprising the gear housing, gas handling structure, domed enclosure, and heat exchanger are compact, self-contained, cooperatively engageable, and replaceable, to provide the user with optional design configurations for particular applications.