System and method for high pressure delivery of gas-supersaturated floids
First Claim
1. A apparatus for generating or delivering a gas-supersaturated fluid to a delivery site, comprising:
- a fluid assembly comprising a cylinder for containing fluid and gas and a piston adapted to travel within said cylinder for pressurizing contents of said cylinder and for delivering the gas-supersaturated fluid at predetermined fluid delivery pressures, said cylinder having one or more ports for input and output of fluid and gas;
a drive assembly comprising a piston pusher for advancing said piston within the cylinder and a drive system for advancing said piston pusher;
a system housing for housing the fluid assembly and the drive assembly;
wherein the fluid assembly is removable from the system housing for said generating of the gas-supersaturated fluid.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A system and method for generating a gas-supersaturated fluid and delivering the fluid at high delivery pressures to thereby prevent bubble nucleation is disclosed. The system comprises a housing for containing a removable fluid assembly for housing a fluid to be gas-supersaturated and a drive assembly for delivering the fluid to a delivery site. The housing assembly comprises a cylinder and a piston which may be advanced along the inner surface of the cylinder to pressurize and to deliver the fluid. To generate a gas-supersaturated fluid, the housing assembly is removed from the system housing, filled with a fluid, and gas is introduced at or slightly above the desired gas partial pressure into the cylinder. To deliver the gas-supersaturated fluid, the fluid assembly is returned to the system housing and the drive assembly advances the piston to increase the hydrostatic pressure to the desired delivery pressure and, after opening a valve, to deliver the gas-supersaturated fluid at the desired high delivery pressure to a delivery site.
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Citations
30 Claims
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1. A apparatus for generating or delivering a gas-supersaturated fluid to a delivery site, comprising:
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a fluid assembly comprising a cylinder for containing fluid and gas and a piston adapted to travel within said cylinder for pressurizing contents of said cylinder and for delivering the gas-supersaturated fluid at predetermined fluid delivery pressures, said cylinder having one or more ports for input and output of fluid and gas;
a drive assembly comprising a piston pusher for advancing said piston within the cylinder and a drive system for advancing said piston pusher;
a system housing for housing the fluid assembly and the drive assembly;
wherein the fluid assembly is removable from the system housing for said generating of the gas-supersaturated fluid. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. An apparatus for generation and delivery of a gas-supersaturated fluid, comprising:
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a power screw having first and second ends supported by bearings;
a piston pusher travelling on the power screw in response to rotation thereof, said piston pusher comprising a collar portion engaging the power screw and at least two depending portions extending from the collar portion along the power screw;
a support plate adjacent one end of the power screw to support a bearing and said one end of the power screw, said support plate defining at least to apertures to permit said depending portions of the piston pusher to pass therethrough;
a fluid receiving cylinder disposed on an opposite side of the support plate from the power screw; and
a piston sealingly and slidably received in the cylinder and acted on by the depending portions of the piston pusher to pressurize fluid received in said cylinder. - View Dependent Claims (11)
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12. An apparatus for generation and delivery of a gas-supersaturated fluid, comprising:
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a support structure;
a drive mechanism supported by the support structure for advancing a piston pusher; and
a fluid assembly mounted on the support structure comprising a cylinder and a piston disposed therein and adapted to travel within said cylinder, said cylinder having one or more ports for input and output of fluid and gas, said piston in cooperation with the piston pusher for advancement of said piston, wherein said fluid assembly is removable from the support structure in order to charge said cylinder with fluid and gas to create the gas-supersaturated fluid. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 22, 23)
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21. A method for generating and delivering a gas-supersaturated fluid to a delivery site, comprising the steps of:
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providing a fluid assembly comprising a cylinder, a piston adapted to travel within said cylinder and one or more ports for input and output of fluid and gas;
filling said cylinder with a fluid and introducing a gas under pressure to thereby gas-supersaturate said fluid;
placing said fluid assembly in a system housing containing a drive mechanism assembly, said drive mechanism comprising a piston pusher adapted to advance said piston within said cylinder;
advancing said piston pusher until hydrostatic pressure of the gas-supersaturated fluid in said cylinder is at a desired predetermined delivery pressure;
selecting a flow position of a flow-flush valve for delivery of the gas-supersaturated fluid from said system to the delivery site, said valve being in fluid communication with said cylinder port; and
advancing said piston pusher at a predetermined rate to deliver the gas-supersaturated fluid at said desired predetermined delivery pressure. - View Dependent Claims (24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29)
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30. A method for delivering a gas-supersaturated fluid to a delivery site, comprising the steps of:
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providing a fluid assembly comprising a cylinder containing the gas-supersaturated fluid, a piston adapted to travel within said cylinder and one or more ports for input and output of fluid and gas;
placing said fluid assembly in a system housing containing a drive mechanism assembly, said drive mechanism comprising a piston pusher adapted to advance said piston within said cylinder;
advancing said piston pusher until hydrostatic pressure of the gas-supersaturated fluid in said cylinder is at a desired predetermined delivery pressure;
selecting a flow position of a flow-flush valve for delivery of the gas-supersaturated fluid from said system to the delivery site, said valve being in fluid communication with said cylinder port; and
advancing said piston pusher at a predetermined rate to deliver the gas-supersaturated fluid at said desired predetermined delivery pressure.
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Specification