VALVES
First Claim
1. Apparatus for gas compression and expansion, comprising:
- a chamber for receiving a gas;
a positive displacement device moveable relative to the chamber;
first and second valves activatable to control gas flow into and out of the chamber; and
a controller configured to control activation timing of the first and second valves;
wherein the controller is configured to selectively switch operation of the positive displacement device between a compression mode in which the gas received in the chamber is compressed by the positive displacement device and an expansion mode in which the gas received in the chamber is expanded by the positive displacement device, and wherein the controller is configured to selectively change the activation timing of at least one of the first and second valves during operation in a first mode of the compression and expansion modes to selectively switch from the first mode to a second mode of the compression and expansion modes.
4 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An apparatus (10) for compressing and expanding a gas includes a chamber (22), a positive displacement device (24) moveable relative thereto, first and second valves (26, 28) activatable to control flow of gas into and out of the chamber (22) and a controller (80) for controlling activation of the valves (26, 28) that selectively switches operation between a compression and an expansion mode with selective switching between modes being achieved by selectively changing the activation timing of at least one of the valves during the first mode. An energy storage system including the device may be operatively coupled via a rotary device for power transmission to an input/output device, whereby the direction and speed of rotation are preserved during switching, and the input/output device may be synchronised to the grid.
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Citations
22 Claims
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1. Apparatus for gas compression and expansion, comprising:
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a chamber for receiving a gas; a positive displacement device moveable relative to the chamber; first and second valves activatable to control gas flow into and out of the chamber; and a controller configured to control activation timing of the first and second valves; wherein the controller is configured to selectively switch operation of the positive displacement device between a compression mode in which the gas received in the chamber is compressed by the positive displacement device and an expansion mode in which the gas received in the chamber is expanded by the positive displacement device, and wherein the controller is configured to selectively change the activation timing of at least one of the first and second valves during operation in a first mode of the compression and expansion modes to selectively switch from the first mode to a second mode of the compression and expansion modes. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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14. (canceled)
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15. (canceled)
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22. A method of gas compression and expansion, the method comprising:
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receiving a gas in a chamber for which first and second valves are operable to control gas flow into and out of the chamber; and selectively changing, with a controller, an activation timing of at least one of the first and second valves to selectively switch operation of a positive displacement device moveable relative to the chamber between a compression mode in which the gas received in the chamber is compressed by the positive displacement device and an expansion mode in which the gas received in the chamber is expanded by the positive displacement device, wherein the activation timing is changed during the operation of the positive displacement device in one of the compression and expansion modes.
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Specification