Method for compressing gases using a multi-stage hydraulically-driven compressor
First Claim
1. A method for compressing a compressible fluid using an apparatus comprising a precompressor, a first cylinder, a second cylinder, a third cylinder, and a hydraulic intensifier, comprising:
- repeating a third-cylinder compression cycle while a pressure measured by a third-cylinder output pressure sensor is smaller than a third-cylinder output target pressure; and
terminating said third-cylinder compression cycle when the pressure measured by said third-cylinder output pressure sensor is larger than the third-cylinder output target pressure,wherein said third-cylinder compression cycle comprises;
repeating a second-cylinder compression cycle while a pressure measured by a second-cylinder output pressure sensor is smaller than a second-cylinder output target pressure, thereby filling up a compression chamber of said third cylinder with the compressible fluid through a one-way flow means connecting said second and third cylinders, moving a piston within said third cylinder in a first direction, and forcing hydraulic fluid out of a drive chamber of said third cylinder;
terminating said second-cylinder compression cycle when the pressure measured by said second-cylinder output pressure sensor is larger than the second-cylinder output target pressure; and
filling the drive chamber of said third cylinder with high pressure hydraulic fluid from said hydraulic intensifier, thereby moving said piston within said third cylinder in a second direction and forcing the compressible fluid out of said third cylinder through an output one-way flow means,wherein said second-cylinder compression cycle comprises;
repeating a first-cylinder compression cycle while a pressure measured by a first-cylinder output pressure sensor is smaller than a first-cylinder output target pressure, thereby filling up a compression chamber of said second cylinder with the compressible fluid through a one-way flow means connecting said first and second cylinders, moving a piston within said second cylinder in a first direction, and forcing hydraulic fluid out of a drive chamber of said second cylinder;
terminating said first-cylinder compression cycle when the pressure measured by said first-cylinder output pressure sensor is larger than the first-cylinder output target pressure; and
filling the drive chamber of said second cylinder with high pressure hydraulic fluid, thereby moving said piston within said second cylinder in a second direction and forcing the compressible fluid out of said second cylinder through the one-way valve connecting said second and third cylinders,wherein said first-cylinder compression cycle comprises;
repeating a precompression cycle while a pressure measured by a precompressor output pressure sensor is smaller than a precompressor output target pressure, thereby filling up a compression chamber of said first cylinder with the compressible fluid through a one-way flow means connecting said precompressor and said first cylinder, moving a piston within said first cylinder in a first direction, and forcing hydraulic fluid out of a drive chamber of said first cylinder;
terminating said precompression cycle when the pressure measured by said precompressor output pressure sensor is larger than the precompressor output target pressure; and
filling the drive chamber of said first cylinder with high pressure hydraulic fluid, thereby moving said piston within said first cylinder in a second direction and forcing the compressible fluid out of said first cylinder through the one-way flow means connecting said first and second cylinders,wherein said precompression cycle comprises reciprocation of a first end piston and a second end piston within a first end cylinder and a second end cylinder, respectively, thereby drawing compressible fluid into said precompressor through an input one-way flow means and filling said compression chamber of said first cylinder with compressible fluid through the one-way flow means connecting said precompressor and said first cylinder.
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Abstract
A method of compressing a compressible fluid, using a hydraulically driven compressor comprising a precompressor, a first cylinder, and a second cylinder. The precompressor receives a low pressure input of compressible fluid and fills the first cylinder to a precompressor output target pressure. A piston within the first cylinder then forces the compressible fluid into the second cylinder. This cycle is repeated until the second cylinder is filled to a first-cylinder output target pressure, whereupon a piston within the second cylinder forces the compressible fluid out of the second cylinder as a high pressure compressible fluid output, typically into some sort of storage vessel. This cycle is repeated until the compressible fluid output pressure reaches a second-cylinder output target pressure. Pressure and position sensors may be employed to provide signals to a controller, which in turn provides signals to hydraulic fluid control valves which control operation of the precompressor, the first cylinder, and the second cylinder.
92 Citations
3 Claims
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1. A method for compressing a compressible fluid using an apparatus comprising a precompressor, a first cylinder, a second cylinder, a third cylinder, and a hydraulic intensifier, comprising:
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repeating a third-cylinder compression cycle while a pressure measured by a third-cylinder output pressure sensor is smaller than a third-cylinder output target pressure; and terminating said third-cylinder compression cycle when the pressure measured by said third-cylinder output pressure sensor is larger than the third-cylinder output target pressure, wherein said third-cylinder compression cycle comprises; repeating a second-cylinder compression cycle while a pressure measured by a second-cylinder output pressure sensor is smaller than a second-cylinder output target pressure, thereby filling up a compression chamber of said third cylinder with the compressible fluid through a one-way flow means connecting said second and third cylinders, moving a piston within said third cylinder in a first direction, and forcing hydraulic fluid out of a drive chamber of said third cylinder; terminating said second-cylinder compression cycle when the pressure measured by said second-cylinder output pressure sensor is larger than the second-cylinder output target pressure; and filling the drive chamber of said third cylinder with high pressure hydraulic fluid from said hydraulic intensifier, thereby moving said piston within said third cylinder in a second direction and forcing the compressible fluid out of said third cylinder through an output one-way flow means, wherein said second-cylinder compression cycle comprises; repeating a first-cylinder compression cycle while a pressure measured by a first-cylinder output pressure sensor is smaller than a first-cylinder output target pressure, thereby filling up a compression chamber of said second cylinder with the compressible fluid through a one-way flow means connecting said first and second cylinders, moving a piston within said second cylinder in a first direction, and forcing hydraulic fluid out of a drive chamber of said second cylinder; terminating said first-cylinder compression cycle when the pressure measured by said first-cylinder output pressure sensor is larger than the first-cylinder output target pressure; and filling the drive chamber of said second cylinder with high pressure hydraulic fluid, thereby moving said piston within said second cylinder in a second direction and forcing the compressible fluid out of said second cylinder through the one-way valve connecting said second and third cylinders, wherein said first-cylinder compression cycle comprises; repeating a precompression cycle while a pressure measured by a precompressor output pressure sensor is smaller than a precompressor output target pressure, thereby filling up a compression chamber of said first cylinder with the compressible fluid through a one-way flow means connecting said precompressor and said first cylinder, moving a piston within said first cylinder in a first direction, and forcing hydraulic fluid out of a drive chamber of said first cylinder; terminating said precompression cycle when the pressure measured by said precompressor output pressure sensor is larger than the precompressor output target pressure; and filling the drive chamber of said first cylinder with high pressure hydraulic fluid, thereby moving said piston within said first cylinder in a second direction and forcing the compressible fluid out of said first cylinder through the one-way flow means connecting said first and second cylinders, wherein said precompression cycle comprises reciprocation of a first end piston and a second end piston within a first end cylinder and a second end cylinder, respectively, thereby drawing compressible fluid into said precompressor through an input one-way flow means and filling said compression chamber of said first cylinder with compressible fluid through the one-way flow means connecting said precompressor and said first cylinder. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3)
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Specification