Reciprocating compressor with inlet booster for CNG station and refueling motor vehicles

• US 8,839,829 B2
• Filed: 05/16/2011
• Issued: 09/23/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 02/16/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Clean Energy Fuels Corp.
• Original Assignee: Clean Energy Fuels Corp.
• Inventors: Ding, Denis, Pratt, Mitchell
• Primary Examiner(s): ARNETT, NICOLAS ALLEN
• Application Number:
  US13/108,751
• Publication Number:
  US 20110240139A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,226 Days
• Field of Search: 141/4, 141/44, 141/69, 141/82, 141/85, 141/95
• US Class Current: 141/44
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2205/0323 Valves
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2221/033 Methane, e.g. natural gas, CNG, LNG, GNL, GNC, PLNG
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2223/0123 gaseous, e.g. CNG, GNC
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2223/036 Very high pressure (>80 bar)
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2225/0123 gaseous, e.g. CNG, GNC
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2225/036 Very high pressure, i.e. above 80 bars
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2227/0157 Compressors
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2227/0164 with specified compressor type, e.g. piston or impulsive type
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2227/0185 comprising several pumps or compressors
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2227/04 Methods for emptying or filling
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2250/0443 Flow or movement of content
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2260/013 Reducing manufacturing time or effort
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2260/02 Improving properties related to fluid or fluid transfer
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2265/01 Purifying the fluid
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2270/0139 Fuel stations
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 5/007 for individual gas tanks or containers, e.g. in vehicles filling with liquid fuel not under pressure, B60S5/02, B67D7/00
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 5/06 for filling with compressed gases
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/3003 Fluid separating traps or vents

Abstract

Embodiments of the present invention provide a natural gas compression system, comprising a gas inlet component for the entrance of natural gas into the system, a booster component for increasing the pressure of the natural gas, a drying component for drying the natural gas, a compressor component including a reciprocating compressor for further increasing the pressure of the natural gas, a valve control panel and storage component, and a dispensing component.

Claims

1. A system, comprising:

a CNG station for refueling motor vehicles, the CNG station comprising;

a gas inlet component for the entrance of natural gas into the system;

a booster component for increasing the pressure of the natural gas;

a drying component for drying the natural gas; and

a compressor component including a reciprocating compressor for further increasing the pressure of the natural gas;

wherein the booster component can accept a range of different site gas pressures from approximately 0 psig to approximately 200 psig.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the booster component includes an inlet booster for compressing the natural gas before entering the compressor component.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the booster component comprises an upfront booster to raise the inlet pressure going into the compressor component, thus increasing the system'"'"'s maximum flow throughput and providing flow adjustment controls.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the booster component is configured to allow the system to accept a range of different site gas pressures.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the range of different site gas pressures is from approximately 20 psig to approximately 60 psig.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the booster component comprises a single booster.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the booster component comprises multiple boosters disposed in parallel.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the drying component comprises a single tower or multiple towers of drying elements having the ability to regenerate when saturated.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the compressor component comprises a single high pressure reciprocating compressor or multiple high pressure reciprocating compressors.

10. The system of claim 1, further comprising a valve control panel and storage component comprising a series of control valves that direct the flow of gas from the compressor component to a dispensing component, or to local storage vessels.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the booster component comprises a gas booster that is disposed in front of the high pressure compressor.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein the booster component is disposed in front of the drying component to allow for a more efficient design by reducing the actual volumetric flow of the drying component and raising the gas pressure that goes through the drying component.

13. The system of claim 1, wherein the booster component, the drying component and the compressor component are housed inside an equipment enclosure such that the drying component is positioned between the inlet component and the compressor component.