High pressure fuel gas pump
AssigneeAcd, LLC
InventorMichael Wells
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
There is disclosed a modular, linearly actuated high-pressure pump for use in various applications with high-pressure fuel systems, in particular liquid cryogenic fuels such as Natural Gas, Hydrogen, Nitrogen and Argon (LNG/LH2/LN2/LAR). The pump utilizes linear actuation which smooths out the power profile. There are no dynamic seals which prevents failure from leakage. The primary benefit of a smooth, no pulse output and lack of dynamic seals is a longer life of the pump. Marine fuel systems that utilize cryogenic LNG are a primary application.
Claims24
A system for pumping of cryogenic fuel from a fuel source to provide a smooth, pulse-free output, comprising:
- software contained within a multi-axis electronic controller;
- a plurality of linear pumps each including:
- i. an upper power end and a lower fluid end, the power end having a linear-actuated drive system terminating in a drive shaft that linearly reciprocates along an axis;
- ii. the power end drive system of each pump being independently controllable via the software contained within the multi-axis electronic controller;
- iii. the fluid end having a piston coupled to the drive shaft of the power end so as to linearly reciprocate within a fluid cylinder, the piston having a head with a plurality of piston rings distributed thereon that provide sealed sliding contact with an inner lumen of the fluid cylinder;
- iv. an absence of packing seals between the piston and the fluid cylinder;
- v. an inlet passageway in fluid communication with a cryogenic fluid source and leading to a lower end of each fluid cylinder and into valved communication with a head space open to and below the head of the piston therein, wherein upward motion of the piston creates a negative pressure gradient in the head space sufficient to allow cryogenic fuel into the head space, and downward motion of the piston expels cryogenic fuel through a lower flow passage and into an outlet port common to all of the fluid cylinders;
- a sealed housing disposed around and completely enclosing one or more of the linear pumps including the upper power end and lower fluid end of each pump, the housing being sealed to contain any of the cryogenic fuel that escapes from within the fluid cylinder;
- and
- wherein operation of the system includes coordinated actuation of the separate pumps to result in a pulse-free output pressure profile.
A method for pumping of cryogenic fuel from a fuel source to provide a smooth, pulse-free output, comprising:
- providing a pumping system having a plurality of linear pumps each including in series an upper power end and a lower fluid end, the power end having a linear-actuated drive system terminating in a drive shaft that linearly reciprocates along an axis, the system having software contained within a multi-axis electronic controller, and the power end drive system of each pump being independently controllable via the software contained within the multi-axis electronic controller;
- wherein the fluid end of each linear pump has a piston coupled to the drive shaft of the power end so as to linearly reciprocate within a fluid cylinder, each linear pump having no packing seals between the piston and the fluid cylinder so as to reduce wear and extend operating life, and the fluid cylinders of the plurality of linear pumps have outlet flow passages leading to a common outlet port;
- supplying cryogenic fuel from a fuel source to an inlet passageway of the fluid cylinder of each of the plurality of linear pumps;
- actuating the drive system to displace the drive shaft and coupled piston of each of the plurality of linear pumps so as to pull cryogenic fuel into the respective fluid cylinders and expel the cryogenic fuel through the outlet flow passages to the common outlet port, and coordinating actuation of the separate linear pumps to result in a pulse-free output pressure profile;
- and
- providing a sealed housing around and completely enclosing one or more of the linear pumps including the upper power end and lower fluid end of each pump, the housing being sealed to contain any of the cryogenic fuel that escapes from within the fluid cylinder.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.