Methods and systems for cooling a pressurized fluid with a reduced-pressure fluid
AssigneeConcepts NREC, LLC
InventorsKerry N. Oliphant, Francis A. Di Bella
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Systems and methods for reducing the pressure of a first pressurized fluid, thereby reducing the temperature of the pressurized fluid, and utilization of the reduced-pressure and temperature fluid to cool a second fluid. Such an approach can enable a reduction in the size and weight of a hydraulic system, utilize waste energy in a system, and/or minimize electrical power requirements of a system, among other benefits.
Claims32
A method of pressurizing a fluid, comprising:
- providing a pump or compressor for pressurizing the fluid;
- providing an open loop system that includes an expander and a source of pressurized gas;
- expanding the pressurized gas through the expander and discharging the gas from the expander, wherein the gas discharged from the expander is not returned back to the expander;
- and placing the fluid in thermal communication with the gas discharged from the expander to reduce a temperature of the fluid.
A method of utilizing a source of pressurized gas to pressurize and cool a pressurized hydraulic fluid in a hydraulic circuit, the hydraulic circuit including a pump that maintains a pressure of the hydraulic fluid in the hydraulic circuit and at least one load that is powered by the pressurized hydraulic fluid, the method comprising:
- expanding the pressurized gas through an expander and discharging the gas from the expander, wherein the expander is in an open loop arrangement that does not return the gas discharged from the expander back to the expander;
- and
- cooling the hydraulic fluid with the gas discharged from the expander.
A method of utilizing a source of pressurized gas to pressurize and cool a pressurized hydraulic fluid in a hydraulic circuit, the hydraulic circuit including a pump that maintains a pressure of the hydraulic fluid in the hydraulic circuit and at least one load that is powered by the pressurized hydraulic fluid, the method comprising:
- expanding the pressurized gas through an expander;
- and
- cooling the hydraulic fluid with the gas discharged from the expander with a heat exchanger;
- wherein a temperature or pressure of the gas at an inlet to the heat exchanger is substantially the same as a temperature or pressure of the gas at an outlet of the expander.
A system, comprising:
- an open loop system that includes an expander and a source of pressurized gas;
- a pump configured to pressurize a fluid;
- and a heat exchanger coupled to the expander and the pump;
- wherein the expander is designed and configured to expand the pressurized gas and discharge the gas, wherein the discharged gas is not returned to the expander;
- wherein the heat exchanger places the fluid in thermal communication with the gas discharged by the expander to reduce a temperature of the fluid.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.