# US 11,306,738 B2 · Methods and systems for cooling a pressurized fluid with a reduced-pressure fluid > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,306,738 B2 - Document ID: US11306738B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 16/817,022 - Filed: 2020-03-12 - Published: 2020-09-03 - Granted: 2022-04-19 - Earliest claimed: 2015-10-09 - Assignees: Concepts NREC, LLC - Applicants: Concepts NREC, LLC - Inventors: Kerry N. Oliphant; Francis A. Di Bella - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11306738B2 ## CPC - F04D 29/5866: {Cooling at last part of the working fluid in a heat exchanger} - F01D 15/08: Adaptations for driving, or combinations with, pumps - F04D 13/043: {the pump wheel carrying the fluid driving means} - F04D 25/045: {the pump wheel carrying the fluid driving means, e.g. turbine blades} - F04D 29/5826: {Cooling at least part of the working fluid in a heat exchanger} - F15B 21/042: Controlling the temperature of the fluid - F25J 1/0288: {using work extraction by mechanical coupling of compression and expansion of the refrigerant, so-called companders} - F04D 15/0005: {by using valves} - F04D 27/006: {by influencing fluid temperatures} - F05D 2260/211: by intercooling, e.g. during a compression cycle - F28D 2021/0026: {for combustion engines, e.g. for gas turbines or for Stirling engines} - F28D 2021/004: {for engine or machine cooling systems} - Y02T 50/60: Efficient propulsion technologies, e.g. for aircraft - F04D: NON-POSITIVE-DISPLACEMENT PUMPS (engine fuel-injection pumps F02M; ion pumps H01J41/12; electrodynamic pumps H02K44/02) - F01D: NON-POSITIVE DISPLACEMENT MACHINES OR ENGINES, e.g. STEAM TURBINES (machines or engines for liquids F03; non-positive displacement pumps F04D) - F15B: SYSTEMS ACTING BY MEANS OF FLUIDS IN GENERAL; FLUID-PRESSURE ACTUATORS, e.g. SERVOMOTORS; DETAILS OF FLUID-PRESSURE SYSTEMS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR - F25J: LIQUEFACTION, SOLIDIFICATION OR SEPARATION OF GASES OR GASEOUS {OR LIQUEFIED GASEOUS} MIXTURES BY PRESSURE AND COLD TREATMENT {OR BY BRINGING THEM INTO THE SUPERCRITICAL STATE (cryogenic pumps F04B37/08; gas storage vessels, gas holders F17; filing vessels with, or discharging from vessels, compressed, liquefied or solidified gases F17C; refrigeration machines, plants, or systems F25B)} - F05D: INDEXING SCHEME FOR ASPECTS RELATING TO NON-POSITIVE-DISPLACEMENT MACHINES OR ENGINES, GAS-TURBINES OR JET-PROPULSION PLANTS - F28D: HEAT-EXCHANGE APPARATUS, NOT PROVIDED FOR IN ANOTHER SUBCLASS, IN WHICH THE HEAT-EXCHANGE MEDIA DO NOT COME INTO DIRECT CONTACT (fluid heaters having heat generating means and heat transferring means F24H; furnaces F27; details of heat-exchange apparatus of general) - Y02T: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO TRANSPORTATION ## 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. ## Claims ### Claim 1 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. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, further comprising powering the pump or compressor with the expander via a mechanical coupling between the expander and pump or compressor. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The method according to claim 2, further comprising controlling a power output of the expander by controlling a position of a control valve located upstream of the expander as a function of a pressure of the fluid. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, wherein the fluid is a hydraulic fluid in a hydraulic circuit, the method further comprising: utilizing the pressurized gas to power a gas-powered propulsion system. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, wherein the pressurized gas is natural gas and the expander is part of a pressure reduction station for a natural gas distribution system, the method further comprising: distributing the natural gas in the natural gas distribution system from a natural gas source to the pressure reduction station; and reducing a pressure of the natural gas with the expander to a lower pressure. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, wherein the step of providing the pump or compressor includes providing a compressor for pressurizing the fluid, wherein the compressor is a multistage compressor, wherein the placing step includes placing the fluid in thermal communication with the gas discharged from the expander to reduce the temperature of the fluid with an intercooler located between two stages of the multistage compressor. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The method according to claim 6, wherein the expander is a nozzle. ### Claim 8 (depends on 6) The method according to claim 6, wherein the expander is a turbine mechanically coupled to the multistage compressor. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, wherein a temperature or pressure of the discharged gas when the discharged gas is placed in thermal communication with the fluid is substantially the same as a temperature or pressure of the discharged gas at an outlet of the expander. ### Claim 10 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. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10, wherein the expander is a turbine that is mechanically coupled to the pump, the method further comprising driving the pump with the turbine. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, wherein the turbine is a non-combustion turbine. ### Claim 13 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10, wherein the expander is a nozzle. ### Claim 14 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10, wherein the cooling step includes cooling the hydraulic fluid via a heat exchanger located upstream of an inlet of the pump. ### Claim 15 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10, wherein the cooling step includes cooling the hydraulic fluid via a heat exchanger located downstream of an outlet of the pump. ### Claim 16 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10, further comprising adjusting a position of a valve located upstream of the expander to control a flowrate of the pressurized gas entering the expander according to the pressure or a temperature of the hydraulic fluid. ### Claim 17 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10, further comprising utilizing the pressurized gas as a fuel source for a power generation system. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The method of claim 17, wherein the power generation system is a propulsion system. ### Claim 19 (depends on 10) The method according to claim 10, wherein the cooling step includes cooling the hydraulic fluid with the gas when the gas is at a temperature or pressure that is substantially the same as a temperature or pressure of the gas at an outlet of the expander. ### Claim 20 (depends on 10) The method according to claim 10, wherein a temperature of pressurized gas at an outlet of the expander is less than a temperature of the pressurized gas at an inlet of the expander. ### Claim 21 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10, further comprising powering a gas-powered propulsion system with the pressurized gas. ### Claim 22 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. ### Claim 23 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. ### Claim 24 (depends on 23) The system of claim 23, wherein the expander is a nozzle or a turbine. ### Claim 25 (depends on 23) The system of claim 23, further comprising at least one hydraulic circuit, wherein the fluid is a hydraulic fluid in the hydraulic circuit, the pump configured to maintain a pressure of the hydraulic fluid in the hydraulic circuit. ### Claim 26 (depends on 25) The system of claim 25, wherein the hydraulic circuit includes at least one load powered by the hydraulic fluid and a reservoir for accumulating the hydraulic fluid. ### Claim 27 (depends on 26) The system of claim 26, wherein the at least one load includes one or more of a hydraulic pump, a hydraulic actuator, and a hydraulic cylinder. ### Claim 28 (depends on 25) The system of claim 25, wherein the hydraulic fluid is water, mineral oil, rapeseed oil, canola oil, glycol, ester oil, organophosphate oil, polyalphaolefin, propylene glycol, or a silicone oil. ### Claim 29 (depends on 25) The system of claim 25, wherein the expander is mechanically coupled to the pump and powers the pump, the system further comprising a valve located upstream of an inlet of the expander and a controller, wherein the controller is configured to receive an operating parameter of the hydraulic circuit and control a position of the valve according to the operating parameter. ### Claim 30 (depends on 23) The system of claim 23, wherein the pump and expander form a turbo-pump, the expander mechanically coupled to the pump. ### Claim 31 (depends on 30) The system of claim 30, wherein the expander is an axial turbine and the pump is a centrifugal pump. ### Claim 32 (depends on 23) The system of claim 23, wherein the pressurized gas is air, hydrogen, natural gas, methane, or carbon dioxide.