Reciprocating pump with reservoir for collecting and controlling working fluid level without the use of piston seals

A method of controlling a flow of a working fluid being pumped through a reciprocating pump which uses no seals along a pump piston or pump cavity, the method comprising:

• collecting the working fluid in a reservoir of a reciprocating pump, the reciprocating pump comprising:
• a pump shell including a pump shell first end and a pump shell second end;
• a pump cavity inside the pump shell, the pump cavity further comprising:
• a working chamber proximate to the pump shell second end;
• a drive chamber proximate to the pump shell first end;
• and
• a reservoir comprising a bulge in the pump cavity between the working chamber and the drive chamber for storing and accumulating the working fluid;
• a suction pipe attached to the pump shell wherein the suction pipe is in fluid communication with the pump cavity;
• a suction valve situated along the suction pipe for selectively restricting flow of the working fluid through the suction pipe;
• a delivery pipe attached to the pump shell wherein the delivery pipe is in fluid communication with the pump cavity;
• a delivery valve situated along the delivery pipe for selectively restricting flow of the working fluid through the delivery pipe;
• a piston located inside the pump cavity and configured to alternate between a first position and a second position wherein such action is operable to draw the working fluid through the suction pipe into the working chamber and then expel said working fluid out of the working chamber through the delivery pipe;
• a drive system engaged with the piston for driving the piston inside the pump cavity;
• a return pipe in fluid communication with the reservoir and the suction pipe;
• a return pipe valve located along the return pipe for controlling flow of the working fluid through the return pipe;
• a feed pipe in fluid communication with the reservoir and the delivery pipe;
• a feed pipe valve located along the feed pipe for controlling flow of the working fluid through the feed pipe;
• a reservoir sensor for sensing a level of the working fluid in the reservoir;
• and
• a control system in communication with the return pipe valve, the feed pipe valve, and the reservoir sensor wherein the control system is operable to:
• open the feed pipe valve if the level of the working fluid in the reservoir goes below a preset threshold;
• and
• open the return pipe valve if the level of the working fluid in the reservoir goes above a preset threshold;
• opening the feed pipe valve if the level of the working fluid in the reservoir goes below the preset threshold in order to raise the level of the working fluid in the reservoir;
• and
• opening the return pipe valve if the level of working fluid in the reservoir goes above the preset threshold in order to lower the level of the working fluid in the reservoir.

A method of priming a reciprocating pump which uses no seals along a pump piston or pump cavity, the method comprising:

• providing a pump comprising:
• a pump shell including a pump shell first end and a pump shell second end;
• a pump cavity inside the pump shell, the pump cavity further comprising:
• a working chamber proximate to the pump shell second end;
• a drive chamber proximate to the pump shell first end;
• and
• a reservoir comprising a bulge in the pump cavity between the working chamber and the drive chamber for storing and accumulating a working fluid;
• a suction pipe attached to the pump shell wherein the suction pipe is in fluid communication with the pump cavity;
• a suction valve situated along the suction pipe for selectively restricting flow of the working fluid through the suction pipe;
• a delivery pipe attached to the pump shell wherein the delivery pipe is in fluid communication with the pump cavity;
• a delivery valve situated along the delivery pipe for selectively restricting flow of the working fluid through the delivery pipe;
• a piston located inside the pump cavity and configured to alternate between a first position and a second position wherein such action is operable to draw the working fluid through the suction pipe into the working chamber and then expel said working fluid out of the working chamber through the delivery pipe;
• a drive system engaged with the piston for driving the piston inside the pump cavity;
• a return pipe in fluid communication with the reservoir and the suction pipe;
• a return pipe valve located along the return pipe for controlling flow of the working fluid through the return pipe;
• a feed pipe in fluid communication with the reservoir and the delivery pipe;
• a feed pipe valve located along the feed pipe for controlling flow of the working fluid through the feed pipe;
• a reservoir sensor for sensing a level of the working fluid in the reservoir;
• and
• a control system in communication with the return pipe valve, the feed pipe valve, and the reservoir sensor wherein the control system is operable to:
• open the feed pipe valve if the level of the working fluid in the reservoir goes below a preset threshold;
• and
• open the return pipe valve if the level of the working fluid in the reservoir goes above a preset threshold;
• filling the reservoir with the working fluid;
• and
• activating the drive system to begin moving the piston so that the piston alternates between the first position to the second position and the working fluid seeps into the working chamber to prime the reciprocating pump.