Reactive fluid system accounting for thermal expansion in replacement of nitrogen within charged pulsation control equipment

A method of operating a pulsation dampener, comprising:

• connecting a body having an internal cavity, a top opening into the internal cavity, and a bottom opening providing fluid communication between the internal cavity and a fluid flow external to the body;
• providing a flexible diaphragm held within the internal cavity, the flexible diaphragm having a top portion and a bottom portion, the top portion of the flexible diaphragm contacting a region of the body extending downward from the top opening and the bottom portion of the flexible diaphragm separating the internal cavity into a first region of the internal cavity and a second region of the internal cavity, the flexible diaphragm contacting at least some fluid from the external fluid flow that enters the second region of the internal cavity through the bottom opening;
• providing a plurality of fill lines on an internal surface of the top portion of the flexible diaphragm in contact with the sidewalls of the region of the body extending downward from the top opening, each of the fill lines corresponding to a different predetermined quantity of fluid;
• and
• providing a quantity of liquid reactive fluid within the first region of the internal cavity and separated by the flexible diaphragm from the at least some fluid from the external fluid flow within the second region of the internal cavity, the quantity of liquid reactive fluid corresponding to one of the plurality of fill lines.

A pulsation dampener, comprising:

• a body having an internal cavity, a top opening into the internal cavity, and a bottom opening providing fluid communication between the internal cavity and a fluid flow external to the body;
• a flexible diaphragm held within the internal cavity, the flexible diaphragm having a top portion and a bottom portion, the top portion of the flexible diaphragm contacting a region of the body extending downward from the top opening and the bottom portion of the flexible diaphragm separating the internal cavity into a first region of the internal cavity and a second region of the internal cavity, the flexible diaphragm contacting at least some fluid from the external fluid flow that enters the second region of the internal cavity through the bottom opening;
• and
• a predetermined quantity of liquid reactive fluid within the first region of the internal cavity and separated by the flexible diaphragm from the at least some fluid from the external fluid flow within the internal cavity, the predetermined quantity of liquid reactive fluid corresponding to one of a plurality of fill lines on an internal surface of the top portion of the flexible diaphragm in contact with the sidewalls of the region of the body extending downward from the top opening.