Hydraulic Gas Compressors and Applications Thereof
OwnerDean Millarinventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An compressor utilizing a flow of fluid down a vertical column to entrain air, or other gas, and compress it under the head of the flow. Compressed air is then separated from the flow in an air separation chamber at the bottom of the vertical column. In one application, the compressed gas is used to cool a deep underground mine. In another application, the system is used to separate chemical compounds from gaseous mixtures, such as the exhaust gases of fossil fuelled power plants. In a further application, the system is integrated into a domestic or commercial air conditioning system. The system can also be used as part of a minimum work vapour compression refrigerator.
Claims25
1-7. (canceled)
A method for cooling an underground mine, comprising supplying compressed gas from a hydraulic gas compressor to an airstream of an air intake ventilation shaft of an underground mine to lower the temperature of the airstream.
A system for cooling an underground mine, comprising:
- an air intake ventilation shaft for delivering an airstream to an underground mine;
- and
- an hydraulic gas compressor for supplying compressed gas to the airstream of the ventilation shaft,
- whereby mixing the compressed gas with the airstream decreases the overall temperature of the airstream.
A system for cooling an underground mine, comprising:
- an hydraulic gas compressor positioned at a depth greater than about 100 m underground;
- an air inlet for introducing atmospheric air into liquid prior to or once the liquid enters a down-comer shaft;
- a first gas-liquid separator at the outlet of the down-comer shaft for exhausting a first compressed gas into an air intake ventilation shaft or drift of a mine;
- a riser shaft for transporting liquid from the first gas-liquid separator to a second gas-liquid separator, wherein oxygen is exhausted at the second gas-liquid separator into the air intake ventilation shaft of the mine.
(canceled)
-30. (canceled)
-34. (canceled)
36-49. (canceled)
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.