Method and apparatus for compressing gas and gaseous mixtures

A method for compressing gas comprising:

• providing an apparatus comprising:
• a plurality of tubular combustion chambers comprising tubular members connected to enclosures, each chamber having a first focus within one enclosure and a second focus within another, the plurality of tubular chambers including:
• a first chamber having a first outlet adjacent the second focus of the first chamber, and a first inlet;
• and
• a last chamber having a last inlet adjacent the first focus of the last chamber, and a last outlet adjacent the second focus of the last chamber;
• a low pressure plenum;
• and
• a high pressure plenum;
• wherein the first inlet is in communication with the low pressure plenum, the first outlet is in communication with the last inlet, and the last outlet is in communication with the high pressure plenum to define a flow pathway;
• continually introducing gas at a first pressure from the low pressure plenum into the first chamber;
• injecting fuel into the gas in an alternating and periodic manner at the foci of the first chamber, and causing the injected fuel to be ignited, thereby producing alternating pulses of compression and zones of rarefaction within the gas in the first chamber, such that portions of the gas are continually advanced along the flow pathway from the first chamber to the last chamber;
• injecting fuel into the gas in an alternating and periodic manner at the foci of the last chamber, and causing the injected fuel to be ignited, thereby producing alternating pulses of compression and zones of rarefaction within the gas in the last chamber, such that portions of the gas are continually advanced along the flow pathway from the last chamber to the high pressure plenum;
• wherein the gas continually travels along the flow pathway from the low pressure plenum to the high pressure plenum;
• and
• wherein the gas is continually raised from a first pressure in the low pressure plenum to a second pressure in the high pressure plenum, the second pressure being higher than the first pressure.