Fluid pressure ratio transformer system

A method of transmitting periodic pressure variations from a first volume of compressible working fluid to a fluid coupled load at a pressure ratio which differs from the pressure ratio in the first volume comprising the steps of:

• providing a second volume of compressible fluid coupled to said load;
• providing a positive displacement element interposed between the first and second volumes of compressible fluid, the mass of the positive displacement element and the spring coefficient defined by the first and second volumes of working fluid being determined by the requirements of the load and defining a resonant frequency;
• and
• inducing pressure variations within the first volume of compressible fluid at a frequency sufficiently close to the resonant frequency to excite oscillation of the positive displacement element with consequential inertial compression of the second volume of working fluid, the inertial compression causing pressure ratio transformation.

Apparatus for coupling a source of cyclical pressure oscillations characterized by an operating frequency and a first pressure ratio to a load requiring pressure oscillations characterized by a second pressure ratio comprising:

• a housing;
• first and second positive displacement elements reciprocable within said housing and mechanically uncoupled from one another, said first and second positive displacement elements together with portions of said housing defining serially disposed first, second, and third chambers;
• first, second, and third separate compressible fluids filling said first, second, and third chambers, respectively;
• means for coupling said source of pressure oscillations to said first chamber to cause reciprocation of said first positive displacement element, thereby giving rise to cyclical pressure oscillations in said second compressible fluid;
• the reciprocation of said first positive displacement element being characterized by a first resonant frequency defined at least in part by a first set of parameters including the effective spring coefficients of said first and second compressible fluids and the effective mass of said first positive displacement element, said first set of parameters being chosen so that said first resonant frequency is generally near said operating frequency whereupon said first positive displacement element operates sufficiently close to resonance to cause inertial compression of said second compressible fluid and thereby produce pressure ratio transformation in said second compressible fluid relative to said first pressure ratio;
• the cyclical pressure oscillations in said second compressible fluid causing reciprocation of said second positive displacement element, thereby giving rise to cyclical pressure oscillations in said third compressible fluid;
• means for coupling said third chamber to said load wherein kinetic energy of said second positive displacement element may be transferred to said load during a portion of each cycle of said second positive displacement element;
• the reciprocation of said second positive displacement element being characterized by a resonant frequency defined at least in part by a second set of parameters including the effective spring coefficient of said second and third compressible fluids and the effective mass of said second positive displacement element, said second set of parameters being chosen so that said second resonant frequency is generally near said operating frequency whereupon said second positive displacement element operates sufficiently close to resonance to cause inertial compression of said third compressible fluid and thereby produce pressure ratio transformation relative to the pressure ratio that characterizes the pressure oscillations in said second compressible fluid, thereby providing said second pressure ratio.