US 5,622,478 AGranted

Method for hydraulic gas compressor

OwnerAlvin B. Elliott, Angella D. Elliottinventors

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Abstract

A gas compressor with at least three hydraulic cylinders is connected to a source of natural gas by a gas line. The gas line can also be removably attached to a storage tank. A hydraulic system is also connected to the cylinders. The compressor additionally includes pressure controls which allow the pistons in the hydraulic cylinders to complete the compression stroke in a staged manner. The cylinders are thereby sequentially emptied of gas. Gas at a sufficient initial pressure, entering the cylinders at the completion of the compression cycle, drives the return stroke of the pistons. A pressure switch controls the pressure level of the compressed gas, and aborts the compression cycle when a predetermined pressure in the storage tank has been reached. If the initial pressure of the natural gas from the gas source is insufficient, a low compression one stage compressor is connected to the gas line upstream of the gas compressor to pressurize the natural gas to sufficient initial pressure prior to introducing the gas into the gas compressor. A pressure distribution assembly having a pressure relief cylinder can also be attached to one or more of the hydraulic cylinders.

A method of compressing gas, comprising the steps of:

connecting a storage tank to an interior cavity of a first hydraulic cylinder, to an interior cavity of at least one second hydraulic cylinder, and to an interior cavity of a third hydraulic cylinder;
connecting the interior cavities of the first, second and third hydraulic cylinders to a gas source supplying a gas;
introducing gas into the interior cavities of the first, second and third hydraulic cylinders and the storage tank;
introducing hydraulic fluid into the interior cavity of the first hydraulic cylinder to compress the gas contained therein and pushing the gas from the interior cavity of the first hydraulic cylinder into the interior cavities of the second and third hydraulic cylinders and into the storage tank, while preventing gas from passing from the interior cavity of the first hydraulic cylinder to the gas source;
introducing hydraulic fluid into the interior cavity of the second hydraulic cylinder to compress the gas contained therein and pushing the gas from the interior cavity of the second hydraulic cylinder into the interior cavity of the third hydraulic cylinder and into the storage tank, while preventing gas from passing from the interior cavity of the second hydraulic cylinder to the interior cavity of the first hydraulic cylinder and to the gas source;
introducing hydraulic fluid into the interior cavity of the third hydraulic cylinder to compress the gas contained therein and pushing the gas from the interior cavity of the third hydraulic cylinder into the storage tank, while preventing gas from passing from the interior cavity of the third hydraulic cylinder to the interior cavities of the first and second hydraulic cylinders and to the gas source;
and
draining the hydraulic fluid from the interior cavities of the first, second and third hydraulic cylinders while preventing gas in the storage tank from passing to the interior cavities of the first, second and third hydraulic cylinders and to the gas source.

5 more elements

Facts

Application

08/584,016Filed 11 Jan 1996 · division

Priority

13 Jun 1994

Granted

22 Apr 1997

Term ends

Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification4 codes

F15B 13/07
For use with two or more servomotors: in distinct sequence
F04B 41/06
Pumping installations or systems specially adapted for elastic fluids: combinations of two or more pumps
F15B
Systems acting by means of fluids in general
F04B
Positive-displacement machines for liquids

Abstract

Claims6