Back to results
US 7,255,136 B2Granted
Packing vent recovery system and method
AssigneeDelaware Capital Formation, Inc.
InventorsRobert J. Templet, Ernest B. McCurdy
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Loading patent…
Loading patent…
AssigneeDelaware Capital Formation, Inc.
InventorsRobert J. Templet, Ernest B. McCurdy
Estimating the term…
A gas recovery system designed to recover vent gas emanating from a gas processing system and return the gas to the processing system. The gas recovery system includes a pressurized motive gas that is directed through a vacuum generating apparatus. The vacuum suctions the vent gas into the vacuum generating apparatus and mixes the vent gas with the motive gas to create a mixed gas stream. The mixed gas stream is transported away from the vacuum generating apparatus by a mixed gas outlet line. A vent gas pressure regulator is fluidly connected between the vent gas supply line and the mixed gas outlet line. The vent gas pressure regulator maintains the vent gas supply line pressure above a predetermined pressure.
A gas recovery system, comprising:
A compressor gas recovery system comprising:
A compressor gas recovery system comprising:
A method of recovering a leaking vent gas from a gas processing operation comprising the steps of:
A method of recovering vent gas emanating from a gas compressor operation comprising the steps of:
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.
Drawings are temporarily unavailable. Open the PDF at USPTO
From the US filing history. Foreign family members aren’t listed.
Adaptations of cylinders: stoffing boxes
Component parts, details, or accessories, of pumps or pumping systems specially adapted
Positive-displacement machines for liquids
Term ended 27 May 2025 (estimated)
The present invention relates to a gas recovery and re-injection method and apparatus. Specifically, the invention relates to a system for recovering gas emanating from the seals of a reciprocating gas compressor.
The prior art includes various systems designed to recover unpreassurized excess gas (i.e. “vent gas”) for re-injection or collection. In earlier gas processing systems, vent gas was either ignored, burned-off as a flare, or vented to the atmosphere away from the main processing system. Although these methods are relatively inexpensive, they have adverse environmental impacts and may create a safety hazard.
Some existing and prior-art systems use electrical power to vacuum vent gas from a low pressure or gas leakage area and pump the gas back into a host system. While these systems are effective, they require a source of electrical power and an electrical pumping mechanism, which could fail and/or create a safety hazard. Other systems have a separate dedicated mechanical compressor that scavenges, pressurizes and re-injects the vent gas back into the host system. Both of these types of systems are relatively complex and employ comparatively elaborate sensing and pumping mechanisms with multiple moving parts.
FIG. 1 is an elevational view of a compressor system according to the invention with portions shown in section of the gas compressor cylinder and associated equipment.
FIG. 2 is a schematic of the gas recovery device of the present invention.
FIG. 3 is an elevational view of the front side of the gas recovery device.
The present invention comprises a system designed to recover vent gas from a compressor 12. Specifically, the current invention is designed to recover gas emanating from the seals of a reciprocating gas compressor 12. The gas recovery device 10 of the invention maintains the pressure in a vent gas line sufficiently high to prevent ingress of air or other gaseous contaminants into the supply line.
As best shown in FIG. 1, a reciprocating compressor 12 includes a gas compression cylinder 14 and a compressing piston 16. Gas, such as natural gas, is compressed within the cylinder 14 through the reciprocating movement of the piston 16. In the double-acting compressor 12 shown in FIG. 1, each time the piston 16 extends (moves to the left in FIG. 1), gas is suctioned into the compressor 12 through a suction line 18, and discharged through a discharge line 20. When the piston 16 retracts (moves to the right in FIG. 1), gas is suctioned into the cylinder 14 through a second suction line 22 and discharged through a second discharge line 24. A portion of the relatively high pressure discharged gas is directed to a motive gas supply line 38. The motive gas supply line 38 directs the motive gas to a gas recovery device 10.
The compressor piston 16 is driven by a piston rod 26 that extends through an aperture 28 in the wall of gas cylinder 14. A packing gland 30 seals the aperture 28 during compressor 12 operations. Although the packing gland 30 may initially function as an effective seal, as the packing gland 30 wears, an increasing amount of vent gas escapes through the packing gland 30. The escaping vent gas is collected in a gas containment area 32, such as provided by a surrounding housing.