Common mode pulse damper for reciprocating pump systems

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9482213-B2
Application number	US-201213656072-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 19, 2012
Priority date	Oct 24, 2011
Publication date	Nov 1, 2016
Grant date	Nov 1, 2016

Abstract

Pulses in a pumping system resulting from paired reciprocating pumps are dampened by a pressure vessel that includes two compartments separated by a flexible membrane and otherwise isolated from each other.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A pressure vessel for use at outlets of two piston pumps, said pressure vessel comprising a first flow-through compartment with a first inlet port and a first outlet port, and a second flow-through compartment with a second inlet port and a second outlet port, said first and second flow-through compartments separated and sealed from each other by a diaphragm that is flexible and impermeable to fluid, wherein first and second fluid conduits connected respectively to the first and second outlet ports are in direct fluid communication with a common outlet in which fluids from the two piston pumps are combined.

2. The pressure vessel of claim 1 wherein said diaphragm is defined as a first diaphragm, and said first and second flow-through compartments are separated and sealed from each other by said first diaphragm and a second diaphragm that is flexible and impermeable to fluid, said first and second diaphragms bordering a closed compartment inside said pressure vessel between said first flow-through compartment and said second flow-through compartment, said closed compartment filled with a compressible fluid and positioned such that pressure variations in either of said first and second compartments are at least partially absorbed by said compressible fluid.

3. A dual-headed reciprocating pump comprising:
first and second pump chambers containing first and second pistons, respectively,
a drive motor connected to said first and second pistons to drive said first and second pistons in alternating sequence, and
a pressure vessel comprising a first flow-through compartment with a first inlet port and a first outlet port, and a second flow-through compartment with a second inlet port and a second outlet port, said first inlet port arranged to directly receive into said first flow-through compartment fluid discharged from said first pump chamber, and said second inlet port arranged to directly receive into said second flow-through compartment fluid discharged from said second pump chamber, said first and second flow-through compartments separated and sealed from each other by a diaphragm that is flexible and impermeable to fluid.

4. The dual-headed reciprocating pump of claim 3 wherein said diaphragm is defined as a first diaphragm, and said first and second flow-through compartments are separated by said first diaphragm and a second diaphragm that is flexible and impermeable to fluid, said first and second diaphragms bordering a closed compartment inside said pressure vessel between said first flow-through compartment and said second flow-through compartment, said closed compartment filled with a compressible fluid and positioned such that pressure variations in either of said first and second compartments are at least partially absorbed by said compressible fluid.

5. A method for continuously pumping fluid, said method comprising:
supplying said fluid to first and second pump chambers in alternating sequence and driving first and second pistons within said first and second pump chambers, respectively, to discharge fluid from said first and second pump chambers in alternating sequence, and
passing fluid discharged from said first pump chamber directly into an inlet port of a first flow-through compartment of a pressure vessel and passing fluid discharged from said second pump chamber directly into an inlet port of a second flow-through compartment of said pressure vessel, said first and second flow-through compartments separated and sealed from each other by a diaphragm that is flexible and impermeable to fluid, said diaphragm thereby dampening pressure pulsations in said discharged fluids arising when a discharge from one of said first and second pump chambers is succeeded by a discharge from the other of said first and second pump chambers.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein said diaphragm is defined as a first diaphragm, and said first and second flow-through compartments are separated by said first diaphragm and a second diaphragm that is flexible and impermeable to fluid, said first and second diaphragms bordering a closed compartment inside said pressure vessel between said first flow-through compartment and said second flow-through compartment, said closed compartment filled with a compressible fluid and positioned such that said pressure pulsations are at least partially dampened by said compressible fluid.

7. A pressure vessel for use at outlets of two piston pumps, said pressure vessel comprising a first flow-through compartment with a first inlet port and a first outlet port, and a second flow-through compartment with a second inlet port and a second outlet port, said first and second flow-through compartments separated and sealed from each other by a diaphragm that is flexible and impermeable to fluid, wherein each of the first and second inlet ports is arranged to directly receive fluid discharged from a respective one of the two piston pumps.

8. The pressure vessel of claim 7 wherein said diaphragm is defined as a first diaphragm, and said first and second flow-through compartments are separated and sealed from each other by said first diaphragm and a second diaphragm that is flexible and impermeable to fluid, said first and second diaphragms bordering a closed compartment inside said pressure vessel between said first flow-through compartment and said second flow-through compartment, said closed compartment filled with a compressible fluid and positioned such that pressure variations in either of said first and second compartments are at least partially absorbed by said compressible fluid.

9. A dual-headed reciprocating pump comprising:
first and second pump chambers containing first and second pistons, respectively,
a drive motor connected to said first and second pistons to drive said first and second pistons in alternating sequence, and
a pressure vessel having a first side and a second side, the pressure vessel comprising a first flow-through compartment with a first inlet port and a first outlet port, and a second flow-through compartment with a second inlet port and a second outlet port, said first inlet port positioned on the first side of the pressure vessel and arranged to directly receive fluid discharged from said first pump chamber, and said second inlet port positioned on the first side of the pressure vessel and arranged to directly receive fluid discharged from said second pump chamber, said first and second flow-through compartments separated and sealed from each other by a diaphragm that is flexible and impermeable to fluid.

10. The dual-headed reciprocating pump of claim 9 wherein said diaphragm is defined as a first diaphragm, and said first and second flow-through compartments are separated by said first diaphragm and a second diaphragm that is flexible and impermeable to fluid, said first and second diaphragms bordering a closed compartment inside said pressure vessel between said first flow-through compartment and said second flow-through compartment, said closed compartment filled with a compressible fluid and positioned such that pressure variations in either of said first and second compartments are at least partially absorbed by said compressible fluid.

11. A dual-headed reciprocating pump comprising:
first and second pump chambers containing first and second pistons, respectively,
a drive motor connected to said first and second pistons to drive said first and second pistons in alternating sequence, and
a pressure vessel comprising a first flow-through compartment with a first inlet port and a first outlet port, and a second flow-through compartment with a second inlet port and a second outlet port, said first inlet port arranged to directly receive f

Assignees

• Bio-Rad Laboratories
• Bio Rad Laboratories Inc

Inventors

• Charlton Chris

Classifications

• F04B11/0008

  using accumulators · CPC title

• F04B11/00 Primary

  Equalisation of pulses, e.g. by use of air vessels; Counteracting cavitation · CPC title

• Y10T137/86035

  Combined with fluid receiver · CPC title

• Y10T137/0318

  Processes · CPC title

• F04B43/02

  having plate-like flexible members, e.g. diaphragms (F04B43/14 takes precedence) · CPC title