Method and system for compressing gas using a liquid

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9803802-B2
Application number	US-201314402858-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 22, 2013
Priority date	May 22, 2012
Publication date	Oct 31, 2017
Grant date	Oct 31, 2017

Abstract

A method of compressing gas includes maintaining a volume of gas at a first pressure within a first chamber. Pressurized liquid is forced into the first chamber through a nozzle having a curved profile. Based on the Coanda effect, the liquid compresses the volume of gas to a second pressure greater than the first pressure. The liquid is separated from the gas in a second chamber while maintaining the gas at the second pressure to provide compressed, dry gas.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method for compressing a gas using a liquid, comprising:
maintaining a first volume of gas in a first chamber, the first chamber comprising a first Coanda nozzle;
maintaining a second volume of gas in a second chamber, the second chamber being fluidly connected to the first chamber and comprising a second Coanda nozzle;
providing pressurized liquid into the first chamber through the first Coanda nozzle, wherein the pressurized liquid compresses the first volume of gas to a first pressure; and
providing pressurized liquid into the second chamber through the second Coanda nozzle, wherein the pressurized liquid compresses the second volume of gas to a second pressure greater than the first pressure, wherein pressurized liquid is simultaneously provided to the first and second chambers, and wherein the first and second Coanda nozzles for the first and second chambers are configured to increase entrainment of gas in the pressurized liquid during compression.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
providing a first pump configured to supply pressurized liquid to the first chamber; and
providing a second pump configured to supply pressurized liquid to the second chamber, wherein the first and second pumps are arranged in series.

3. The method of claim 2 , further comprising driving the first and second pumps with a same motor.

4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising operating a control valve that is arranged between the first and second chambers, wherein the control valve is configured to control flow of at least one of pressurized liquid and gas between the first and second chambers.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein the second chamber is positioned at a higher height with respect to the first chamber, and wherein the pressurized liquid flows by the force of gravity between the second and first chambers when the control valve is in an open position.

6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising providing pressurized liquid to the first and second chambers from a liquid tank fluidly connected to the first and second chambers, wherein the liquid tank stores the liquid therein.

7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising separating the pressurized liquid from the gas while maintaining the gas at approximately the second pressure in a separator assembly fluidly connected to the second chamber.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein compressing gas in at least one of the first and second chambers further comprises cooling the gas within the first or second chamber with the liquid at a high rate of heat transfer as it is compressed in order to approach isothermal compression.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the pressurized liquid is at least one of water, gasoline, diesel and a mixture of water and monoethylene glycol.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein providing pressurized liquid to at least one of the first and second chambers through the first or second Coanda nozzle further comprises:
forming at least one liquid jet, said liquid jet having a first pressure and a first turbulence;
receiving the liquid jet on a curved surface; and
guiding the liquid jet along the curved surface to create an area in the liquid jet having pressure lower than the first pressure and having turbulence greater than the first turbulence in the liquid jet.

11. A system for compressing a gas using a liquid, comprising:
a first chamber configured for compressing gas to a first pressure, the low pressure chamber comprising a first Coanda nozzle;
a second chamber configured for compressing gas to a second pressure greater than the first pressure, the second chamber being fluidly connected to the first chamber and comprising a second Coanda nozzle; and
a pump assembly comprising:
a first pump in fluid connection with the first chamber and configured to supply liquid to the first chamber through the first Coanda nozzle to compress gas to the first pressure; and

a second pump in fluid connection with the second chamber and configured to supply liquid to the second chamber through the second Coanda nozzle to compress gas to the second pressure, wherein the second pump is arranged in series with the first pump, and wherein the first and second Coanda nozzles for the first and second chambers are configured to increase entrainment of gas in the liquid during compression.

12. The system of claim 11 , wherein the first and second pumps are configured to supply liquid to the first and second chambers to simultaneously compress gas to the first and second pressures, respectively.

13. The system of claim 11 , wherein the pump assembly comprises a motor configured to drive the first and second pumps.

14. The system of claim 11 , further comprising a control valve arranged between the first and second chambers, wherein the control valve is configured to control flow of at least one of liquid and gas between the first and second chambers.

15. The system of claim 14 , wherein the second chamber is positioned at a higher height with respect to the first chamber, and wherein the liquid flows by the force of gravity between the first and second chambers when the control valve is in an open position.

16. The system of claim 11 , further comprising a liquid tank fluidly connected to the first and second chambers and the pump assembly, wherein the liquid tank stores the liquid therein.

17. The system of claim 11 , further comprising a separator assembly fluidly connected to the second chamber, wherein the separator assembly is configured to separate the liquid from the gas while maintaining the gas at approximately the second pressure.

18. The system of claim 11 , wherein the first chamber and the first Coanda nozzle and the second chamber and the second Coanda nozzle are configured to enhance the circulation of the gas while the gas is being compressed within at least one of the first or second chamber such that the gas is cooled as it is compressed in the at least one of the first and second chambers with the liquid in the at least one of the first or second chambers at a high rate of heat transfer as it is compressed in order to approach isothermal compression.

19. The system of claim 11 , wherein the liquid is at least one of water, gasoline, diesel and a mixture of water and monoethylene glycol.

20. The system of claim 11 , wherein each of the Coanda nozzles comprises:
a jet plate having at least one slot for forming a liquid jet, said liquid jet having a first pressure and a first turbulence; and
a curved entry portion in fluid connection with the jet plate, the curved entry portion receiving the liquid jet, wherein the curved entry portion is configured to create an area in the liquid jet having pressure lower than the first pressure and having turbulence greater than the first turbulence in the liquid jet as the liquid jet flows along the curved entry portion.

Assignees

• Ohio State Innovation Foundation
• Ohio State Innnovation Found

Inventors

• Cantemir Codrin-Gruie
• Chiara Fabio
• Canova Marcello
• Durand James

Classifications

• F04B25/005

  with two cylinders · CPC title

• F17C5/06 Primary

  for filling with compressed gases · CPC title

• F04F99/00

  Subject matter not provided for in other groups of this subclass · CPC title

• F04B39/0011

  liquid pistons · CPC title

• F17C2227/0157

  Compressors · CPC title