Apparatuses, systems, and methods for improved performance of a pressurized system

Abstract

A system, apparatus, and method for improving performance of a pressurized system.

1 . A natural gas pumping system, comprising:
 a reciprocating compressor including:
 a first cylinder having:
 an inlet through which natural gas is received; and 
 an outlet through which natural gas is discharged; 
 
 a second cylinder having:
 an inlet through which natural gas is received; and 
 an outlet through which natural gas is discharged; 
 
   a first conduit having a first end in fluid communication with the outlet of the first cylinder and a second end in fluid communication with a junction; and   a second conduit having a first end in fluid communication with the outlet of the second cylinder and a second end in fluid communication with the junction.   
     
     
         2 . The natural gas compressor of  claim 1 , wherein the first end of the first conduit is connected to the outlet of the first cylinder and the second end of the second conduit is connected to the outlet of the second cylinder. 
     
     
         3 . The natural gas compressor of  claim 1 , wherein the junction is not a tank. 
     
     
         4 . The natural gas compressor of  claim 1 , wherein the junction is not a bottle. 
     
     
         5 . The natural gas compressor of  claim 1 , wherein the first conduit has a first cross-sectional area, the second conduit has a second cross-sectional area, and the junction has an outlet having a third cross-sectional area not more than two times the first cross-sectional area and the second cross-sectional area combined. 
     
     
         6 . The natural gas compressor of  claim 5 , further comprising an outlet conduit coupled to the junction outlet. 
     
     
         7 . A natural gas pumping system, comprising:
 a reciprocating compressor including:
 a first cylinder having:
 an inlet through which natural gas is received; and 
 an outlet through which natural gas is discharged; 
 
 a second cylinder having:
 an inlet through which natural gas is received; and 
 an outlet through which natural gas is discharged; 
 
   a first conduit having a first end in fluid communication with the inlet of the first cylinder and a second end in fluid communication with a junction; and   a second conduit having a first end in fluid communication with the inlet of the second cylinder and a second end in fluid communication with the junction.   
     
     
         8 . The natural gas compressor of  claim 7 , wherein the first end of the first conduit is connected to the inlet of the first cylinder and the second end of the second conduit is connected to the inlet of the second cylinder. 
     
     
         9 . The natural gas compressor of  claim 7 , wherein the first conduit has a first cross-sectional area, the second conduit has a second cross-sectional area, and the junction has an outlet having a third cross-sectional area not more than two times the first cross-sectional area and the second cross-sectional area combined. 
     
     
         10 . The natural gas compressor of  claim 9 , further comprising an inlet conduit coupled to the junction outlet. 
     
     
         11 . A method of reducing pressure variations in a natural gas pumping system, the method comprising:
 combining natural gas flowing from a first reciprocating cylinder having a first periodic pressure fluctuation characteristic operating in a first phase with natural gas flowing from a second reciprocating cylinder having a second periodic pressure fluctuation characteristic operating in a second phase when the first periodic pressure fluctuation characteristic is out of phase with the second periodic pressure fluctuation characteristic.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the natural gas flowing from the first reciprocating cylinder is combined with natural gas flowing from the second reciprocating cylinder at a junction. 
     
     
         13 . A pressure wave attenuation system, comprising:
 one or more reciprocating compressors together comprising a first cylinder, a second cylinder, and a third cylinder;   a first header coupled to the first cylinder and a first junction;   a second header coupled to the second cylinder and the first junction such that a pressure wave propagating in the fluid flowing through the first header is out of phase with fluid flowing through the second header when the fluid flowing from the first and second headers combine at the first junction;   a third header coupled to the third cylinder and a second junction; and   a first branch line extending from the first junction to the second junction.   
     
     
         14 . A pressure wave attenuation system, comprising:
 one or more reciprocating compressors together comprising a first cylinder, a second cylinder, a third cylinder, and a fourth cylinder;   a first header in fluid communication with the first cylinder and a first junction;   a second header in fluid communication with the second cylinder and the first junction such that a pressure wave propagating in the fluid flowing through the first header and a pressure wave propagating in the fluid flowing through the second header are attenuated when the fluid flowing from the first header and the fluid flowing through the second header combine at the first junction;   a third header in fluid communication with the third cylinder and a second junction;   a fourth header in fluid communication with the fourth cylinder and the second junction such that a pressure wave propagating in the fluid flowing through the third header and a pressure wave propagating in the fluid flowing through the fourth header are attenuated when the fluid flowing from the third header and the fluid flowing through the fourth header combine at the second junction;   a first branch line in fluid communication with the first junction and a third junction; and   a second branch line in fluid communication with the second junction and the third junction, the length of the second branch line differing from the length of the first branch line such that a pressure wave propagating in the fluid in the first branch line and a pressure wave propagating in the fluid in the second branch line are attenuated when the fluid flows from the first and second branch lines combine at the third junction.   
     
     
         15 . The pressure wave attenuation system of  claim 14 , wherein:
 the pressure wave propagating in the fluid flowing through the first header is out of phase with the pressure wave propagating in the fluid flowing through the second header when the fluid flowing from the first header and the fluid flowing through the second header combine at the first junction;   the pressure wave propagating in the fluid flowing through the third header is out of phase with the pressure wave propagating in the fluid flowing through the fourth header when the fluid flowing from the third header and the fluid flowing through the fourth header combine at the first junction; and   the pressure wave propagating in the fluid flowing through the first branch line is out of phase with the pressure wave propagating in the fluid flowing through the second branch line when the fluid flowing from the first branch line and the fluid flowing through the second branch line combine at the third junction.   
     
     
         16 . The pressure wave attenuation system of  claim 15 , wherein the lengths of the first and second headers cause the pressure waves in the fluid flowing through the first and second headers to be out of phase. 
     
     
         17 . The pressure wave attenuation system of  claim 14 , wherein the length of the second header differs from the length of the first header such that the pressure wave in the first header and the pressure wave in the second header are attenuated when the fluid flowing from the first and second headers combine at the first junction. 
     
     
         18 . The pressure wave attenuation system of  claim 17 , wherein the length of the fourth header differs from the length of the third header such that the pressure wave in the fourth header and the pressure wave in the third header are attenuated when the fluid flowing from the third and fourth headers combine at the second junction. 
     
     
         19 . The pressure wave attenuation system of  claim 14 , wherein the length of the first header is the same as the length of the second header. 
     
     
         20 . The pressure wave attenuation system of  claim 14 , wherein the length of the third header is the same as the length of the fourth header. 
     
     
         21 . The pressure wave attenuation system of  claim 14 , wherein:
 the first header is coupled to an outlet of the first cylinder and the first junction;   the second header is coupled to an outlet of the second cylinder and the first junction;   the third header is coupled to an outlet of the third cylinder and the second junction;   the fourth header is coupled to an outlet of the fourth cylinder and the second junction;   the first branch line is coupled to the first junction and the third junction; and   the second branch line is coupled to the second junction and the third junction.   
     
     
         22 . The pressure wave attenuation system of  claim 14 , further comprising:
 a fifth cylinder and a sixth cylinder of the one or more compressors;   a fifth header in fluid communication with the fifth cylinder and the first junction carrying a fluid having a pressure wave propagating therein such that the pressure waves propagating in the fluid flowing through the first header, second header, and fifth header are attenuated when the fluid flowing from the first header, second header, and fifth header combine at the first junction;   a sixth header in fluid communication with the sixth cylinder and the second junction carrying a fluid having a pressure wave propagating therein such that the pressure wave propagating in the fluid flowing through the third header, fourth header, and sixth header are attenuated when the fluid flowing from the third header, fourth header, and sixth header combine at the second junction.   
     
     
         23 . A method of attenuating pressure waves in a natural gas pumping system, comprising combining gas flowing from a first cylinder in which propagates a first periodic wave with gas flowing from a second cylinder in which propagates a second periodic wave such that the first periodic wave and the second periodic wave are out of phase. 
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 23 , wherein the cylinders operate out of phase. 
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 23 , wherein the cylinders discharge into different length conduits and the conduits are joined at a junction. 
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 23 , wherein the gas is natural gas. 
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 23 , wherein the first cylinder includes a first piston reciprocating within the cylinder and the second cylinder includes a second piston reciprocating within the cylinder. 
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 27 , wherein the first and second pistons compress gas on each of two strokes within the cylinder.