Method of producing compressed air via energy exchange with compressed natural gas

Abstract

A compression exchange apparatus that includes a first compression chamber and a first inlet to allow the compression exchange apparatus to receive compressed natural gas. The compression exchange apparatus also includes a second inlet to allow the compression exchange apparatus to receive air at a first pressure and a first outlet of the compression exchange apparatus for providing decompressed natural gas generated by decompressing the compressed natural gas in the compression exchange apparatus a path to escape the compression exchange apparatus. The compression exchange apparatus can also include a second outlet of the compression exchange apparatus for providing compressed air at a higher second pressure to exit the compression exchange apparatus and a first diaphragm in the first compression chamber to transfer the energy of the compressed natural gas into compressing the air at the first pressure to generate the compressed air at the higher second pressure. A method that includes the steps of capturing energy contained in a compressed gas via a compression exchange apparatus and generating compressed air from the energy captured from the compressed gas.

1 . A compression exchange apparatus, the compression exchange apparatus comprising:
 a first compression chamber;   a first inlet to allow the compression exchange apparatus to receive compressed natural gas;   a second inlet to allow the compression exchange apparatus to receive air at a first pressure;   a first outlet of the compression exchange apparatus for providing decompressed natural gas generated by decompressing the compressed natural gas in the compression exchange apparatus a path to escape the compression exchange apparatus;   a second outlet of the compression exchange apparatus for providing compressed air at a higher second pressure to exit the compression exchange apparatus; and   a first diaphragm in the first compression chamber to transfer the energy of the compressed natural gas into compressing the air at the first pressure to generate the compressed air at the higher second pressure.   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the first and second inlets and the first and second outlets are disposed in the first compression chamber, the first inlet and the first outlet disposed on one side of the first diaphragm and the second inlet and the second outlet are disposed on an opposite side of the first diaphragm. 
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the compression exchange apparatus further comprises a second compression chamber that includes a second diaphragm disposed therein. 
     
     
         4 . The apparatus of  claim 3  wherein the first inlet and the first outlet are disposed in the first compression chamber in fluidic communication with a first side of the first diaphragm and the second inlet and the second outlet are disposed in the second compression chamber in fluidic communication with a first side of the second diaphragm. 
     
     
         5 . The apparatus of  claim 4  further comprising:
 a third inlet in fluidic communication with a second side of the first diaphragm to allow compressed natural gas to enter the first compression chamber on the second side of the first diaphragm; 
 a second inlet in fluidic communication with a second side of the second diaphragm to receive air at a third pressure; 
 a first outlet in fluidic communication with the second side of the first diaphragm for providing decompressed natural gas generated by decompressing the compressed natural gas in the second side a path to escape the first compression chamber; 
 a second outlet in fluidic communication with the second side of the second diaphragm for providing compressed air at a higher fourth pressure than the air entering the second compression chamber at the third pressure to exit the second compression chamber, the second diaphragm in the second compression chamber to transfer the energy of the compressed natural gas into compressing the air at the third pressure to generate the compressed air at the higher fourth pressure. 
 
     
     
         6 . The apparatus of  claim 5  further comprising an oscillating control valve to direct a feed of compressed natural gas alternatingly between the first inlet and the third inlet of the first compression chamber. 
     
     
         7 . The apparatus of  claim 5  further comprising a linkage device that is connected on one end to the first diaphragm and connected on a second end to the second diaphragm to transfer movement of the first diaphragm to the second diaphragm and to transfer movement of the second diaphragm to the first diaphragm. 
     
     
         8 . The apparatus of  claim 4  further comprising a piston apparatus to transfer movement of the first diaphragm to the second diaphragm. 
     
     
         9 . A method, the method comprising:
 capturing energy contained in a compressed gas via a compression exchange apparatus, the compression exchange apparatus comprising:
 a first compression chamber; 
 a first inlet disposed in a sidewall of the first compression chamber to allow the compression exchange apparatus to receive compressed natural gas; 
 a second inlet disposed in the sidewall of the first compression chamber to allow the compression exchange apparatus to receive air at a first pressure; 
 a first outlet disposed in the sidewall of the first compression chamber of the compression exchange apparatus for providing decompressed natural gas generated by decompressing the compressed natural gas in the compression exchange apparatus a path to escape the compression exchange apparatus; 
 a second outlet disposed in the sidewall of the first compression chamber of the compression exchange apparatus for providing compressed air at a higher second pressure to exit the compression exchange apparatus; and 
 a first diaphragm in the first compression chamber to transfer the energy of the compressed natural gas into compressing the air at the first pressure to generate the compressed air at the higher second pressure; and 
 generating compressed air from the energy captured from the compressed gas. 
   
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9  further comprising storing the compressed air or using the compressed air to operate various devices. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 9  wherein the generated compressed air has a higher volume and a lower pressure than the compressed gas fed to the compression exchange apparatus. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 9  wherein the generated compressed air has a lower volume and a higher pressure than the compressed gas fed to the compression exchange apparatus. 
     
     
         13 . (canceled) 
     
     
         14 . The method of claim  13  wherein the first and second inlets and the first and second outlets are disposed in the first compression chamber, the first inlet and the first outlet disposed on one side of the first diaphragm and the second inlet and the second outlet are disposed on an opposite side of the first diaphragm. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 9  wherein the compression exchange apparatus further comprises a second compression chamber that includes a second diaphragm disposed therein. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15  wherein the first inlet and the first outlet are disposed in the first compression chamber in fluidic communication with a first side of the first diaphragm and the second inlet and the second outlet are disposed in the second compression chamber in fluidic communication with a first side of the second diaphragm. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16  further comprising:
 a third inlet in fluidic communication with a second side of the first diaphragm to allow compressed natural gas to enter the first compression chamber on the second side of the first diaphragm; 
 a second inlet in fluidic communication with a second side of the second diaphragm to receive air at a third pressure; 
 a first outlet in fluidic communication with the second side of the first diaphragm for providing decompressed natural gas generated by decompressing the compressed natural gas in the second side a path to escape the first compression chamber; 
 a second outlet in fluidic communication with the second side of the second diaphragm for providing compressed air at a higher fourth pressure than the air entering the second compression chamber at the third pressure to exit the second compression chamber, the second diaphragm in the second compression chamber to transfer the energy of the compressed natural gas into compressing the air at the third pressure to generate the compressed air at the higher fourth pressure. 
 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17  further comprising an oscillating control valve to direct a feed of compressed natural gas alternatingly between the first inlet and the third inlet of the first compression chamber. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 17  further comprising a linkage device that is connected on one end to the first diaphragm and connected on a second end to the second diaphragm to transfer movement of the first diaphragm to the second diaphragm and to transfer movement of the second diaphragm to the first diaphragm. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 16  further comprising a piston apparatus to transfer movement of the first diaphragm to the second diaphragm.