Expandable, inner liner pump

Abstract

Provided is a pump system that includes a primary housing having a first part removably coupled to a second part. An intermediate liner is coupled to second part of the primary housing at a first cavity such that the intermediate liner and the first cavity define a secondary fluid chamber. An inner liner is arranged between the first and second parts of the primary housing, the inner liner being removable from the primary housing upon decoupling the first part from the second part of the primary housing. The inner liner defines a primary fluid chamber. A first side of the inner liner is proximate the first part of the primary housing. A second side of the inner liner is proximate the intermediate liner. A valve is coupled to a space between the second side of the inner liner and the intermediate liner to allow air to exit from the space.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A pump system comprising:
 a primary housing comprising a first part removably coupled to a second part, the second part of the primary housing comprising a first cavity;   an intermediate liner coupled to the second part of the primary housing at the first cavity such that inner surfaces of the intermediate liner and the first cavity define a first secondary fluid chamber;   an inner liner arranged between the first part of the primary housing and the second part of the primary housing, the inner liner being removable from the primary housing upon decoupling the first part from the second part of the primary housing, wherein the inner liner defines a first primary fluid chamber, wherein a first side of the inner liner is proximate the first part of the primary housing, and wherein a second side of the inner liner is proximate the intermediate liner;   a primary fluid chamber inlet and a primary fluid chamber outlet coupled to the first primary fluid chamber to allow primary fluid to enter and exit the first primary fluid chamber;   a secondary fluid chamber inlet and a secondary fluid chamber outlet coupled to the first secondary fluid chamber to allow secondary fluid to enter and exit the first secondary fluid chamber; and   a valve coupled to a space between the second side of the inner liner and the intermediate liner to allow air to exit from the space.   
     
     
         2 . The pump system of  claim 1 , wherein the valve is a non-return valve configured to allow air to escape from the space into the surrounding environment outside of the primary housing. 
     
     
         3 . The pump system of  claim 1 , wherein the first side of the inner liner directly contacts inner surfaces of the first part of the primary housing. 
     
     
         4 . The pump system of  claim 1 , wherein the primary fluid chamber inlet and the primary fluid chamber outlet are integrated with the inner liner such that when the inner liner is removed from the primary housing, the primary fluid chamber inlet and outlet are removed at a same time. 
     
     
         5 . The pump system of  claim 1 , wherein the secondary fluid chamber inlet and the secondary fluid chamber outlet are integrated with the second part of the primary housing. 
     
     
         6 . The pump system of  claim 1 , further comprising an air inlet valve in fluid communication with the space between the second side of the inner liner and the intermediate liner, the air inlet valve configured to receive compressed air to compress the first primary fluid chamber. 
     
     
         7 . The pump system of  claim 1 , wherein the intermediate liner is configured to expand and contract as secondary fluid is pump into and out of the first secondary fluid chamber, and wherein the second side of the inner liner is configured to move synchronously with the intermediate liner such that as the intermediate liner expands, the inner liner contracts the first primary fluid chamber causing primary fluid to exit the first primary fluid chamber and such that as the intermediate liner contracts, the inner liner expands the first primary fluid chamber causing primary fluid to enter the first primary fluid chamber. 
     
     
         8 . The pump system of  claim 1 , wherein a cross-section of the inner liner defining the first primary fluid chamber is oblong. 
     
     
         9 . The pump system of  claim 1 , wherein the second part of the primary housing further comprises a second cavity, wherein the intermediate liner covers the second cavity to define a second secondary fluid chamber. 
     
     
         10 . The pump system of  claim 9 , wherein the inner liner defines a second primary fluid chamber, the second primary fluid chamber being arranged between the intermediate liner at the second cavity and the first part of the primary housing. 
     
     
         11 . The pump system of  claim 10 , further comprising:
 a dual chamber piston pump that is in fluid communication with the first and second secondary fluid chambers to pump secondary fluid into and out of the first and second secondary fluid chambers, resulting in the compression and expansion of the inner liner to pump the primary fluid into and out of the first and second primary fluid chambers.   
     
     
         12 . The pump system of  claim 11 , wherein the dual chamber piston pump comprises:
 a first piston chamber;   a second piston chamber;   a first piston movably coupled to the first piston chamber;   a second piston movably coupled to the second piston chamber;   a first pressure sensor coupled to the first piston chamber and configured to measure a pressure of the secondary fluid in the first piston chamber;   a second pressure sensor coupled to the second piston chamber and configured to measure a pressure of the secondary fluid in the second piston chamber; and   a computer processor coupled to the first pressure sensor, the second pressure sensor, the first piston, and the second piston, wherein the computer processor is configured to conduct a premotion pressure equalization step when the pressure of the secondary fluid in the one of the first or second piston chambers does not equal a target pressure before the one of the first or second pistons begins pushing secondary fluid out of their respective piston chamber.   
     
     
         13 . The pump system of  claim 12 , wherein the target pressure is equal to the measured pressure of the secondary fluid in the remaining piston chamber. 
     
     
         14 . The pump system of  claim 12 , wherein the first pressure sensor is configured to measure the pressure of the secondary fluid in the first piston chamber when the first piston is moving at a constant velocity while pushing the secondary fluid out of the first piston chamber, and wherein the second pressure sensor is configured to measure the pressure of the secondary fluid in the second piston chamber when the second piston is moving at a constant velocity while pushing the secondary fluid out of the second piston chamber. 
     
     
         15 . The pump system of  claim 12 , wherein the first piston and the second piston are coupled to a proportional-integral-derivative (PID) controller, the PID controller configured to variably control the velocity of the first and second pistons in real-time. 
     
     
         16 . A replaceable pump component comprising:
 a flexible membrane having inner surfaces defining a first primary fluid chamber and a second primary fluid chamber, wherein the first and second primary fluid chambers are separated are fluidly isolated from one another;   a first inlet valve coupled to the first primary fluid chamber;   a first outlet valve coupled to the first primary fluid chamber;   a second inlet valve coupled to the second primary fluid chamber; and   a second outlet valve coupled to the second primary fluid chamber.   
     
     
         17 . The replaceable pump component of  claim 16 , wherein the flexible membrane defining the first and second primary fluid chambers comprises a single piece of a flexible material. 
     
     
         18 . The replaceable pump component of  claim 16 , wherein the flexible membrane comprises silicone. 
     
     
         19 . The replaceable pump component of  claim 16 , wherein the first and second inlet valves and the first and second outlet valves each comprise a barbed connection. 
     
     
         20 . A pump system, comprising:
 a primary pump that pumps a primary fluid, the primary pump comprising a first pump unit and a second pump unit, respective pump units comprising:
 an inner liner that is expandable, an interior of which defines a primary fluid chamber, the primary fluid chamber comprising an inlet and an outlet; and 
 an outer liner disposed around the inner liner, an interior of the outer liner defining at least a portion of a secondary fluid chamber; and 
   a secondary pump that pumps a secondary fluid, the secondary pump comprising a dual chamber piston pump that is in fluid communication with the respective secondary fluid chambers of the first and second pump units to operably pump the secondary fluid into and out of the respective secondary fluid chambers, resulting in the compression and expansion of the respective inner liners of the first and second pump units;   wherein the first pump unit and second pump unit operably pump in a synchronous and phased operation with respect to each other,   wherein the dual chamber piston pump comprises:
 a first piston chamber; 
 a second piston chamber; 
 a first piston movably coupled to the first piston chamber; 
 a second piston movably coupled to the second piston chamber; 
 a first pressure sensor coupled to the first piston chamber and configured to measure a of the secondary fluid in the first piston chamber; and 
 a second pressure sensor coupled to the second piston chamber and configured to measure a pressure of the secondary fluid in the second piston chamber, 
   wherein the secondary pump is configured to conduct a premotion pressure equalization step to reduce a difference between the pressure of the secondary fluid in the first piston chamber and the pressure of the secondary fluid in the second piston chamber before one of the first or second pistons begins pushing secondary fluid out of their respective piston chamber.