Patent ID: 6427729
Filing Date: 2002-08-06
Classification: F04B

Abstract:
A method of boosting the pressure of a natural gas (or other gaseous substances), indirectly, by increasing the pressure of a liquid fluidically in contact with an outside of a flexible bladder temporarily containing and storing the gas, comprising:a hydraulic compression chamber containing a flexible bladder, which will collapse when high pressure liquid is applied to an outside surface of said flexible bladder, thereby boosting the pressure of the gas trapped inside the bladder; the pressurization continues until it reaches a set pressure above a sales line pressure which allows the gas to exit the compression chamber, into the gas sales line, or other use area; a hydraulic pump means is fluidically-connected to an annulus between said compression chamber and the flexible bladder whereby increased pumping of a hydraulic fluid increases the pressure in the annulus and squeezes the gas out of the bladder to a gas sales line or other use area; a gas engine prime mover connected to the hydraulic pump will pressurize the hydraulic fluid to be pumped into the compression chamber; a conduit means for acquiring natural gas from an acquisition location, to provide gas for compression and provide fuel for the gas engine prime mover; a means of collecting and temporarily storing the hydraulic fluid in a reservoir, which is evacuated from the annulus between the flexible bladder and the hydrualic compression chamber after each compression cycle, and said reservoir also serving as a supply vessel to the suction of the hydraulic pump to which it is fluidically-connected.