Patent ID: 6033192
Filing Date: 2000-03-07
Classification: E21F,F04B,Y10T

Abstract:
A fluid transfer system includingtwo elongated fluid transfer chambers, each having a first end and a second end,a flexible fluid-separating bladder in each fluid transfer chamber, each bladder having a U-shaped cross-section, a closed end and an open end fixed to a side wall of the chamber about the longitudinal axis of the chamber proximal to a central portion of the side wall of the chamber, the length of the bladder between its open and closed ends being such that fluid in the chamber may move the closed end of the bladder between the proximity of the two ends of the chamber,switch means on the closed end of the bladder,electronic switches at each end of each chamber activated by the bladder switch means,fluid inlet and outlet arrangements at each end of each chamber,oppositely directed one-way inlet and outlet valves in the inlet and outlet arrangement at the first end of each chamber for permitting the flow of a driven fluid into and out of the chamber,oppositely directed inlet and outlet controlled valves in the inlet and outlet arrangements at the second end of each chamber for controlling the flow of a drive fluid into and out of the chamber,a plurality of fluid pressure balancing arrangements, each fluid pressure balancing arrangement including a port in one of the controlled valves,an actuator on each controlled valve which is adapted to open and close the valve and the fluid pressure balancing port in the valve, anda control system, responsive to the electronic chamber switches, connected to the actuators of each of the controlled valves for proportionally opening and closing the controlled inlet valves of each chamber in opposite phase to each other and for opening and closing the controlled outlet valves to ensure full volume continuous drive fluid flow through the system based on the positions of the bladders in the chambers and, thereby, the relative positions of the drive and driven fluids in each of the transfer chambers.