Patent ID: 8899323

Claim:
An apparatus, comprising: a downhole tool to sample fluid from a subterranean formation; and a plurality of fluidly coupled pump modules disposed on the downhole tool, each pump module including: a pump having a pump inlet and a pump outlet, where the pump inlet is coupled to a first flowline; a first valve assembly having first, second and third ports, wherein the first port is coupled to the first flowline, the second port is coupled to the pump outlet, and the third port is coupled to the first flowline; and a second flowline not fluidly coupled to the first valve assembly or the pump; wherein the each of the first flowlines fluidly couples a first inlet and first outlet of each pump module, each of the second flowlines fluidly couples a second inlet and second outlet of each of the pump modules, and each of the pump outlets is fluidly coupled to a third outlet of each of the pump modules.