Compressible gas ejector with unexpanded motive gas-load gas interface

Abstract

A compressible gas ejector is configured to present unexpanded motive gas to a load gas, wherein the interface of the unexpanded motive gas and the load gas can be located in a suction chamber or within a downstream diffuser. The ejector includes a motive funnel for increasing the velocity of a relatively high pressure motive gas, the motive funnel substantially precluding adiabatic expansion of the motive gas.

1 . A compressible gas ejector system, comprising: 
 (a) a converging motive funnel, the motive funnel including a converging section and being substantially free of a downstream diverging section;    (b) a suction chamber fluidly connected to the motive funnel; and    (c) a diffuser downstream of the suction chamber, the diffuser including a converging section and a downstream diverging section.    
   
   
       2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the motive funnel is selected to present substantially unexpanded motive gas to the suction chamber.  
   
   
       3 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the motive funnel is selected to present substantially unexpanded motive gas to the diffuser.  
   
   
       4 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising a load gas fluidly connected to the suction chamber, a pressure of the load gas being greater than approximately one half a pressure of the motive gas.  
   
   
       5 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein a pressure of a motive gas passing from the motive funnel is less than a pressure of a load gas in the suction chamber.  
   
   
       6 . A method of operating a compressible gas ejector, comprising: 
 (a) expressing an unexpanded motive gas into a converging section of a downstream diffuser to form an entrained flow.    
   
   
       7 . The method of  claim 6 , further comprising passing the motive gas through an upstream motive funnel and maintaining a pressure of the motive gas upstream of the motive funnel less than approximately twice a pressure of a load gas.  
   
   
       8 . The method of  claim 6 , further comprising providing a ratio of motive gas flow rate to a load gas flow rate of approximately 1.5 or less.  
   
   
       9 . A compressible gas ejector fluidly connected to a load gas, comprising: 
 (a) a motive funnel consisting essentially of a converging portion and a throat to expose a substantially unexpanded motive gas flow to the load gas.    
   
   
       10 . The ejector of  claim 9 , further comprising a downstream diffuser having a converging section, the motive nozzle throat located within the converging section of the diffuser.  
   
   
       11 . A compressible gas ejector, comprising: 
 (a) a diffuser having a converging section and a downstream diverging section, the converging section having an inlet diameter greater than a length of the converging section.    
   
   
       12 . A method of operating a compressible gas ejector, comprising: 
 (a) passing a flow mixture including a motive gas and a load gas through a diffuser, the diffuser having a converging section with an inlet diameter less than a length of the converging section.    
   
   
       13 . A compressible gas ejector for compressing a load gas to a higher pressure, the ejector comprising: 
 (a) a motive funnel having a converging portion and an exit port; and    (b) a downstream diffuser having a converging section, the exit port located within the converging section.    
   
   
       14 . A compressible gas ejector, comprising: 
 (a) a diffuser having a converging section, the converging section having an inlet; and    (b) a motive funnel upstream of the diffuser, the motive funnel having an exit port sized to introduce unexpanded motive gas into the inlet.    
   
   
       15 . The ejector of  claim 14 , wherein the exit port is within the inlet.