High efficiency processes and inventions for producing continuing work from transient liquid pressures in a confined liquid

Abstract

High work/energy efficiency and liquid efficiency processes and inventions for producing continuing work from confined liquid transient pressures in a pressure conduit. More particularly work processes and inventions that conserve liquid and increase and maintain the amount of continuing work done by transient pressures produced in a liquid within a confined pressure system.

1 . Corresponding to  claim 1  of Provisional Patent No. 61/284,632, a high work/energy and liquid efficiency process for producing continuing work (as defined in physics and having the same measurement units as energy—termed herein and throughout simply as “work”) from liquid transient pressures produced in a flowing liquid filled and confined pressure system or conduit; the process consisting of: (a) a liquid source component that provides the liquid for the process; (b) a pressure drive conduit component that confines and conveys the liquid from the source at a velocity under pressure to a transient pressure drive device, or for some processes, a simply liquid source conveyance component that conveys the liquid from the source to the transient pressure drive device component; (c) a transient pressure drive device component that creates transient pressures in the confined liquid in the transient pressure device and, if applicable, in the pressure drive conduit component and does work using the high or low transient liquid pressures created; (d) any thing that is worked upon or driven by the transient pressure drive device (the driven device/thing component); (e) a liquid outflow conveyance component that conveys the liquid exiting the transient pressure drive device to a temperature and heat maintenance system or device; (f) a temperature and heat maintenance system or device component that restores and maintains a consistent efficient operating temperature and heat content range for the liquid; and (g) a return component that returns all or part of the liquid to the liquid source.
 Each process component can consist of any configuration or construction that can accomplish the purpose of the particular process component. Process components (a), (b), and (c) (the liquid source, pressure drive conduit/source conveyance, and transient pressure drive device components) repeatedly stop, slow, or disrupt the liquid flow velocity creating transient high or low pressures in the liquid that are made to do work, and then restart or restore the liquid flow velocity in repeating and continuing cycles of stopping, slowing, or disrupting the liquid flow, doing work from the transient pressures created, and then restarting or restoring the flow to its original maximum velocity for the start of the next repeating transient high or low pressure producing cycle (if cyclic). For some pressure drive processes, (c), such as those that disrupt the flow causing transient pressures by turning or partially obstructing the liquid flow, rather than cyclically stopping or slowing and restarting the flow, a pressure drive conduit for component (b) may not be needed, but only a conveyance system of any description that conveys the liquid from the liquid source component to the transient pressure drive component, (c). Process component (d), the driven device/thing component (device/thing meaning herein and throughout any machine, tool, mechanism, apparatus, appliance, contrivance, contraption, gadget, piece of equipment, or the like, or any thing, object, mass, material, substance, body of mass, material, or substance, or the like), consists of anything being worked upon or driven by the combined operation of process components (a), (b), and (c). Process components (e), (f), and (g) (the liquid outflow conveyance, the temperature and heat maintenance system or device, and the return components) act to receive and convey the liquid flow and restore its temperature and heat content for continuing work/energy efficiency and liquid efficiency purposes. 
 In particular, the transient pressure drive process component can consist of any configuration or construction that performs two functions together, or in separate units, to: ( 1 ) produce repeating high or low liquid transient pressures in the liquid flow in the drive device and pressure drive conduit component in any manner, such as stopping, slowing, turning the liquid flow direction, partially obstructing the flow, or any other manner, and ( 2 ) cause the high or low transient pressurized liquid to drive (drive meaning herein and throughout to operate, push, pull, compress, expand, impel, propel, thrust, move, or otherwise do work on) a device/thing directly or indirectly driven by the transient pressure drive device component. 
 The temperature and heat maintenance system or device process component can consist of any configuration or construction that can, from the surroundings or otherwise, actively or passively restore, adjust, maintain, or bring the liquid temperature and heat content to within a consistent temperature and heat range to maintain continuing production of efficient work done by the transient pressure drive component process and device. The range can be most any temperature or heat content range as determined by the liquid properties, and by the type, temperature, and heat range of the energy source that is used for the temperature and heat maintenance device component. The important component function to maintain continued work efficiency and production is to restore and maintain sufficiently consistent liquid temperatures and heat content in the returning liquid to achieve consistent and continued work production from transient pressures produced in the transient pressure drive device component. 
 Process components (a), (b), (c), (e), and (g) above can also function as part of the temperature and heat maintenance component system so that in some process applications a separate temperature and heat maintenance system or device component, (f), may not be needed if sufficient heat exchange occurs from the surroundings or otherwise with respect to the other process components to restore, adjust, and maintain consistent, continuing, and efficient liquid thermal and transient pressure operating conditions. If not, then the temperature and heat maintenance component, (f), is claimed as required in the process because temperature and heat restoration, adjustment and maintenance is essential and required in the claimed process for producing consistent and efficient continuing work from liquid pressure transients. The claimed process requires that sufficient active or passive liquid temperature and heat maintenance must be accomplished in the process components as a whole to restore or maintain a consistent range of efficient liquid temperatures and heat content as the liquid enters into the pressure drive conduit and transient pressure drive device components to be caused to do work, or to maintain the environment if the liquid is eventually released to the environment. 
 The liquid source and temperature and heat maintenance components, coupled with conveyance components (such as (e) and (g) above) that convey liquid to and from them as needed or desired, are interchangeable in position in the process and can be upstream or downstream of each other depending upon a particular application need. The liquid return component can return the liquid directly to the pressure drive conduit component bypassing the liquid source component, if desired. Or, the liquid return component may be omitted if liquid conservation is not needed in a process application. But if so, and the liquid is released from the process to the surrounding environment, the temperature and heat maintenance component are claimed as a process component that can be used for liquid temperature restoration and maintenance for environmental protection, restoration, or enhancement upon release after the liquid is caused to do work. 
 
     
     
         2 . A high work/energy efficiency and liquid efficiency continuing work process for the process of  claim 1  wherein the hydraulics, design, and operations of the liquid source, pressure drive conduit and transient pressure drive device components are constructed, designed, or otherwise fashioned to minimize the liquid flow volume required to reach efficient maximum flow velocities in the pressure drive conduit and/or transient pressure drive device component after the flow is stopped or slowed and restarted in the transient pressure drive device component—those efficient drive flow maximum velocities being within an optimum range wherein any lower maximum velocity or any higher maximum velocity appreciably reduces work or energy efficiency from that achieved within the optimum range.
 That optimum work/energy and liquid efficiency range varies for a given system or process depending on the system hydraulics and process characteristics. The work/energy efficiency is a function of the amount of work/energy expended versus the amount of work done to drive any device/thing. The energy expended is directly related to the volume of liquid flow that occurs from the time the flow first starts (or first begins to increase) to the time the flow is stopped (or slowed) to produce high transient pressures. The velocity of that flow increases near asymptotically toward the steady state velocity. At first the flow velocity increases rapidly to near the steady state velocity with the remaining velocity increase toward the steady state velocity occurring more gradually over a comparative much longer period of time. Meanwhile, energy is expended to cause the liquid flow. Since the magnitude of a transient pressure resulting from the stopping (or slowing) of a liquid depends on the magnitude of the liquid flow velocity, the greatest transient pressure work process efficiency is achieved if the flow is stopped (or slowed) after the rapid increase in velocity while flow volume is low compared to the flow velocity that is reached. Allowing the flow to continue thereafter decreases work efficiency because the flowing liquid merely expends energy while achieving little comparative gain in the amount of work that can be done by transient pressures when the liquid flow is stopped (or slowed). 
 
     
     
         3 . Corresponding to  claim 2  of Provisional Patent No. 61/284,632, a high efficiency work/energy process and invention for a transient pressure drive process that embodies a modification and adaptation of a typical ram pumping process to create a “ram piston” work process and invention. As with a typical ram pump process, the invention and process include a hydraulically or liquid driven alternately opening and closing outflow valve, of any description or configuration connected near the downstream end of a pressure drive conduit, that opens in response to low pressure at the valve and closes in response to higher pressure and liquid flow drag in the valve as in any typical ram pumping process. But, the invention and process modification and adaptation replaces the check valve, the air chamber, and outlet conduit through which liquid would be pumped in a ram pumping process with a piston (the “ram piston”) within a cylinder. The piston is positioned within a cylinder that is connected to the pressure drive conduit and has lower pressure in the cylinder on the opposite side of the piston from the pressure drive conduit. The piston is constructed to seal off and block the escape of the drive liquid past the piston to the lower pressure side. When transient pressures are produced in the pressure drive conduit upon the hydraulic closing of the outflow valve, this sealed piston construction increases work efficiency and output as the transient pressures drive the piston outward toward the low pressure end of the cylinder and the piston does work upon any device/thing connected to, or otherwise driven by it. If desired, the invention and process can be incorporated into the  claim 1  or  claim 2  processes. The piston and cylinder can be of any size, but generally a larger cylinder and piston is more powerful and thus usually more efficient. Finally, work/energy efficiency can be improved by providing higher liquid source pressures into the pressure drive conduit, the “ram piston,” and outflow valve if sufficiently low flow volumes can be achieved through the outflow valve to minimize lost or used energy. 
     
     
         4 . Corresponding to  claim 2  of Provisional Patent No. 61/284,632, a high efficiency work/energy process and invention for the transient pressure drive component for the  claims 1  and  2  processes that embodies a further modification of the “ram piston” invention and process of  claim 3  by: ( 1 ) replacing the hydraulically driven/operated outflow valve of the “ram piston” transient pressure drive process of  claim 3  with any transient pressure producing device such as mechanically or electrically driven valve, or the like, and ( 2 ) controlling in any manner the work load of the device/thing and the timing of the valve operation or other pressure transient production device to maximize work output and minimize energy loss and liquid loss. As in  claim 3 , after the piston is driven outward in the cylinder by transient pressure, the liquid that has entered the cylinder in driving the piston is expelled or exhausted directly back into the pressure drive conduit from which it came by the return movement of the piston. The greater the work load driven by the piston, the lesser the travel distance of the piston will be and the lesser the liquid volume that must be expelled from the cylinder, and thus, the greater will be the work/energy and liquid efficiencies. Further, the claimed process and invention is comprised of minimal elements and moving parts for ease of construction, reduced cost, and ease and reliability of operation. The process and invention has no intermediate piping, conduits, controls, or valving that must direct the transient pressure to the cylinder and “ram piston.” But, rather the piston and cylinder are directly connected for: ( 1 ) maximum drive and work efficiency from the transient pressure, ( 2 ) reduced cost, and ( 3 ) greater reliability through reduced opportunity for malfunctions from plugging or sticking of valves or plugging of conduits. Again, the piston and cylinder can be of any size, but generally a larger cylinder and piston is more powerful and thus usually more efficient. Work/energy efficiency can be improved by higher liquid source pressures into the pressure drive conduit, the “ram piston” and outflow valve if the flow volume through the outflow valve can be minimized by the system design. 
     
     
         5 . A high efficiency work/energy process and invention that includes a construction of a “ram turbine” which is comprised of an enclosed vane turbine, water wheel, or other enclosed blade or fin-type turbine wherein transient pressure produced by any downstream device drives the vanes, blades, or fins (herein and throughout the application called vanes) of the enclosed turbine. The turbine vanes are constructed to seal against the turbine housing so that transient pressurized liquid does not escape past the vanes as the liquid drives the turbine. The transient pressurized liquid drives and turns the turbine by pushing the vanes and expelling liquid under lower pressure through an outlet and an optional check valve connected to the outlet. The check valve can both act to prevent reverse flow, if needed, and to maintain a minimum pressure needed to force liquid through the valve and thereby needed to operate the turbine. The sealed construction acts to prevent liquid from escaping through the enclosed turbine without driving the turbine vanes so that the transient pressure drives the turbine with higher efficiency and force and greater work output is achieved. To force liquid out of the turbine outlet, the turbine vanes are constructed such that they retract or bend over to expel liquid out the turbine outlet. The turbine, vanes can be of any size, but generally the greater the surface area of the vanes the more powerful the “ram turbine” and thus usually the more efficient. Finally, work/energy efficiency can be improved by higher liquid source pressures into the pressure drive conduit and the “ram turbine” if the cycle flow volume can be minimized by the system design.
 The “ram turbine” invention and process can be adapted to operate and function in any of the processes of  claims 1  through  4 . In the processes of  claims 1  and  2 , the “ram turbine” invention and process functions as part of the transient pressure drive device component. In the processes of  claims 3  and  4 , the “ram piston” is replaced by the “ram turbine” and the process of driving the turbine is essentially the same except that the liquid that drives the turbine is not expelled back or returned to the pressure drive conduit through backward flow out of the turbine, but is forced through the turbine and out of the downstream turbine outlet and optional check valve. The liquid exiting the turbine outlet and optional check valve is either returned to the source by any means or is released to the surrounding environment and conveyed away from the “ram turbine” invention by any means. In adaptation to the  claim 3  process, wherein the transient pressure producing device is a hydraulically operated outflow valve, the check valve on the turbine outlet operates to cause hydraulic reopening of the outflow valve by closing and causing backflow back up the pressure drive conduit. 
 
     
     
         6 . A high efficiency work/energy process and invention that modifies and converts the design and operation of the “ram turbine” of  claim 5  into a rocker-type “ram turbine.” The “ram turbine” is modified to eliminate the outlet check valve and any downstream conveyance connected to the outlet so that the outlet or downstream side of the turbine opens to the atmosphere. The turbine is also modified so that it only has sufficient vanes to cause the turbine to turn without expelling liquid through the turbine while the vanes are being pushed by transient pressures. As the transient pressures dissipate to the point where the pressure can no longer turn the turbine, the turbine stops. The direction of the turbine rotation is reversed by any means (mechanically, electrically, by gravity or other means) and the turbine vanes rotate back to their original position to be ready to be pushed by the next set of transient pressures. As the turbine rotates back, the vanes push and expel the drive liquid back out of the turbine housing and back into drive conduit. The motion of the turbine, its vanes, and its drive shaft thus becomes a back and forth rocker-type motion that in one direction drives any device/thing connected directly or indirectly to the turbine drive shaft and then resets and rotates back in the opposite direction without doing work on the device/thing so that the turbine vanes are more easily rotated back to their original position to be ready to be pushed and driven again.
 As with  claim 5 , the sealed vane and turbine housing construction acts to prevent liquid from escaping through the enclosed turbine without driving the turbine vanes so that the transient pressure drives the turbine with higher efficiency and force and greater work output is achieved. But, because there is no full rotation, the vanes do not need to retract or bend against the housing. The construction and operation of the rocker-type “ram turbine” is therefore simpler with less chance of plugging and blade malfunction. However, as with the “ram piston” the drive liquid is expelled back into the drive conduit with the return or backward movement of the turbine and its vanes. So, as with the  claim 4  “ram piston,” generally the greater the work load driven by the turbine, the lesser the turbine vane travel distance and, in turn, the lesser the liquid volume that must be expelled back from the turbine to the drive conduit, and thus, the greater will be the work/energy and liquid efficiencies. 
 The turbine, vanes can be of any size, but generally the greater the surface area of the vanes the more powerful the “ram turbine” and thus usually the more efficient. Work/energy efficiency can also be improved by higher liquid source pressures into the pressure drive conduit and the “ram turbine” if the cycle flow volume can be minimized by the system design. 
 The rocker-type “ram turbine” invention and process can be adapted to operate and function in any of the processes of  claims 1  through  4 . In the processes of  claims 1  and  2 , the rocker-type “ram turbine” invention and process functions as part of the transient pressure drive device component. In the processes of  claims 3  and  4 , the “ram piston” is replaced by the rocker-type “ram turbine” and the process of driving the turbine is essentially the same as for a “ram piston.” 
 
     
     
         7 . Corresponding to  claim 5  of Provisional Patent No. 61/284,632, a higher efficiency work process where the “ram piston” of  claims 3  and  4 , or the “ram turbine” of  claims 5  and  6 , is constructed and operated in the process such that the piston or turbine vanes are positioned immediately adjacent to the flow path of the flowing liquid so that each time a transient pressure is produced in the flowing liquid the piston or turbine receives the full force of the pressure transient to do work. 
     
     
         8 . Corresponding to  claim 6  of Provisional Patent No. 61/284,632 An additional higher work efficiency process for the processes and inventions of  1  through  7  wherein the device/thing driven by the transient pressure drive device is directly or indirectly connected such that the device/thing exerts its maximum work load upon the transient pressure drive device each time the pressure transient is first produced and first begins to drive the transient pressure drive device. The transient pressure is thereby caused to do maximum work on the transient pressure drive device, and in turn, the transient pressure drive device drives and does maximum work upon the device/thing directly or indirectly connected to, and being driven, by the pressure drive device. 
     
     
         9 . Corresponding to  claim 1  of Provisional Patent No. 61/284,632, an additional higher work and liquid efficiency invention and process for the claimed processes and inventions of  claims 1  through  6  such that all components and inventions described in  claims 1  through  6  may be made of any materials that can withstand the pressures and movements to which they are subjected and that will not be unduly corroded or damaged by the liquid used. But that, the more rigid (incompressible and inelastic) the materials used for the pressure drive conduit component and the transient pressure drive device component, the higher the transient pressures and work output will be and the greater will be the work/energy production and efficiency of each process and invention. 
     
     
         10 . Corresponding to  claim 8  of Provisional Patent No. 61/284,632, the high efficiency processes and inventions of  claims 1  through  9  can be constructed and operated as multiple processes and inventions in any combination in parallel (adjacent process systems and/or inventions working separately or together to do work) and/or in series (downstream processes and/or inventions receiving liquid inflow from the outflow of upstream processes working separately or together to do work).