High pressure hydrogen gas compressor

Abstract

A gas compressor comprises a source of high pressure fluid and a pressure vessel having a gas inlet for the gas to be compressed, a gas outlet for the compressed gas and a fluid inlet for the high pressure fluid. The compressor is arranged to introduce the high pressure fluid into the pressure vessel via the fluid inlet whereby to compress a volume of gas in the pressure vessel.

1 . A gas compressor comprising:
 a source of high pressure liquid; and   a pressure vessel having a gas inlet for a gas to be compressed, a gas outlet for the compressed gas and a fluid inlet for the high pressure liquid,   wherein the compressor is arranged to introduce the high pressure liquid into the pressure vessel via the fluid inlet whereby to compress a volume of gas in the pressure vessel, and   wherein the fluid inlet of the pressure vessel comprises a s nozzle for spraying the high pressure liquid into the pressure vessel.   
     
     
         2 - 6 . (canceled) 
     
     
         7 . A gas compressor as claimed in  1 , wherein the high pressure fluid is water. 
     
     
         8 . A gas compressor as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the source of high pressure liquid comprises a pump arranged to pump liquid to the fluid inlet of the pressure vessel. 
     
     
         9 . A gas compressor as claimed in  claim 8 , wherein the source of high pressure liquid comprises a tank and the pump is arranged to pump liquid from the tank to the fluid inlet of the pressure vessel. 
     
     
         10 . A gas compressor as claimed in  claim 8 , comprising at least one further pressure vessel having a gas inlet and a fluid inlet for the high pressure liquid,
 wherein the pump is arranged to pump liquid from the first pressure vessel to the fluid inlet of the further pressure vessel whereby to compress a volume of gas in the further pressure vessel, and   wherein the pump is arranged subsequently to pump liquid from the further pressure vessel to the fluid inlet of the first pressure vessel whereby to compress a volume of gas in the first pressure vessel.   
     
     
         11 . A gas compressor as claimed in  claim 10 , wherein the first pressure vessel and the further pressure vessel are configured such that pumping of liquid from the first pressure vessel to the further pressure vessel causes a pressure drop in the first pressure vessel, whereby to draw gas into the first pressure vessel via the gas inlet, and pumping of liquid from the further pressure vessel to the first pressure vessel causes a pressure drop in the further pressure vessel, whereby to draw gas into the further pressure vessel via the gas inlet. 
     
     
         12 . A gas compressor as claimed in  claim 11 , wherein the gas inlet of the first pressure vessel and the gas inlet of the further pressure vessel are connected to the same source of gas. 
     
     
         13 . A gas compressor as claimed in  claim 1  comprising at least one further pressure vessel having a gas inlet connected to the gas outlet of the first pressure vessel and a fluid inlet for the high pressure liquid,
 wherein the compressor is arranged to introduce the high pressure liquid into the further pressure vessel via the fluid inlet whereby to compress further a volume of gas in the further pressure vessel. 
 
     
     
         14 . A gas compressor as claimed in  claim 13 , wherein the fluid inlet of the further pressure vessel is connected to the same source of high pressure liquid as the fluid inlet of the first pressure vessel. 
     
     
         15 . A gas compressor as claimed in  claim 1  wherein the gas inlet of the pressure vessel is supplied with gas from a water electrolyser. 
     
     
         16 . A gas compressor as claimed in  claim 1  wherein the gas is hydrogen. 
     
     
         17 . (canceled) 
     
     
         18 . A gas compressor as claimed in  claim 10 , wherein the gas inlet of the first pressure vessel and the gas inlet of the further pressure vessel are connected to the same source of gas. 
     
     
         19 . A gas compressor as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the liquid comprises chemicals for cleaning the gas. 
     
     
         20 . A method of compressing a gas, comprising the steps of:
 supplying a high pressure liquid to a pressure vessel having a gas inlet for the gas to be compressed, a gas outlet for the compressed gas, and a fluid inlet for the high pressure liquid, and   using a spray nozzle at the fluid inlet to spray the high pressure liquid into the pressure vessel so as to compress a volume of the gas in the pressure vessel.   
     
     
         21 . A method as claimed in  claim 20 , wherein the high pressure liquid is high pressure water. 
     
     
         22 . A method as claimed in  claim 20 , wherein the high pressure liquid comprises chemicals for cleaning the gas.