Method for compressing gases using same gas as working fluid

Abstract

A method of compressing gas using the same gas as the working fluid, using a compressor comprising a reciprocating piston type compressor, a driving cylinder and a driven cylinder. The piston type compressor receives low pressure gas and fills the driven cylinder to a medium pressure target. A valve then directs the output from the piston type compressor to fill the driving cylinder, creating sufficient force to drive the connecting rod between the cylinders fully toward the driven cylinder. The connecting rod force compresses the gas in the driven cylinder and forces it out through a one way valve to a storage cylinder. A valve then directs the piston type compressor to fill the opposite side of the driving cylinder and the driven cylinder, forcing the connecting rod to retract. This cycle is repeated until the final output target high pressure is achieved in the storage vessel.

We claim: 
     
         1 . A method for compressing a compressible gas using the same gas being compressed as the working medium that also does the compressing, using an apparatus comprising a medium-pressure compressor, a larger driving cylinder, and a smaller driven cylinder, comprising:
 repeating a filling and compression cycle while sufficient gas supply is available and a pressure measured by an output pressure sensing means is below an output target pressure; and   allowing passage of high-pressure compressed gas exiting from said driven cylinder and entering a storage location during a compression cycle by a one-way check valve; and   blocking of said high-pressure compressed gas by a one-way check valve during said compression cycle from returning to a reciprocating control valve and said larger driving cylinder; and   controlling of reciprocating control valve by a electronic controller means such that of medium-pressure compressed causes repeated reciprocation of said larger driving cylinder; and   monitoring stroke position signals from cycle stroke position sensor means to said electronics controller; and   drawing in of low-pressure gas from a gas source through a one-way check valve into said medium- pressure compressor; and   outputting said medium-pressure gas used as both the compressing force in said larger driving cylinder and the pre-compressed gas flowing into said smaller driven cylinder; and   rotating of said medium-pressure compressor to produce said medium-pressure gas; and   monitoring and controlling of the compressor cycle, and reporting the compressor status and compressing progress by said electronic controller means; and   terminating said filling and compression cycle when a pressure measured by an output pressure sensing means reaches said output target pressure.   
     
     
         2 . Apparatus for compressing a compressible gas as using the same gas being compressed as the working medium that also does the compressing, comprising:
 a. a one-way check valve allowing high-pressure compressed gas exiting from a driven cylinder during a compression cycle, and   b. a second one-way check valve blocking high-pressure compressed gas from flowing towards back towards a reciprocating control valve and a larger driving cylinder, and   c. said reciprocating control valve controlling the passage of medium-pressure compressed gas in order to cause repeated reciprocation of said larger driving cylinder, and   d. a means of sensing cycle stroke position sensors, and   e. said medium-pressure compressor drawing in low-pressure gas from a gas source through a one-way check valve and outputting said medium-pressure gas used as both the compressing force in said larger driving cylinder and the pre-compressed gas flowing into said smaller driven cylinder, and   f. a means for conveying rotational energy to the said medium-pressure compressor, and   g. a means of controlling, monitoring, and reporting the status of compressing progress.
 3) The compressor of  claim 2 , wherein said driving cylinders comprises a plurality of said driving cylinders. 
 4) The compressor of  claim 2 , wherein said driven cylinders comprises a plurality of said driven cylinders. 
 5) The compressor of  claim 2 , wherein said medium-pressure compressors comprises a plurality of said medium-pressure compressors. 
 6) The compressor of  claim 2 , wherein said medium-pressure compressors comprises a multiple number of medium-pressure compressors capable of being enabled or disabled. 
 7) The compressor of  claim 2 , wherein said driving cylinders comprises a double-ended driving cylinder providing for simultaneous filling and compressing events of attached said driven cylinder(s). 
 8) The compressor of  claim 2 , wherein said medium-pressure compressors is of the air conditioning type compressor. 
 9) The compressor of  claim 2 , wherein said medium-pressure compressors is of the scuba type air compressor. 
 10) The compressor of  claim 2 , wherein said rotational energy driving said medium-pressure compressor is supplied by electric motor, petroleum, natural gas or propane powered engine. 
 11) The compressor of  claim 2 , wherein said driving cylinder(s) and said driven cylinder(s) comprises a said driving cylinder (s) and said driven cylinder(s) fabricated within a common envelope. 
 12) The compressor of  claim 2 , wherein said compressor system further including means of sensing sufficiency of said low pressure gas supply. 
 13) The compressor of  claim 2 , wherein said compressor system further including gas and equipment cooling apparatus.