Compression System and Method Having Co-Axial Flow Device

Abstract

A system, including a compressor including a cylinder with a chamber, a first axial end portion, and a second axial end portion, and a piston in the chamber of the cylinder, the piston is configured to reciprocate along a cylinder axis between the first and second axial end portions, and a co-axial flow device coupled to compressor, the co-axial flow device includes a first wall disposed about a first passage along an axis, a second passage disposed about the first wall along the axis, and a second wall disposed about the second passage along the axis, the first passage includes a first axial opening in fluid communication with the chamber while the piston moves in a first axial direction, and the second passage includes a second axial opening in fluid communication with the chamber while the piston moves in a second axial direction opposite from the first axial direction.

1 . A system, comprising:
 a compressor, comprising:
 a cylinder comprising a chamber, a first axial end portion, and a second axial end portion; and 
 a piston disposed within the chamber of the cylinder, wherein the piston is configured to reciprocate along a cylinder axis between the first and second axial end portions; and 
   a co-axial flow device coupled to the compressor, wherein the co-axial flow device comprises a first wall disposed about a first passage along an axis, a second passage disposed about the first wall along the axis, and a second wall disposed about the second passage along the axis, wherein the first passage comprises a first axial opening in fluid communication with the chamber while the piston moves in a first axial direction, and the second passage comprises a second axial opening in fluid communication with the chamber while the piston moves in a second axial direction opposite from the first axial direction.   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the first passage comprises a central axial passage, and the second passage comprises an annular outer passage. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein the first and second walls comprises first and second concentric annular walls. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein the first axial opening comprises a central axial opening, and the second axial opening comprises an annular axial opening disposed about the central axial opening. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 4 , wherein the first passage comprises a third axial opening, and the first and third axial openings are disposed at opposite end portions of the first passage. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 5 , wherein the second passage comprises a radial opening through the second wall. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 6 , wherein the co-axial flow device comprises an annular scoop extending between the first and second walls, and the annular scoop has a U-shaped curve from the first wall to the second wall. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 7 , wherein the co-axial flow device comprises a first tapered annular transition along the first wall at the first axial opening, a second tapered annular transition along the first wall at the second axial opening, or a third tapered annular transition along the first wall at the third axial opening, or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 8 , comprising a valve assembly disposed between the piston and the first and second axial openings. 
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the co-axial flow device comprises a scoop extending circumferentially about the axis between the first and second walls, and the scoop has a U-shaped curve from the first wall to the second wall. 
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the co-axial flow device comprises a first tapered transition along the first wall at the first axial opening, a second tapered transition along the first wall at the second axial opening, or a third tapered transition along the first wall at a third axial opening of the first passage, or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 1 , comprising a valve assembly disposed between the piston and the first and second axial openings. 
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the valve assembly comprises a first valve disposed between the first axial opening and the piston, and a second valve disposed between the second axial opening and the piston. 
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 13 , wherein the first valve comprises a first one-way valve and the second valve comprises a second one-way valve, and the first and second one-way valves are configured to enable flow in opposite axial directions relative to the axis of the co-axial flow device. 
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 1 , comprising a drive coupled to the compressor. 
     
     
         16 . A system, comprising:
 a valve assembly comprising a first one-way valve and a second one-way valve, wherein the first one-way valve is configured to enable fluid flow in a first axial direction, and the second one-way valve is configured to enable fluid flow in a second axial direction opposite from the first axial direction; and   a co-axial flow device comprising a first wall disposed about a first passage along an axis, a second passage disposed about the first wall along the axis, and a second wall disposed about the second passage along the axis, wherein the first passage comprises a first axial opening in fluid communication with the first one-way valve, and the second passage comprises a second axial opening in fluid communication with the second one-way valve.   
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 16 , wherein comprising a compressor coupled to the co-axial flow device. 
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 16 , wherein the first wall comprises a first annular wall, the first passage comprises a central axial passage having the first axial opening and a third axial opening opposite from the first axial opening, the second wall comprises a second annular wall, the second passage comprises an annular outer passage having the second axial opening and a radial opening through the second wall, and the co-axial flow device comprises an annular scoop extending between the first and second walls. 
     
     
         19 . A method, comprising:
 reciprocating a piston in a cylinder of a compressor between first and second axial end portions; and   routing a fluid in a first axial direction through a first opening in a first passage of a co-axial flow device as the piston moves in a first axial direction; and   routing the fluid in a second axial direction through a second opening in a second passage of the co-axial flow device as the piston moves in a second axial direction opposite from the first axial direction, wherein the co-axial flow device has a first wall disposed about the first passage along an axis, the co-axial flow device has the second passage disposed about the first wall along the axis, and the co-axial flow device has a second wall disposed about the second passage along the axis.   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein the first wall comprises a first annular wall, the first passage comprises a central axial passage having the first axial opening and a third axial opening opposite from the first axial opening, the second wall comprises a second annular wall, the second passage comprises an annular outer passage having the second axial opening and a radial opening through the second wall, and the co-axial flow device comprises an annular scoop extending between the first and second walls.