Compresser for pumping fluid having check valves aligned with fluid ports

Abstract

A compressor comprises a first cylinder for compressing a fluid and a second cylinder for driving a piston in the first cylinder. The first cylinder comprises a chamber with first and second ends. The piston is reciprocally movable along an axial direction of the chamber for compressing a fluid. Three or more first ports at the first end include at least one first inlet port and at least one first outlet port. Three or more second ports at the second end include at least one second inlet port and at least one second outlet port. Each port has an axial direction parallel to the axial direction of the chamber. A check valve is connected inline with each port along the axial direction of the port.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A compressor comprising:
 a first cylinder for compressing a fluid, comprising 
 a chamber configured to receive a fluid and having a first end and a second end, 
 a piston reciprocally movable in the chamber for alternately compressing the fluid towards the first or second end, 
 three or more first ports at the first end of the chamber, the first ports comprising at least one first inlet port and at least one first outlet port, and 
 three or more second ports at the second end of the chamber, the second ports comprising at least one second inlet port and at least one second outlet port, 
 wherein each one of the first and second ports defines a fluid flow path extending along an axial direction of the port; 
   at least one second cylinder each connected and configured to drive movement of the piston in the first cylinder through one of the first and second ends; and   a plurality of check valves, each associated with one of the first and second ports and connected inline with the associated port along the axial direction of the associated port,   wherein the piston is reciprocally movable in the chamber along an axial direction of the chamber, and the axial directions of the first and second ports are parallel to the axial direction of the chamber.   
     
     
         2 . The compressor of  claim 1 , wherein the check valves connected to the inlet ports are oriented to allow the fluid to flow into the compression chamber through the inlet ports and the check valves connected to the outlet ports are oriented to allow fluid to flow out of the compression chamber through the outlet ports. 
     
     
         3 . The compressor of  claim 1 , wherein the first ports comprise at least two inlet ports, and the second ports comprise at least two inlet ports. 
     
     
         4 . The compressor of  claim 1 , wherein the first ports comprise at least two outlet ports, and the second ports comprise at least two outlet ports. 
     
     
         5 . The compressor of  claim 1 , further comprising a plurality of first conduits each connecting one of the check valves to its associated port. 
     
     
         6 . The compressor of  claim 5 , wherein each one of the first conduits defines a straight fluid path between the check valve and the port connected by the respective first conduit. 
     
     
         7 . The compressor of  claim 5 , wherein the check valves connected to the inlet ports are first check valves and the check valves connected to the outlet ports are second check valves, the compressor further comprising:
 a second conduit connected to the first check valves for connecting a fluid source to the inlet ports to supply the fluid from the fluid source to the compression chamber though the inlet ports;   a third conduit connected to the second check valves for receiving compressed fluid from the compression chamber through the outlet ports.   
     
     
         8 . The compressor of  claim 7 , wherein each of the second and third conduits comprises a first end comprising a first flange; a plurality of second ends each comprising a second flange for connecting the respective second end to one of the check valves; and at least one third end comprising a third flange and a removable blanking plate coupled to the third flange. 
     
     
         9 . The compressor of  claim 1 , wherein the first ports comprise two first inlet ports and two first outlet ports, and the second ports comprise two second inlet ports and two second outlet ports. 
     
     
         10 . The compressor of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one first inlet port is positioned above the at least one first outlet port, and the at least one second inlet port is positioned above the at least one second outlet port. 
     
     
         11 . The compressor of  claim 1 , wherein the check valves are in-line check valves. 
     
     
         12 . A compressor comprising:
 a first cylinder for compressing a fluid, comprising 
 a chamber configured to receive a fluid and having a first end and a second end, 
 a piston reciprocally movable in the chamber along an axial direction of the chamber for alternately compressing the fluid towards the first or second end, 
 a plurality of first inlet ports and a plurality of first outlet ports at the first end of the chamber, and 
 a plurality of second inlet ports and a plurality of second outlet ports at the second end of the chamber, 
 wherein, each one of the inlet and outlet ports defines a fluid flow path extending along an axial direction of the port, the axial directions of the inlet and outlet ports being perpendicular to the axial direction of the chamber, 
   at least one second cylinder each connected and configured to drive movement of the piston in the first cylinder through one of the first and second ends; and   a plurality of check valves, each associated with one of the inlet and outlet ports and connected inline with the associated port along the axial direction of the associated port.   
     
     
         13 . The compressor of  claim 12 , wherein the first inlet ports are positioned above the first outlet ports at the first end of the chamber and the second inlet ports are positioned above the second outlet ports at the second end of the chamber. 
     
     
         14 . The compressor of  claim 12 , wherein the plurality of check valves are in-line check valves. 
     
     
         15 . The compressor of  claim 12 , further comprising a plurality of first conduits each connecting one of the check valves to its associated port. 
     
     
         16 . The compressor of  claim 15 , wherein each one of the first conduits defines a straight fluid path between the check valve and the port connected by the respective first conduit. 
     
     
         17 . A system for compressing a fluid, comprising first and second compressors each as defined in  claim 1 , wherein the first and second compressors are connected such that the compressed fluid from the outlet ports of the first compressor is fed into the inlet ports of the second compressor for further compression.