Other

General Electric Company

Science Applications International Corporation

Nl Industries

Willard D Childs

Ali E Dabiri

Douglas W Nayler

Matthew D d'Artenay

Fred R Foreman

Eugene S Matsuda

Michael J Connor, Jr

Gerard J Vanderloop

Howard J Bates

A fluid pumping system with energy recovery features may be used to provide feed water to a reverse osmosis unit. The system includes an electronic controller unit that regulates the output of three hydraulic pumps. Each hydraulic pump drives the movement of a piston in a cylinder. The pistons collectively deliver a generally constant flow of high pressure feed water to the reverse osmosis unit. Concentrate valve bodies direct concentrate from the reverse osmosis unit to the back sides of the pistons to reduce the work required from the hydraulic pumps. The concentrate valve bodies are designed to open and close based upon the flow of concentrate through the valve bodies. The piston and cylinder are designed for exposure to sea water and RO brine.

Desalination system with energy recovery and related pumps, valves and controller

A fluid pumping system with energy recovery features may provide feed water to a reverse osmosis unit. The system includes an electronic controller unit that regulates the output of three hydraulic pumps. Each hydraulic pump drives the movement of a piston in a cylinder. The pistons collectively deliver a generally constant flow of high pressure feed water. Valve bodies direct reverse osmosis concentrate to the back sides of the pistons. The electronic controller coordinates the output of the hydraulic pumps with the actuation of the valve bodies. Movement of the pistons is controlled, in part, by a feed back loop to verify the desired hydraulic pump output. Valve bodies are designed to begin closing when an associated piston velocity decreases. The valve body moves after a dwell period when an associated piston should not be moving. The piston and cylinder are designed for exposure to high salt-content water.

A controlled direct drive engine efficiency uses positive-displacement power produced from a thermal energy source (or sources), which may include combustion energy. Engine power production is from a plurality of cylinders appropriately controlled by a hydraulic drive unit to add to or subtract from such power output to adjust cyclic variations, thus producing a desired velocity profile for a piston (or other mover) in a fluid-displacement cylinder that is being used to effect pumping (or compressing) of liquids, gases, or vapors. The overall system is particularly suited to use a Modified Brayton thermodynamic cycle where the power output is delivered through a common rod to a positive displacement fluid pumping or compressing device. Interconnected with that common rod is a double-acting hydraulic cylinder which is operated in conjunction with a rotary, variable volume hydraulic motor/pump to effect the desired adjustment. By using a plurality of power outputs from such a Modified Brayton cycle (or other cycle), which outputs are phased to operate complementary to one another, power is transferred between individual power outputs to efficiently and smoothly operate a plurality of fluid-displacement devices.

Controlled direct drive engine system

An energy-recovery pump or pumping system includes, in a double action embodiment, first and second cylinders wherein respective first and second pistons, mounted to a common reciprocating piston shaft, are mounted for reciprocating motion. A hydraulic pump drives the common piston shaft back and forth in accordance with a prescribed velocity profile that includes acceleration, constant velocity, and deceleration periods, as well as a short dwell time at the conclusion of each stroke during which the shaft and pistons remain stopped. Each piston divides each cylinder into first and second working volumes. Input and output valves connect a source of fluid with an output header through half of the working volumes in such a way that the fluid is received within whichever working volume is expanding and is pumped from whichever working volume is contracting, as the pistons move back and forth within their respective cylinders during a pump cycle. Energy recovery valves selectively connect a second fluid under pressure with whichever of the other half of the working volumes is expanding so that the pressure force associated with the second fluid assists in moving the respective piston during the appropriate portion of the pump cycle. The second fluid is discharged from the respective working volumes through discharge valves as such working volumes contract during the pump cycle. The energy recovery and discharge valves are switched from one position to another only when the pistons are stopped for the short dwell time at the end of a forward or backward stroke.

Integrated pumping and/or energy recovery system

A speed control valve is formed with a pair of cooperating inversely operating dashpots to control movement of a valve element in either direction so as to prevent sudden actuation upon change in fluid velocity or oscillation due to fluid flow changes. Bleeding of fluid into and out of the dashpots controls the speed of movement of the valve element.

Speed control valve

Disclosed is a compensator applicable for use with a traveling block supported from a mast, derrick or the like by means of a crown block wherein the traveling block may be utilized for supporting objects. Two fluid pressure piston-and-cylinder assemblies are arrayed on opposite sides of a line of travel of the traveling block relative to the crown block so that a flexible line positioned about the sheaves of both blocks passes over a pulley supported by one fluid pressure assembly to one side of the line of travel and, on the other side, the flexible line passes over a pulley supported by the other fluid pressure assembly. One end of the flexible line may be anchored relative to the mast as a deadline while the line at its other end may be selectively retracted or payed out by a drawworks or the like fixed relative to the mast. In one embodiment, the pulleys are carried by a carriage which is carried by the fluid pressure assemblies. The crown block is supported by flexible lines passing over pulleys also supported by the fluid pressure assemblies. In another embodiment, the fluid pressure assemblies directly support the crown block, and pulley assemblies are supported by flexible lines between the crown block and the mast, and include pulleys over which the flexible line connecting the two blocks passes. With the drawworks holding the first flexible line fixed, the crown block and the traveling block may move in unison relative to the mast with proportional reciprocable movement on behalf of each of the fluid pressure assemblies while the traveling block remains stationary relative to the crown block. Operation of the drawworks to retract or pay out the line results in manipulation of the traveling block relative to the crown block regardless of movement of the two blocks relative to the mast.

Crown block compensator

A regulator is provided for controlling air flow at high volume at either low vacuum or low pressure levels. The regulator includes an accumulator chamber having a first opening for providing flow of air from the accumulator chamber to a plenum and a second opening to facilitate air flow from either a positive pressure pump or a vacuum pump to the accumulator chamber. A regulator chamber is provided adjacent to the accumulator chamber for controlling pressure in the accumulator chamber, the two chambers being separated by a piston which moves in response to relative pressure changes in the chambers. This movement is controlled by means of a pressure transducer connected to the regulator chamber which controls air pressure to the regulator chamber through a valve by means of a comparison circuit which senses any difference between the pressure in the accumulator chamber and the desired pressure. In the preferred embodiment, a manifold plate at one end of the accumulator chamber is provided with the required ports and a pair of plugs which can be removably placed in selected ports to change the regulator from a pressure regulator to a vacuum regulator and vice versa.

Regulator for high volume air flow control

A reversible power transmission for transmitting input power supplied from either direction. The transmission comprises in combination a plurality of fluid power units for driving or receiving power from a first plurality of fluid actuators. The first plurality of fluid actuators are timed together for cooperating in a mutually complementary manner to substantially linearize a normally pulsating power transfer. The first plurality of actuators may be connected to additional actuators for providing or receiving rotary motion or to plungers operating within stuffing boxes for constant flow pumping or fluid power transfer.

Growing community of inventors

Encinitas, CA, United States of America

Willard D Childs