Adaptive Repressurizer for Small Volume Gas Recovery
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional pressure increasing systems for specialized gases like 13C labeled carbon dioxide are inefficient due to high volume requirements and wastage of the source gas, especially when the gas is available in small quantities and at low pressures, making it difficult to meet application pressures without consuming excessive gas.
Innovation Solution
An adaptive repressurizer system that uses a series of valves and a piston-type accumulator to control gas pressure by connecting a gas container to a gas-side circuit and a hydraulic substance to a hydraulic-side circuit, allowing for the modulation of gas pressure within a compact and efficient manner, enabling the use of small gas volumes effectively.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Stress or pressure
If conventional gas boosters or compression systems are used to increase gas pressure, then the gas pressure can be increased to meet application requirements, but the system requires more volume than is available in the source gas bottle
Solution Approach 1:
The gas bottle is placed inside the repressurizer housing, and the piston accumulator is positioned within the same compact enclosure. This nested arrangement allows the pressure increase system to fit within a volume comparable to or slightly larger than the source bottle itself, eliminating the need for external bulky compression equipment.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses a piston mechanism driven by hydraulic or pneumatic pressure to compress the source gas. By applying force through the piston to reduce gas volume in the bottle, the system achieves pressure increase without requiring large external compressors, leveraging fluid mechanics principles for compact force transmission.
2Stress or pressure
If conventional gas modulation systems are used to reduce gas pressure, then the gas pressure can be reduced to match application requirements, but the system consumes too much of the total source gas volume
Solution Approach 1:
The system recovers and stores the gas that would otherwise be wasted during pressure modulation. The piston accumulator captures and stores the gas displaced during compression cycles, making it available for future use. This recovery mechanism significantly reduces the consumption of expensive source gas while maintaining the ability to modulate pressure as needed.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the physical parameters of the gas by compressing it into a smaller volume using the piston mechanism. By increasing the density and pressure of the source gas in the bottle, the system allows more gas to be stored in the same physical space, effectively reducing the volume consumption for the same amount of gas delivered at application pressure.
3Device complexity
If the source gas is used directly from the bottle, then no additional equipment is needed, but the pressure is too low for applications requiring higher pressure
Solution Approach 1:
The system merges the gas storage bottle with the pressure increase mechanism into a single integrated unit. The bottle, piston accumulator, and control system are combined within one housing, creating a unified device that both stores and pressurizes the gas. This integration maintains simplicity while achieving the required pressure increase, avoiding the need for separate external compression equipment.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The adaptive repressurizer system efficiently modulates gas pressure to meet laboratory requirements, maximizing the utilization of expensive gases by allowing both pressure increase and decrease, thus minimizing gas consumption and ensuring safe, controlled handling.
Implementation Method 1
an accumulator configured to change, hydraulically via the piston, the first gas pressure of the source gas to a second gas pressure by changing a first gas volume at the first gas pressure to a second gas volume at the second gas pressure
Implementation Method 2
a piston-type accumulator to control gas pressure by connecting a gas container to a gas-side circuit and a hydraulic substance to a hydraulic-side circuit
Implementation Method 3
connecting a vacuum source to the gas-side circuit at a vacuum port disposed on the gas-side circuit and configured to evacuate the gas-side circuit and to draw the source gas out to recover the source gas
Data Source
AI summary
A method for recovering a source gas at a specific pressure uses an adaptive repressurizer system including a series of valves configured to control flow circuit connections within the adaptive repressurizer system. The method includes disposing a gas container containing the source gas within the system. The method includes connecting the gas container; connecting a hydro source; connecting a utility gas source; connecting a vacuum source; and disposing an accumulator within the adaptive repressurizer system. The accumulator is connected to the gas side and to the hydraulic side circuits. The method includes moving the piston by pressurizing the gas-side circuit with the utility gas. The method includes actuating the adaptive repressurizer system to change a first gas pressure of the source gas to a second gas pressure; applying the source gas at the second gas pressure to a laboratory application; and evacuating the gas-side circuit to the vacuum source.