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Ventless gas-driven pumping systemVentless gas-driven pumping system description/claimsThe Patent Description & Claims data below is from USPTO Patent Application 20070286746, Ventless gas-driven pumping system. Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims
RELATED APPLICATIONS [0001]This application claims priority based upon Provisional U.S. Application Ser. No. 60/015,744 filed Jun. 8, 2005. TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION [0002]The present invention relates to pumping systems, and, more particularly, relates to an apparatus and methodology for a gas-driven ventless pumping system that operate process pumps and is controlled by pneumatic valves. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0003]Gas-driven pumping systems known in the art commonly use gas-driven process pumps that inherently exhaust substantial amounts of well gas into the atmosphere. Such gaseous emissions into the atmosphere have long been integral to conventionally-designed and operated pumps. Thus, normal well gas pumping operations typically pollute the ambient and engender safety hazards. Moreover, valuable well gas is simultaneously wasted. [0004]It will also be understood by those skilled in the art that the contemplated applications usually exist at well sites where no electrical power is available. While, under such circumstances, gas-driven pumps are commonly used, operation thereof inherently wastes gas, pollutes the atmosphere, and constitutes hazardous conditions. But, even under circumstances wherein electrical power is available, it would still be more economical and advantageous to use ventless gas-driven pumps contemplated by the present invention rather than to use conventional electric-driven pumps since neither electricity nor gas consumption is prerequisite for sustaining pumping operations SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION [0005]The ventless gas-driven pumping system taught by the present invention relies upon in situ gas flow and differential pressure to drive the pumping system. It will become evident that embodiments of this pumping system may be readily interconnected with any gas pipeline. For example, an embodiment of the present invention may be interconnected with a gas flow line situated near a natural gas production well. More particularly, as will be appreciated by those skilled in the art, the inlet to this pumping system should be interconnected at an appropriate point in the gas flow line; the outlet from this pumping system should similarly be interconnected back with the flow line at a point of lower pressure than the inlet. [0006]It will be seen that this in situ pump configuration creates a closed-loop system having differential pressure across the pumping system, thereby providing a prerequisite energy source for driving and operating pumping action. Adopting conventional terminology in the natural gas well art, pipeline gas will be referenced herein as "well gas" and a pipeline will be referenced herein as a "flowline." [0007]The ventless gas-driven pumping system of the present invention uses inherent flow characteristics of well gas and concomitant differential pressure thereof to power a drive cylinder and the like. It will be appreciated that the drive cylinder, in turn, drives conventional process pumps such as glycol pumps, chemical pumps and air pumps. As will be hereinafter described, operation of this pumping system is controlled through a series of pneumatic valves and associated switches. [0008]It is another feature of the present invention that pumping system embodiments generate their own low pressure air supply for actuating a pair of switching valves and a cycling valve. It is a feature and advantage that such embodiments inherently do not vent well gas to the atmosphere. Indeed, being contained within a closed pumping system, the well gas preferably is recycled to the flowline. Accordingly, during normal operation, the instant pumping system vents only air to the ambient. [0009]Those skilled in the art will recognize that pumping system embodiments of the present invention are therefore "clean machines," wherein contaminants or the like are not emitted into the atmosphere. Ergo, embodiments taught hereunder may be designated as being "ventless." Such ventless gas-driven pumping systems replace commonly used gas-driven process pumps that routinely emit significant quantities of well gas into the atmosphere. It should be evident that normal operation of such commonly-used process pumps engender emission of pollutants and contaminants constituting safety and health hazards; and effect substantial waste of valuable well gas. [0010]It will be understood that this gas-driven pumping protocol usually persists at well sites where there is a paucity of available electrical power. Nevertheless, even under circumstances wherein electrical power is available at well sites, it typically would be more economical to use a ventless gas-driven pumping system contemplated by the present invention than to use a conventional electricity-driven pumping system. Besides the obvious advantageous of not being dependent upon costly electricity for operation, a ventless pumping system avoids wasteful and potentially hazardous emission of well gas. [0011]These and other objects and features, and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following Detailed Description, wherein reference is made to the figures in the accompanying drawings. IN THE DRAWINGS [0012]The file of this patent contains at least one drawing executed in color. Copies of this patent with the color drawing (FIG. 1) will be provided by the Patent and Trademark Office upon request and payment of the necessary fee. [0013]FIG. 1 depicts a schematic diagram of the components and associated functionality of the preferred embodiment of the present invention. [0014]FIG. 2 depicts a front perspective view of a generalized representative embodiment of the present invention [0015]FIG. 3 depicts a side perspective view of the embodiment depicted in FIG. 2. DETAILED DESCRIPTION [0016]FIGS. 1-3 collectively depict the pumping system contemplated under the present invention. In particular, FIG. 1 depicts a schematic of the preferred embodiment of the present invention interconnected with a typical natural gas production well scenario as contemplated hereunder. FIGS. 2 and 3 generally depict a representative physical configuration of the various components that comprise a pumping system embodiment. It should be understood, of course, that arrangements of physical components and the like vary substantially as a function of well site logistics, diversity of components selected to constitute an embodiment, and process pumps being driven. Accordingly, other embodiments hereof may indeed have components configured and arranged differently from that which is depicted in FIGS. 2 and 3. Notwithstanding, the teachings of the present invention should be clearly understood from the schematic representation shown in FIG. 1. [0017]As will become clear to those skilled in the art, interdependent flow paths or circuits are shown for each of well gas, glycol, air, chemical, and gas-operated diaphragm ("AOD") pump. It will be understood that AOD pump may be operated by air or another suitable gas. Each of these circuits is rendered in a different color to clearly identify its functionality and its interrelationship with the other circuits that afford synergy to the embodiments of the ventless pumping systems contemplated herein. The well gas circuit is colored red; the glycol circuit is colored blue; the air supply circuit is colored green; the chemical circuit is colored lavender; and the AOD supply circuit is colored brown. [0018]Drive cylinder 100 operates a dual-acting glycol piston pump 200 and a beam chemical injection pump 400. In a manner known in the art, glycol pump 100 is used to circulate hot glycol through heat exchanger tubes in a process loop including the wellhead, a gas-liquid separator, and a water storage tank (to prevent freezing); and then, the hot glycol is circulated to the glycol heater and recycled back to the glycol pump 200. The chemical injection pump 400 is used to pump methanol or the like down the well annulus to help prevent formation of hydrates in the well. Continue reading about Ventless gas-driven pumping system... Full patent description for Ventless gas-driven pumping system Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims Click on the above for other options relating to this Ventless gas-driven pumping system patent application. ###  How KEYWORD MONITOR works... a FREE service from FreshPatents1. Sign up (takes 30 seconds). 2. Fill in the keywords to be monitored. 3. Each week you receive an email with patent applications related to your keywords. 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