US 12,353,224 B2
Configurable fluid compression apparatus, control, and associated methods
Douglas A. Sahm, Lutz, FL (US); and Carson Depew, Tulsa, OK (US)
Assigned to TPE MIDSTREAM LLC, Tulsa, OK (US)
Appl. No. 18/042,166
Filed by TPE MIDSTREAM LLC, Tulsa, OK (US)
PCT Filed Aug. 24, 2021, PCT No. PCT/US2021/047338
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Feb. 17, 2023,
PCT Pub. No. WO2022/046761, PCT Pub. Date Mar. 3, 2022.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/125,757, filed on Dec. 15, 2020.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/070,631, filed on Aug. 26, 2020.
Prior Publication US 2023/0315134 A1, Oct. 5, 2023
Int. Cl. G05D 16/20 (2006.01); F15B 11/032 (2006.01); G05D 16/00 (2006.01)
CPC G05D 16/204 (2013.01) [G05D 16/028 (2019.01)] 10 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An apparatus to transfer a fluid from a first location to a second location, the apparatus comprising:
an inlet line to fluidly couple the first location to a first compressor unit;
a discharge line to fluidly couple a second compressor unit to the second location, the second compressor unit including:
a first compression cylinder coupled to a second compression cylinder;
a first piston slidable within the first compression cylinder;
a second piston slidable within the second compression cylinder, the second piston operatively coupled to the first piston to move with the first piston;
inlet piping fluidly coupled between the inlet line and the first and second compression cylinders; and
a first three-way valve operatively coupled to the inlet piping upstream of the second compression cylinder, the first three-way valve to switch between a first state and a second state, the first three-way valve in the first state to enable the fluid to flow to the second compression cylinder, the first three-way valve in the second state to restrict the fluid from flowing to the second compression cylinder, movement of the first and second pistons to cause existing fluid in the second compression cylinder to cycle through the second compression cylinder when the first three-way valve is in the second state;
a differential pressure sensor fluidly coupled to the inlet line and to the discharge line, the differential pressure sensor to measure a differential pressure between the inlet line and the discharge line; and
a second three-way valve coupled between the first and second compressor units, the differential pressure sensor to switch the second three-way valve between a third state and a fourth state based on the pressure differential, the fluid to flow through the second three-way valve and through the first and second compressor units in a parallel configuration when the second three-way valve is in the third state, the fluid to flow through the second three-way valve and through the first and second compressor units in a series configuration when the second three-way valve is in the fourth state.