The multi-compressor system (7) has a plurality of parallelly coupled compressors (8); inlet connection lines (15) each connected to a refrigerant suction fitting of a respective compressor (8); outlet connection lines (17) each connected to a refrigerant discharge fitting of a respective compressor (8); a common oil balancing line (18) and balancing connection lines (19) each connecting the common oil balancing line (18) to an oil balancing connection (21) of a respective compressor (8); and spring-loaded normally-open valves (25) each being arranged within a respective balancing connection line (19) or within an oil balancing connection (21) of a respective compressor (8) and each being configured to close when a pressure difference between a pressure prevailing in the low pressure volume of the respective compressor (8) and a pressure prevailing in the common oil balancing line (18) reaches a predetermined value.

Described are fluid pumping and fluid handling systems, which may be suitable for use in medical devices, such as artificial or extracorporeal blood pumping systems. The systems can include a dual housing configuration for pneumatic actuation comprising a main housing containing a pump cassette comprising a pneumatically actuated pump and pneumatically actuated valves. The pump can include a pump actuation chamber and pump pneumatic port, and the valves can each include a valve actuation chamber and valve pneumatic port. Connecting tubes can be used to fluidly connect the pump actuation ports and valve actuation ports to a tube-support housing having a first side receiving one end of each connecting tube and a second side providing a pneumatic interface arranged to connect to an array of pneumatic receptacles on a base unit of the system to facilitate easy, compact and accurate pneumatic interconnection between the pump cassette and the base unit.

Described are fluid pumping and fluid handling systems, which may be suitable for use in medical devices, such as artificial or extracorporeal blood pumping systems. The systems can include a dual housing configuration for pneumatic actuation comprising a main housing containing a pump cassette comprising a pneumatically actuated pump and pneumatically actuated valves. The pump can include a pump actuation chamber and pump pneumatic port, and the valves can each include a valve actuation chamber and valve pneumatic port. Connecting tubes can be used to fluidly connect the pump actuation ports and valve actuation ports to a tube-support housing having a first side receiving one end of each connecting tube and a second side providing a pneumatic interface arranged to connect to an array of pneumatic receptacles on a base unit of the system to facilitate easy, compact and accurate pneumatic interconnection between the pump cassette and the base unit.

A multi-air pump system, including an air pump unit, a control unit and a performance feedback unit, wherein the control unit is connected to the performance feedback unit and the air pump unit, the air pump unit is an air pump assembly with a redundancy design, the control unit controls a switch and an input voltage of each air pump in the air pump unit according to performance monitoring results output by the performance feedback unit, and the redundancy design includes an air pump quantity redundancy and/or voltage redundancy.

A high pressure gas lift compressor system and method of using the system for supplying compressed gas to multiple wells are provided. The system includes a compressor having multiple compressor cylinders. Each cylinder has its own gas inlet line and dedicated gas outlet line that supplies compressed gas from that cylinder directly to a wellbore to provide artificial gas lift. Each cylinder also has its own control valve upstream of the cylinder to control the suction pressure to the cylinder. A desired gas flow rate to each well may be input, and the control valve is adjusted accordingly to achieve the flow rate. By inputting a flow rate for each separate cylinder, the flow rate to each well may be independently controlled.

A method comprises: heating a flow of coolant liquid by passing the flow through one or more fluidic tubing lines, channels or conduits that are in thermal contact with a housing of a vacuum pump; apportioning the flow of heated coolant liquid between a bypass fluid tubing line and a channel within a wall of a vacuum chamber; recombining the first and second partial flows of the heated coolant liquid; passing the recombined flow of the coolant liquid through a heat exchanger that cools the coolant liquid; and recirculating the cooled coolant liquid through the one or more fluidic tubing lines, channels or conduits that are in thermal contact with the vacuum pump housing, wherein the apportionment of the flow of the heated coolant liquid is automatically performed under the control of an electronic controller or computer in response to a temperature measurement received by the electronic controller or computer.

A method comprises: heating a flow of coolant liquid by passing the flow through one or more fluidic tubing lines, channels or conduits that are in thermal contact with a housing of a vacuum pump; apportioning the flow of heated coolant liquid between a bypass fluid tubing line and a channel within a wall of a vacuum chamber; recombining the first and second partial flows of the heated coolant liquid; passing the recombined flow of the coolant liquid through a heat exchanger that cools the coolant liquid; and recirculating the cooled coolant liquid through the one or more fluidic tubing lines, channels or conduits that are in thermal contact with the vacuum pump housing, wherein the apportionment of the flow of the heated coolant liquid is automatically performed under the control of an electronic controller or computer in response to a temperature measurement received by the electronic controller or computer.

A miniature fluid transportation device is provided and includes a convergence component, a valve component, an outlet plate and a plurality of fluid transportation actuation components. The plurality of fluid transportation actuation components are disposed on the convergence component so as to transport the fluid to the convergence component. The convergence component guides the fluid transported by the fluid transportation actuation components to the outlet plate through the valve component. The outlet plate guides the fluid from different transportation actuation components back to the convergence component by a separation guiding block. The fluid is converged in a convergence central slot of the convergence component and is discharged out through a collection channel of the outlet plate. Consequently, the problem of interference owing to the convergence of the fluid transported by different fluid transportation actuation components can be avoided.

A miniature fluid transportation device is provided and includes a convergence component, a valve component, an outlet plate and a plurality of fluid transportation actuation components. The plurality of fluid transportation actuation components are disposed on the convergence component so as to transport the fluid to the convergence component. The convergence component guides the fluid transported by the fluid transportation actuation components to the outlet plate through the valve component. The outlet plate guides the fluid from different transportation actuation components back to the convergence component by a separation guiding block. The fluid is converged in a convergence central slot of the convergence component and is discharged out through a collection channel of the outlet plate. Consequently, the problem of interference owing to the convergence of the fluid transported by different fluid transportation actuation components can be avoided.

A controller, a water source heat pump and a computer useable medium are disclosed herein. In one embodiment the controller includes: (1) an interface configured to receive operating data and monitoring data from the water source heat pump and transmit control signals to components of thereof and (2) a processor configured to respond to the operating data or the monitoring data by operating at least one motor-operated valve of the water source heat pump via a control signal.