This method is used to manage a pressure accumulator (1) as a component of an energy storage system, consisting of a work machine (4), a collecting tank (7), a displacement apparatus (6) and a pressure accumulator (1) for storing a pressurised gaseous medium. The pressure accumulator (1) is partially filled with a liquid medium so as to be able to control the gas storage volume therewith. Feeding compressed gas (3) into the pressure accumulator (1) involves removing liquid (2). Removing compressed gas (3) from the pressure accumulator (1) involves feeding in liquid (2) so that the storage pressure is kept under control as necessary, in particular is kept constant. To this end, one pressurised unit of gas (3) is introduced into the pressure accumulator (1) with the removal of one unit of liquid (2) from the pressure accumulator (1) by means of the displacement apparatus (6) and vice versa. The present method and the present arrangement make it possible to fill the pressure accumulator (1) completely with and to empty the pressured storage unit (1) completely of pressurised gas (3) at a controllable pressure, which leads to improved utilisation of the pressure accumulator volume and thus increases the energy density of the energy storage system. The method further makes it possible to operate the energy storage system at a constant operating point, thus increasing the efficiency of the individual components and of the entire system, and minimising the compression and expansion processes in the pressure accumulator (1).

This invention disclosures a liquid storage tank upper cover assembly of a drawing or adding liquid machine and a drawing or adding liquid machine. The liquid storage tank upper cover assembly includes an upper cover, a switching valve foundation disposed at an upper end of the upper cover and a valve cartridge cooperated with the switching valve foundation. The upper cover and the switching valve foundation are a one-piece molded part. The switching valve foundation has a sliding hole, a lower part of the upper cover has a first through-hole and a second through-hole which are spaced apart, and the first through-hole and the second through-hole are both connected to the sliding hole. The switching valve foundation has a third through-hole connected with the sliding hole. The valve cartridge is glidingly provided in the sliding hole.

This invention disclosures a liquid storage tank upper cover assembly of a drawing or adding liquid machine and a drawing or adding liquid machine. The liquid storage tank upper cover assembly includes an upper cover, a switching valve foundation disposed at an upper end of the upper cover and a valve cartridge cooperated with the switching valve foundation. The upper cover and the switching valve foundation are a one-piece molded part. The switching valve foundation has a sliding hole, a lower part of the upper cover has a first through-hole and a second through-hole which are spaced apart, and the first through-hole and the second through-hole are both connected to the sliding hole. The switching valve foundation has a third through-hole connected with the sliding hole. The valve cartridge is glidingly provided in the sliding hole.

A pump assembly is disclosed. The pump assembly including a pump having an outer casing having a first end, an opposing second end, and a cavity therein and a multi-function valve connected to the first end of the pump. The pump further including a discharge tube positioned in the cavity and exiting the first end of the outer casing; a check valve positioned in the cavity and operably connected to the discharge tube by a coupling; and a multi-float control assembly positioned in the cavity, the multi float control assembly including a bottom float check valve operably connected to the discharge tube by the coupling and an upper float check valve connected to a vent exiting the first end of the outer casing.

An improved purge gas supply that is less susceptible to the shortcomings of known systems. The disclosure aims to reduce backflow or recirculation of pumped gases into the purge supply apparatus by providing an arrangement where the purge ports on a multistage vacuum pump contains purge gas at sufficient pressure to resist the backflow, particularly when the vacuum pump is operating outside of its ultimate pressure regime. Embodiments of the purge supply apparatus described herein do not necessarily need a non-return valve to resist the unwanted pump gas back-flow.

An improved purge gas supply that is less susceptible to the shortcomings of known systems. The disclosure aims to reduce backflow or recirculation of pumped gases into the purge supply apparatus by providing an arrangement where the purge ports on a multistage vacuum pump contains purge gas at sufficient pressure to resist the backflow, particularly when the vacuum pump is operating outside of its ultimate pressure regime. Embodiments of the purge supply apparatus described herein do not necessarily need a non-return valve to resist the unwanted pump gas back-flow.

In a general aspect, a system can include a reactor for combusting fuel and producing high-temperature, high-pressure liquid as a byproduct, and at least one vessel defining a cavity to be partially filled with water, with an air pocket within the cavity above the water. The system can further include respective valves to control admission of liquid from the reactor into the air pocket when the air pocket has a pressure lower than an operating pressure of the reactor, and to control emission of the water from the at least one vessel through of the vessel after the water in the at least one vessel has been pressurized by the liquid from the reactor. The system can also include a hydroelectric drive system for receiving water emitted from the cavity, and for converting energy in the received water into electrical energy.

Fuel mixed in water is combusted in a reactor having an internal operating pressure and temperature greater than 3200 psi and greater than 374° C., where the combustion of the fuel is exothermic. Air and fuel are pressurized for introduction into the reactor to a pressure greater than the internal operating pressure using energy generated from the combustion of the fuel, and the pressurized air and the pressurized fuel are injected into the reactor. Pressurized water from the reactor is injected into a drive water column that is partially filled with water to increase a pressure of the drive water column, and water at a temperature less than 100° C. is injected into the reactor to replace water from the reactor that is injected into the drive water column. Pressurized water from the drive water column is used to drive a hydroelectric drive system to produce electrical power.

A charging system for charging a reactor with air used energy produced by the reactor and includes a vessel having a hollow interior cavity partially filled with a liquid slug, a first air pocket within the cavity on a first side of the liquid slug, and a second air pocket within the cavity on a second side of the liquid slug. The liquid slug forms a water trap seal in the cavity between the two pockets and moves within the vessel in a cycle in which gas is loaded into the first air pocket in a first stroke and gas in the first air pocket is compressed in a second stroke. Movement of the liquid slug during the second stroke is caused by an increasing pressure in the second air pocket due to introduction of high-pressure gas from the reactor into the second air pocket.

A pneumatic pump control system includes a pump chamber having a top end and a bottom end, an air valve coupled to the top end of the pump chamber and configured to be coupled to a pressurized air source, and a pump chamber valve coupled to the bottom end of the pump chamber. In addition, the pneumatic pump control system includes a discharge chamber having a top end and a bottom end, a discharge fitting coupled to the top end of the discharge chamber, a discharge check valve coupled to the bottom end of the discharge chamber in fluid communication with the pump chamber valve, and an inlet check valve in fluid communication with the pump chamber.