A high-pressure compressor having a hydraulic system and a gas chamber, where the hydraulic system includes a reservoir, connected to a hydraulic fluid chamber by a hydraulic flow path and a pump assembly positioned in the hydraulic flow path, and the compressor furthermore includes a control element controlling the flow of hydraulic fluid in the hydraulic flow path and thereby the pressure in the hydraulic fluid chamber, where the control element and the pump assembly is configured for controlling the pressure of hydraulic fluid in the hydraulic fluid chamber when the compressor is not in operation.

A plasma compression driver is connected to a plasma containment vessel containing a liquid medium that forms a liquid liner containing plasma, and comprises a pair of coaxially aligned pistons that are sequentially driven towards the liquid liner. A pusher bore containing a pusher piston is coaxial with and has a smaller diameter than a driver bore containing a driver piston such that an interconnecting annular face surface is defined at the junction of the driver and pusher bores. During the compression operation, a prime mover accelerates the driver piston towards the pusher piston and compresses a compression fluid, which accelerates the pusher piston and pushes the liquid medium in the pusher bore into the vessel, causing the liquid liner to collapse, and compressing the plasma. Outward forces on the vessel wall caused by compression driver recoil and increased vessel pressure is counteracted by an inward force applied by the compression fluid on the annular face surface during the compression operation.

A plasma compression driver is connected to a plasma containment vessel containing a liquid medium that forms a liquid liner containing plasma, and comprises a pair of coaxially aligned pistons that are sequentially driven towards the liquid liner. A pusher bore containing a pusher piston is coaxial with and has a smaller diameter than a driver bore containing a driver piston such that an interconnecting annular face surface is defined at the junction of the driver and pusher bores. During the compression operation, a prime mover accelerates the driver piston towards the pusher piston and compresses a compression fluid, which accelerates the pusher piston and pushes the liquid medium in the pusher bore into the vessel, causing the liquid liner to collapse, and compressing the plasma. Outward forces on the vessel wall caused by compression driver recoil and increased vessel pressure is counteracted by an inward force applied by the compression fluid on the annular face surface during the compression operation.

Disclosed techniques include working fluid exergy recovery using hybrid processing. A supply of working fluid at a first pressure and a first temperature is accessed. The working fluid is compressed. The compressing yields the working fluid at a second pressure. The second pressure is greater than the first pressure. The working fluid at the second pressure and a second temperature is warmed using a first heat exchanger. The second temperature is greater than the first temperature. The working fluid at the second temperature is in a gaseous state. The working fluid is expanded in a gaseous state to a third pressure. The expanding is accomplished using a first liquid piston expander. An engine is driven to recover work from the working fluid in a gaseous state. The engine is powered by liquid from the first liquid piston expander.

Microfluidic pumps are provided that use electrowetting to manipulate the location of one or more droplets of a working fluid (e.g., water) in order to pump tears, blood, laboratory samples, carrier fluid, or some other payload fluid. The working fluid is separated from the payload fluid by one or more droplets of an isolating fluid that is immiscible with the working fluid. The working fluid is manipulated via electrowetting, by applying voltages to two or more electrodes, to repeatedly move back and forth. Forces, pressures, and/or fluid flows exerted by the working fluid are coupled to the payload fluid via the droplet(s) of isolation fluid and reed valves, diffuser nozzles, or other varieties of valve can act as flow-rectifying elements to convert the coupled forces into a net flow of the payload fluid through the pump.

A method of compressing gas includes maintaining a volume of gas at a first pressure within a first chamber. Pressurized liquid is forced into the first chamber through a nozzle having a curved profile. Based on the Coanda effect, the liquid compresses the volume of gas to a second pressure greater than the first pressure. The liquid is separated from the gas in a second chamber while maintaining the gas at the second pressure to provide compressed, dry gas.

A method of controlling the injection of hydraulic fluid into a high pressure diaphragm compressor having a hydraulic system, the method including: measuring a representation of pressure in a high-pressure part of the hydraulic system of the diaphragm compressor, and maintaining a desired pressure in the high-pressure part of the hydraulic system by adding hydraulic fluid to the high-pressure part of the hydraulic system under the control of a controller on the basis of the measuring of pressure.

An apparatus and method of compressing a gas is provided. The system includes a gas storage tank and a liquid holding tank and a hollow cylinder. A piston is disposed in the hollow cylinder dividing the hollow cylinder into a first compartment and a second compartment. A gas collector tank is in fluid connection with the first compartment by an outline line. A radiator is provided in fluid connection with the second compartment and the liquid holding tank. The system also contains a pump. The apparatus system may also be coupled to a reactor system oxidizes a hydrocarbon-containing gas.

Various embodiments of the teachings herein include a method for the compression of a gas comprising: introducing the gas into a compression chamber; pumping a liquid from an intermediate container into the compression chamber; and pumping at least part of the liquid from the compression chamber to a sprinkling system through a sprinkling circuit. The sprinkling system distributes the liquid within the compression chamber.

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.