1. A flexible natural gas storage facility comprising:
at least one man-made uncompensated salt cavern;
a pipeline source of a first fluid;
at least one high pressure compressor to compress the first fluid;
at least one heat exchanger to cool the first fluid from the compressor to a temperature that is compatible with the uncompensated salt cavern, before the first fluid is placed in the uncompensated salt cavern for storage;
a source of a second fluid;
at least one high pressure cryogenic pump to raise the pressure of the second fluid to dense phase; and
at least one bishop process heat exchanger to heat the second fluid to a temperature that is compatible with the uncompensated salt cavern, before the second fluid is placed in the uncompensated salt cavern for storage.
2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the source of the second fluid is a LNG transport ship.
3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the source of the second fluid is a conventional LNG receiving terminal.
4. The apparatus of claim 1 further including:
a first uncompensated salt cavern to receive the compressed and cooled first fluid;
a second uncompensated salt cavern to receive the pressurized and heated second fluid; and
a third uncompensated salt cavern to receive portions of the compressed and cooled first fluid from the first uncompensated salt cavern and portions of the pressurized and heated second fluid from the second uncompensated salt cavern to adjust the Btu content of the blended fluids in the third uncompensated salt cavern.
5. The apparatus of claim 1 further including at least one booster compressor to compress the second fluid from the bishop process heat exchanger before the second fluid is placed in the uncompensated salt cavern for storage.
6. A method of storing natural gas comprising:
compressing a first fluid from a pipeline source of natural gas;
cooling the compressed first fluid to a temperature that is compatible with a uncompensated salt cavern;
injecting the cooled, compressed first fluid into at least one uncompensated salt cavern;
pressurizing a second fluid from a LNG source to the dense phase;
heating the second fluid in a bishop process heat exchanger to a temperature that is compatible with a uncompensated salt cavern;
injecting the second fluid into the uncompensated salt cavern; and
releasing the cooled, compressed first fluid and the second fluid from the uncompensated salt cavern into a pipeline for transport to market.
7. A method of storing natural gas comprising:
compressing a first fluid from a pipeline and raising the pressure to dense phase;
cooling the first fluid to a temperature that is compatible with a uncompensated salt cavern;
injecting the first fluid into at least one uncompensated salt cavern;
pressurizing a second fluid to the dense phase;
heating the second fluid in a bishop process heat exchanger to a temperature that is compatible with a uncompensated salt cavern;
injecting the second fluid into the uncompensated salt cavern; and
releasing the first fluid and the second fluid from the uncompensated salt cavern into a pipeline for transport to market.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
1. A method of pneumatically operating a dialysis system comprising:
(i) pumping air in a first valve state from a pneumatic pump to operate a component of the dialysis system; and
(ii) recirculating air in a second valve state by pumping air from an outlet of the pneumatic pump to an inlet of the pneumatic pump to minimize at least one of a noise pitch or noise amplitude when switching from the second valve state to the first valve state.
2. The pneumatic method of claim 1, which includes reducing air flow in the second valve state.
3. The pneumatic method of claim 1, which includes filtering air supplied to the pneumatic pump.
4. The pneumatic method of claim 1, wherein pumping air includes pumping positive air pressure, and which includes locating a valve for producing the first and second valve states pneumatically downstream from the pneumatic pump.
5. The pneumatic method of claim 1, wherein pumping air includes pumping negative air pressure, and which includes locating a valve for producing the first and second valve states pneumatically upstream from the pneumatic pump.
6. The pneumatic method of claim 1, which includes energizing a first valve so as to produce the first valve state and de-energizing a second valve so as to produce the second valve state.
7. The pneumatic method of claim 1, which includes maintaining a partial load on the pneumatic pump in the second valve state.
8. A method of pneumatically operating a dialysis system comprising:
(i) selectively enabling air to be pulled in from a fluid flow portion of the dialysis system or to be recirculated to reduce noise; and
(ii) selectively enabling air to be pushed out to the fluid flow portion of the dialysis system or to be recirculated to reduce noise.
9. The pneumatic method of claim 8, wherein pulling air includes pulling air into a first pump head and pushing air includes pushing air out of a second pump head.
10. The pneumatic method of claim 8, wherein air in (i) is recirculated in a different loop than is air in (ii).
11. The pneumatic method of claim 8, wherein recirculating air in at least one of (i) and (ii) further includes restricting the flow of the air.
12. A method of pneumatically operating a dialysis system comprising:
(i) pulling air in from a fluid flow portion of the dialysis system;
(ii) pushing air out towards the fluid flow portion of the dialysis system;
(iii) recirculating the pulled-in air through a first isolation loop;
(iv) recirculating the pushed-out air through a second isolation loop; and
(v) switching at least one valve so that at least one of (i) and (ii), (i) and (iv), (ii) and (iii) or (iii) and (iv) are performed simultaneously.
13. The pneumatic method of claim 12, which includes filtering the air pulled in from or pushed out towards the fluid flow portion of the dialysis system.
14. The pneumatic method of claim 12, wherein at least one of (iii) and (iv) further includes restricting the flow of the air.
15. The pneumatic method of claim 14, wherein restricting flow of the air includes pumping air from an outlet of a pneumatic pump through a flow restrictor to an inlet of the pneumatic pump.
16. The pneumatic method of claim 12, wherein switching at least one valve includes switching a first valve to alternate between (i) and (iii) and switching a second valve to alternate between (ii) and (iv).
17. The pneumatic method of claim 12, wherein (i) includes pulling air into a first pump head of a pneumatic pump and (ii) includes pushing air out of a second pump head of the pneumatic pump.
18. The pneumatic method of claim 12, wherein (iii) includes maintaining a partial load on a first pump head of the pneumatic pump and (iv) includes maintaining a partial load on a second pump head of the pneumatic pump.
19. The pneumatic method of claim 12, wherein (i) includes supplying negative air pressure with a pneumatic pump, and (v) includes switching at least one valve upstream from the pneumatic pump.
20. The pneumatic method of claim 12, wherein (ii) includes supplying positive air pressure with a pneumatic pump, and (v) includes switching at least one valve downstream from the pneumatic pump.