Method and apparatus for testing high pressure compressor components and the like

Claim 1

APPARATUS FOR TESTING HIGH PRESSURE FLUID COMPRESSORS AND LIKE EQUIPMENT UNDER CONDITIONS AND PRESSURES AT LEAST EQUAL TO NORMAL WORKING CONDITIONS AND PRESSURES COMPRISING, (A) A SUCTION LINE LEADING TO THE EQUIPMENT UNDER TEST, (B) A DISCHARGE LINE LEADING FROM SAID EQUIPMENT, (C) AN ULTIMATE PRESSURE LOAD VESSEL, (D) AT LEAST ONE INTERMEDIATE PRESSURE ACCUMULATOR STORAGE VESSEL, (E) A SOURCE OF GAS UNDER RELATIVELY LOW INITIAL PRESSURE, (F) LINES LEADING FROM SAID DISCHARGE LINE TO ALL OF SAID VESSELS, (G) LINES LEADING FROM ALL OF SAID VESSELS TO SAID SUCTION LINE, (H) A CHARGING LINE LEADING FROM SAID SOURCE TO SAID SUCTION LINE, (I) SEPARATELY OPERABLE AND CLOSABLE VALVES IN ALL SAID LINES FOR SELECTIVELY CONNECTING AND ISOLATING SAID SOURCE OF GAS RELATIVE TO SAID SUCTION LINE AND FOR SELECTIVELY CONNECTING AND ISOLATING SAID VESSELS RELATIVE TO EACH OTHER AND FLUID COMPRESSORS AND LIKE EQUIPMENT, AND (J) A PRESSURE REDUCING VALVE INTERPOSED IN THE LINE BETWEEN SAID ULTIMATE PRESSURE LOAD VESSEL AND SAID SUCTION LINE, (1) DISPOSED TO REDUCE THE HIGH PRESSURE OF GAS IN SAID LOAD VESSEL TO A PREDETERMINED SUCTION PRESSURE FOR SAID EQUIPMENT WHEN SAID LOAD VESSEL IS CONNECTED TO BOTH SAID SUCTION LINE AND SAID DISCHARGE LINE IN A HIGH PRESSURE CIRCUIT.