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A method and apparatus is disclosed to increase the pressure of a feed gas through chemical compression. A feed gas such as natural gas is introduced into a vessel and is adsorbed onto material contained therein. The vessel is heated, for example by the waste heat from a turbogenerator. The feed gas

A method and apparatus is disclosed to increase the pressure of a feed gas through chemical compression. A feed gas such as natural gas is introduced into a vessel and is adsorbed onto material contained therein. The vessel is heated, for example by the waste heat from a turbogenerator. The feed gas desorbs and is released from the vessel at an increased pressure. Multiple vessels may operate in cooperation to collectively provide a substantially continuous flow of feed gas at an increased pressure. An accumulator also may be provided to collect, cool and store the feed gas at the increased pressure.

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1. A method to increase the pressure of a feed gas, comprising:providing a first set of conditions within a first chamber;introducing a first quantity of feed gas into said first chamber, said first chamber containing a first adsorbent material capable of adsorbing at least a portion of said first q

1. A method to increase the pressure of a feed gas, comprising:providing a first set of conditions within a first chamber;introducing a first quantity of feed gas into said first chamber, said first chamber containing a first adsorbent material capable of adsorbing at least a portion of said first quantity of feed gas under said first set of conditions and desorbing at least a portion of said first quantity of feed gas under a second set of conditions;allowing at least a portion of said first quantity of feed gas to adsorb onto said first adsorbent material;providing a second set of conditions within said first chamber; whereby at least a portion of said first quantity of feed gas is desorbed from said first adsorbent material;releasing said first quantity of feed gas at an increased pressure from said first chamber;providing a third set of conditions within a second chamber, substantially by the time said first quantity of feed gas is released from said first chamber;introducing a second quantity of feed gas into said second chamber, said second chamber containing a second absorbent material capable of adsorbing at least a portion of said second quantity of feed gas under said third set of conditions and desorbing at least a portion of said second quantity of feed gas under a fourth set of conditions;allowing at least a portion of said second quantity of feed gas to adsorb onto said second adsorbent material;providing said fourth set of conditions within said second chamber; whereby at least a portion of said second quantity of feed gas is desorbed from said second adsorbent material; andreleasing said second quantity of feed gas at an increased pressure from said second chamber. 2. The method to increase the pressure of a feed gas of claim 1, wherein:said first set of conditions comprises a temperature in the range of approximately −20° F. to approximately 120° F. and a pressure in the range of approximately 11 psia to approximately 20 psia; andsaid second set of conditions comprises a temperature in the range of approximately 160° F. to approximately 560° F. and a pressure in the range of approximately 60 psia to approximately 150 psia. 3. The method to increase the pressure of a feed gas of claim 1, wherein said step of providing a second set of conditions comprises heating said first chamber. 4. The method to increase the pressure of a feed gas of claim 1, wherein said step of providing a second set of conditions comprises heating said first chamber with waste heat from a generator. 5. The method to increase the pressure of a feed gas of claim 1, wherein said step of providing a second set of conditions comprises heating said first chamber with a fluid heat exchanger. 6. The method to increase the pressure of a feed gas of claim 1, wherein said step of providing a second set of conditions comprises heating said first chamber with heat from an auxiliary heater. 7. The method to increase the pressure of a feed gas of claim 1, wherein said step of providing a first set of conditions comprises cooling said first chamber to a substantially ambient temperature and pressure with a fluid heat exchanger. 8. The method to increase the pressure of a feed gas of claim 1, wherein said step of providing a second set of conditions comprises heating said first chamber with a fluid heat exchanger; and said step of providing a first set of conditions comprises cooling said first chamber with a fluid heat exchanger. 9. The method to increase the pressure of a feed gas of claim 1, wherein said adsorbent material is selected from the group consisting of carbon molecular sieves, zeolites, activated alumina, activated silicas and activated carbon. 10. The method to increase the pressure of a feed gas of claim 1, wherein said feed gas comprises natural gas. 11. The method to increase the pressure of a feed gas of claim 1, wherein said feed gas comprises methane. 12. The method of increasing the pressure of a feed gas of claim 1, wherein said first quantity of feed gas is released from said first chamber at a pressure in the range of approximately 60 pounds per square inch to approximately 150 pounds per square inch. 13. The method of increasing the pressure of a feed gas of claim 1, wherein said first set of conditions and said third set of conditions are substantially the same. 14. The method of increasing the pressure of a feed gas of claim 1, wherein said second set of conditions and said fourth set of conditions are substantially the same. 15. The method of increasing the pressure of a feed gas of claim 1, wherein said first adsorbent and said second adsorbent are substantially the same. 16. The method of increasing the pressure of a feed gas of claim 1, wherein said first adsorbent and said second adsorbent are selected from the group consisting of carbon molecular sieves, zeolites, activated alumina, activated silicas and activated carbon. 17. The method of increasing the pressure of a feed gas of claim 1, further comprising:transferring said first quantity of feed gas at an increased pressure from said first chamber to an accumulator; andtransferring said second quantity of feed gas at an increased pressure to said accumulator. 18. The method of increasing the pressure of a feed gas of claim 1, further comprising:providing a first set of conditions within a third chamber, substantially by the time said second quantity of feed gas is released from said second chamber;introducing a third quantity of feed gas into said third chamber, said third chamber containing a third adsorbent material capable of adsorbing at least a portion of said third quantity of feed gas under said fifth set of conditions and desorbing at least a portion of said third quantity of feed gas under a sixth set of conditions;allowing at least a portion of said third quantity of feed gas to adsorb onto said third adsorbent material;providing said sixth set of conditions within said third chamber; whereby at least a portion of said third quantity of feed gas is desorbed from said third adsorbent material; andreleasing said third quantity of feed gas at an increased pressure from said third chamber. 19. The method of increasing the pressure of a feed gas of claim 18, wherein said first set of conditions, said third set of conditions and said fifth set of conditions are substantially the same. 20. The method of increasing the pressure of a feed gas of claim 18, wherein said second set of conditions, said fourth set of conditions, and said sixth set of conditions are substantially the same. 21. The method of increasing the pressure of a feed gas of claim 18 wherein said first adsorbent, said second adsorbent, and said third adsorbent are substantially the same. 22. A method of providing a flow of feed gas at an increased pressure, comprising:initiating a first cycle by introducing a first quantity of said feed gas into a first vessel at a first set of conditions, said first vessel containing a first quantity of adsorbent material capable of adsorbing at least a portion of said first quantity of feed gas under said first set of conditions and capable of desorbing at least a portion of said first quantity of feed gas under a second set of conditions;adsorbing at least a portion of said first quantity of feed gas onto said first adsorbent material;heating said first vessel to said second set of conditions, whereby at least a portion of said first quantity of feed gas desorbs from said first adsorbent material;introducing a second quantity of said feed gas into a second vessel at substantially said first set of conditions, said second vessel containing a second adsorbent material capable of adsorbing at least a portion of said feed gas under said first set of conditions and capable of desorbing at least a portion of said feed gas under said second set of conditions;adsorbing at least a portion of said second quantity of feed gas onto said second adsorbent material;releasing said first quantity of feed gas at an increased pressure from said first vessel to an accumulator;heating said second vessel to substantially said second set of conditions, whereby at least a portion of said second quantity of feed gas desorbs from said second adsorbent material;introducing a third quantity of said feed gas into a third vessel at substantially said first set of conditions, said third vessel containing a third adsorbent material capable of adsorbing at least a portion of said feed gas under said first set of conditions and capable of desorbing at least a portion of said feed gas under said second set of conditions;adsorbing at least a portion of said third quantity of feed gas onto said third adsorbent material;releasing said second quantity of feed gas at an increased pressure from said second vessel to an accumulator;heating said third vessel to substantially said second set of conditions, whereby at least a portion of said second quantity of feed gas desorbs from said third adsorbent material;initiating a second cycle by introducing a fourth quantity of said feed gas to said first vessel at substantially said first set of conditions; andreleasing said third quantity of feed gas at an increased pressure from said third vessel to an accumulator,whereby said second cycle operates in substantially the same manner as said first cycle. 23. The method of claim 22, further comprising repeating said first cycle and said second cycle to provide a substantially continuous flow of feed gas at an increased pressure to said accumulator. 24. The method of claim 22, further comprising releasing said feed gas from said accumulator at a substantially continuous rate. 25. The method of claim 22, wherein said step of heating said first vessel during said first cycle is provided by the use of an auxiliary heater.