Energy recovery system, vehicle, and method of recovering energy
AssigneeOxford University Innovation Limited
InventorsKamaljit Singh Chana, Vikram Sridhar, Sunny Singh Chana, Michael Joseph Pekris
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Abstract
An energy recovery system and a method of recovering energy are disclosed. In one arrangement, an exhaust gas conduit system guides a flow of exhaust gas generated by a combustion process. A heat exchange fluid circuit guides a flow of a heat exchange fluid. An electrical generator generates electrical power from the flow of heat exchange fluid. The heat exchange fluid circuit is configured so that heat is transferred from the exhaust gas to the heat exchange fluid while the exhaust gas is flowing through the exhaust gas conduit system.
Claims18
An energy recovery system, comprising:
- an exhaust gas conduit system configured to guide a flow of exhaust gas generated by a combustion process;
- a heat exchange fluid circuit configured to guide a flow of a heat exchange fluid;
- and
- an electrical generator configured to generate electrical power from the flow of heat exchange fluid, wherein:
- the heat exchange fluid circuit is configured so that heat is transferred from the exhaust gas to the heat exchange fluid while the exhaust gas is flowing through the exhaust gas conduit system;
- the exhaust gas conduit system comprises a plurality of flow diverting structures that are each configured to locally divert the flow of the exhaust gas;
- the heat exchange fluid flows through an inner region of at least one of the flow diverting structures;
- the flow diverting structures are configured to cause the exhaust gas to adopt a meandering flow;
- and
- the meandering flow comprises an alternating sequence of changes in direction of opposite sense of at least 90 degrees.
A method of recovering energy, comprising:
- guiding flow of an exhaust gas generated by a combustion process through an exhaust gas conduit system;
- guiding flow of a heat exchange fluid through a heat exchange fluid circuit;
- and
- generating electrical power from the flow of the heat exchange fluid, wherein heat is transferred from the exhaust gas to the heat exchange fluid while the exhaust gas is flowing through the exhaust gas conduit system;
- wherein the exhaust gas conduit system comprises a plurality of flow diverting structures that each locally divert the flow of the exhaust gas,
- wherein the heat exchange fluid flows through an inner region of at least one of the flow diverting structures,
- wherein the flow diverting structures cause the exhaust gas to adopt a meandering flow, and
- wherein the meandering flow comprises an alternating sequence of changes in direction of opposite sense of at least 90 degrees.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.