Back to results
US 11,780,312 B1Granted
Exhaust gas heat recovery from cryo-compression engines with cogeneration of cryo-working fluid
OwnerJay Stephen Kaufmaninventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The present invention provides an energy recovery, phase change storage and prime mover system with co-generation and cryogenic compression of the working fluid for distributed electric generation and motor vehicle application.
Claims21
An energy recovery system comprising:
- an air liquefier that produces liquid air from a first portion of atmospheric air that is at ambient temperature;
- a dewar in fluid communication with said air liquefier such that said air liquefier provides the liquid air to said dewar;
- a first cryo-recuperator that receives a second portion of atmospheric air;
- a first cryo-mixing junction, wherein said first cryo-mixing junction:
- is in fluid communication with said dewar such that said dewar provides a first portion of the liquid air to said first cryo-mixing junction;
- is in fluid communication with said first cryo-recuperator such that said first cryo-recuperator provides the second portion of the atmospheric air to said first cryo-mixing junction;
- and
- mixes the first portion of the liquid air and the second portion of the ambient air to produce primary air;
- a first cryo-compressor in fluid communication with said first cryo-mixing junction such that said first cryo-mixing junction provides the primary air to said first cryo-compressor, wherein said first cryo-compressor compresses the primary air;
- at least one energy source in fluid communication with said first cryo-compressor such that said first cryo-compressor provides the primary air to said at least one energy source, wherein said at least one energy source provides heat to the primary air;
- an engine through which the heated primary air expands into primary exhaust air;
- a first recovery heat exchanger that absorbs heat from the primary exhaust air;
- a second cryo-recuperator that receives a third portion of atmospheric air;
- a second cryo-mixing junction, wherein said second cryo-mixing junction:
- is in fluid communication with said dewar such that said dewar provides a second portion of the liquid air to said second cryo-mixing junction;
- is in fluid communication with said second cryo-recuperator such that said second cryo-recuperator provides the third portion of the atmospheric air to said second cryo-mixing junction;
- and
- mixes the second portion of the liquid air and the third portion of the atmospheric air to produce secondary air;
- a second cryo-compressor in fluid communication with:
- said second cryo-mixing junction such that said second cryo-mixing junction provides the secondary air to said second cryo-compressor, wherein said second cryo-compressor compresses the secondary air;
- and
- said first recovery heat exchanger such that said second cryo-compressor provides the secondary air to said first recovery heat exchanger and the secondary air gains heat absorbed from the primary exhaust air by said first recovery heat exchanger;
- an engine driven generator in fluid communication with said first recovery heat exchanger, such that said first recovery heat exchanger provides the secondary air to said generator and wherein said generator produces secondary exhaust air;
- and
- an electric regulator that receives power from at least said generator and provides power to at least said air liquefier and said second cryo-compressor.
22 more elements
A method for cascaded energy recovery, said method being performed on an energy recovery system comprising:
- an air liquefier that produces liquid air from a first portion of atmospheric air that is at ambient temperature;
- a dewar in fluid communication with the air liquefier such that the air liquefier provides the liquid air to the dewar;
- a first cryo-recuperator that receives a second portion of atmospheric air;
- a first cryo-mixing junction, wherein the first cryo-mixing junction:
- is in fluid communication with the dewar such that the dewar provides a first portion of the liquid air to the first cryo-mixing junction;
- is in fluid communication with the first cryo-recuperator such that the first cryo-recuperator provides the second portion of the atmospheric air to the first cryo-mixing junction;
- and
- mixes the first portion of the liquid air and the second portion of the ambient air to produce primary air;
- a first cryo-compressor in fluid communication with the first cryo-mixing junction such that the first cryo-mixing junction provides the primary air to the first cryo-compressor, wherein the first cryo-compressor compresses the primary air;
- a first heat source in fluid communication with the first cryo-compressor such that the first cryo-compressor provides the primary air to the first heat source, wherein the first heat source provides heat to the primary air;
- an n prime mover through which the heated primary air expands into n prime mover exhaust air;
- an n prime mover recovery heat exchanger that absorbs n prime mover exhaust heat from the n prime mover exhaust air;
- a second cryo-recuperator that receives a third portion of atmospheric air;
- a second cryo-mixing junction, wherein the second cryo-mixing junction:
- is in fluid communication with the dewar such that the dewar provides a second portion of the liquid air to the second cryo-mixing junction;
- is in fluid communication with the second cryo-recuperator such that the second cryo-recuperator provides the third portion of the atmospheric air to the second cryo-mixing junction;
- and
- mixes the second portion of the liquid air and the third portion of the atmospheric air to produce secondary air;
- a second cryo-compressor in fluid communication with:
- the second cryo-mixing junction such that the second cryo-mixing junction provides the secondary air to the second cryo-compressor, wherein the second cryo-compressor compresses the secondary air;
- and
- the n prime mover recovery heat exchanger such that the second cryo-compressor provides the secondary air to the n prime mover recovery heat exchanger and the secondary air gains heat absorbed from the n prime mover exhaust air by the n prime mover recovery heat exchanger;
- an n+1 prime mover in fluid communication with the n prime mover recovery heat exchanger, such that the n prime mover recovery heat exchanger provides the secondary air to the n+1 prime mover and wherein the n+1 prime mover produces n+1 prime mover exhaust air;
- and
- an electric regulator that receives power from at least the n+1 prime mover and provides power to at least the air liquefier and the second cryo-compressor, said method comprising the steps of:
- a) providing heat generated by the first heat source to the n prime mover, wherein the n prime mover generates n prime mover exhaust heat when the heat is provided from the first heat source to the n prime mover;
- b) providing the n prime mover exhaust heat to the n+1 prime mover, wherein the n+1 prime mover generates n+1 prime mover exhaust heat, and wherein said steps a) and b) are achieved through fluid flow between the first heat source, the n prime mover, and the n+1 prime mover;
- providing cryogenic liquid working fluid to feed the fluid flow, wherein the cryogenic liquid working fluid provides cryogenic compression of working fluid to each of the prime movers.
25 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.