Back to results
US 11,946,679 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 a working fluid re-liquefaction system driven by recovered exhaust gas energy of a prime mover with heat rejection via a magneto-caloric liquefier to atmosphere for distributed electric generation and motor vehicle application.
Claims17
An air re-liquefaction system comprising:
- a prime mover that uses a fuel and generates exhaust gas;
- a re-liquefier comprising:
- an active regenerator matrix;
- an electric driven rotating magnet that rotates around said active regenerator matrix;
- an absorption heat exchanger;
- a rejection heat exchanger;
- inlet and outlet valves of said absorption heat exchanger;
- and
- inlet and outlet valves of said rejection heat exchanger;
- a turbo-charger comprising a drive-turbine and a liquefier compressor;
- an absorption flow path comprising:
- a cryo-recuperator;
- a cryo-mixing junction;
- a liquid air dewar that stores liquid air;
- and
- said absorption heat exchanger of said re-liquefier;
- a rejection flow path comprising:
- said liquefier compressor of said turbo-charger;
- an after-cooler;
- a rejection flow path heat exchanger;
- a cryo-expander;
- and
- said rejection heat exchanger of said re-liquefier;
- a cryo-motor-compressor;
- and
- an electric regulator, wherein said electric regulator receives power from said prime mover and provides power to at least:
- said cryo-motor-compressor;
- said electric driven rotating magnet of said re-liquefier;
- and
- said inlet and outlet valves of said absorption and rejection heat exchangers;
- wherein:
- pressure of the exhaust gas generated by said prime mover drives said liquefier compressor of said turbo-charger through said drive-turbine of said turbo-charger;
- said re-liquefier absorbs and rejects heat through an internal fluid under control of said inlet and outlet valves of said absorption and rejection heat exchangers;
- within said absorption flow path:
- atmospheric intake air enters said air re-liquefaction system and is cryogenically cooled in said cryo-recuperator;
- the cryogenically cooled atmospheric intake air is provided to said mixing junction;
- liquid air from said liquid air dewar is also provided to said cryo-mixing junction;
- said cryo-mixing junction mixes the cryogenically cooled atmospheric intake air and the liquid air and produces prime mover intake air and absorption air;
- the prime mover intake air is:
- provided to said cryo-motor-compressor and compressed;
- heated in said cryo-recuperator;
- and
- provided to said prime mover;
- the absorption air is provided to said absorption heat exchanger of said re-liquefier, thereby transferring latent heat of the absorption air to said re-liquefier;
- and
- the absorption air is then provided to said liquid air dewar as liquid air;
- and
- within said rejection flow path:
- atmospheric intake air enters said air re-liquefaction system and is compressed in said liquefier compressor of said turbo-charger into heat rejection air;
- the heat rejection air is further cooled in said after-cooler;
- the heat rejection air is further cooled in said rejection flow path heat exchanger;
- the heat rejection air is further cooled by expansion in said cryo-expander;
- the heat rejection air is provided to said rejection heat exchanger of said re-liquefier, where temperature lift by a magneto-caloric effect of said re-liquefier enables transfer of latent heat of the absorption air to heat the heat rejection air;
- and
- the heat rejection air is heated in said rejection flow path heat exchanger and discharged to atmosphere.
52 more elements
A method for cascaded energy recovery, said method comprising the steps of:
- a) providing heat generated by a first heat source to an 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, said step a) comprising the steps of:
- recovering the heat to an n pre-heater;
- and
- transferring the heat to the n prime mover through an n heat exchanger;
- b) providing all of the n prime mover exhaust heat to an 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, said step b) comprising the steps of:
- recovering the n prime mover exhaust heat to an n+1 pre-heater;
- and
- transferring the n prime mover exhaust heat to the n+1 prime mover through an n+1 heat exchanger;
- c) 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.
6 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.