Energy recovery
AssigneeRodina Energy R & D Corporation
InventorBryan W. Chapin
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
System for recovering waste heat energy produced by an internal combustion engine or other waste heat source. Heat energy present in the engine coolant or engine exhaust is used as a power source for a closed secondary power circuit operating on the Rankine cycle. The secondary power circuit incorporates a high efficiency compact evaporator system.
Claims5
A secondary power system for recovering the waste heat energy of the coolant in a primary power system comprising:
- means forming a closed motive fluid circuit, said circuit containing motive fluid and, in series, a pump, a preheater, an evaporator, a motor and a condenser;
- means for passing a portion of said coolant directly from said primary system through said preheater in heat exchange relation with said motive fluid, and means for passing another portion of said coolant directly from said primary system through said evaporator in heat exchange relation with said motive fluid to vaporize said motive fluid for passage to said motor as a power source therefor.
For use with an internal combustion engine having a coolant circuit including a radiator, a secondary power system for recovering the waste heat energy in said coolant, said secondary power system including a closed motive fluid circuit having, in series, a pump, a heat exchanger and a motor, means for passing said coolant through said heat exchanger in heat exchange relation with said motive fluid and means for returning said coolant to said engine including temperature response means effective when the temperature of said coolant leaving said heat exchanger exceeds a predetermined value for preventing the direct return of said coolant to said engine and for causing said coolant to pass through said radiator before return to said engine.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.