US 6,202,782 B1 · Vehicle driving method and hybrid vehicle propulsion system

Abstract

A vehicle driving method and hybrid propulsion system are disclosed. In the vehicle driving method and hybrid propulsion system, a heat engine is intermittently operated to provide a first power output and hot exhaust. A heat recovery unit containing thermal storage means is utilized to recover and store waste of hot exhaust, thereby enabling continuous production of motive gases during non-operation period of the heat engine. An expansion turbine is coupled to the heat engine and expands the motive gases to produce a second power output in a continuous fashion. The vehicle is driven by the first and second power outputs. A control unit operates the heat engine in an on/off mode to intermittently supply the hot exhaust to heat recovery unit, thereby providing remarkable fuel economy with reduced pollutants.

Claims17

Dependent claims

A method of driving a vehicle including a heat engine for generating a first power output and discharging hot exhaust, an expansion turbine coupled to said heat engine via an output shaft for generating a second power output, a heat recovery unit including thermal storage means for recovering and storing heat of said hot exhaust to produce motive gases, and a control unit for controlling the operation of said heat engine, comprising the steps of:

operating said heat engine to produce said first power output;
supplying said hot exhaust to said heat recovery unit for thereby recovering and storing heat of said hot exhaust by said thermal storage means to produce said motive gases;
applying said motive gases to said expansion turbine to generate said second power output;
controlling the operation of said heat engine in an on/off mode to intermittently supply said hot exhaust to said thermal storage means;
and
driving said vehicle with the use of at least one of said first and second power outputs.

3 more elements

A hybrid propulsion system for a vehicle, comprising:

a turbine housing;
a compressor mounted on said turbine housing to supply compressed air;
combustor means for combusting air and fuel to produce first motive gases;
first and second annular stator means fixedly mounted in said turbine housing in axially spaced relationship and each including an inlet to introduce a jet stream in a tangential direction, an outlet to exhaust expanded gases and at least one radially and axially extending flow deflector to deflect said jet stream;
first and second turbine rotors rotatably disposed in said first and second annular stators to produce first and second power outputs, respectively and coupled to a common output shaft, each of said first and second turbine rotors including on its outer periphery formed with an annular jet stream path communicating with said inlet and said outlet to allow said jet stream to run therebetween and accommodating therein said flow deflector, and a plurality of turbine blades formed adjacent said annular path;
said first stator means introducing said first motive gases and discharging said expanded gases as hot exhaust;
heat recovery means including thermal storage means for recovering and storing heat of said hot exhaust to thereby produce second motive gases to be applied to the inlet of said second stator means;
and
control means for operating said combustor means in an on/off mode to cause said hot exhaust to be intermittently supplied to said thermal storage means.

6 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Vehicle driving method and hybrid vehicle propulsion system

Life of this patent

Vehicle driving method and hybrid vehicle propulsion system

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims17