Heat transfer system for a co-generation unit

A method for increasing the transfer of heat to a process/utility heat loop from a liquid cooling system for efficiently cooling a natural gas fueled, internal combustion engine utilizing recycled exhaust gas for driving a co-generation unit comprising:

• (a) circulating a cooling fluid for cooling said internal combustion engine through a fist loop which fluidly communicates with cooling ports of said internal combustion engine at a first inlet temperature and at a first flow rate;
• and, through a second loop containing a cooling fluid which fluidly communicates with cooling ports of at least one exhaust manifold of said internal combustion engine at a second inlet temperature and at a second flow rate, such that the cooling fluid exiting said first loop at a first exit temperature and the cooling fluid exiting said second loop at a second exit temperature converge in a confluence in at least one heat exchangers;
• and
• (b) circulating a heat exchange media in a cooling a co-generation process/utility heat loop in communication with said at least one process heat exchanger containing said confluence from said cooling system such that so heat contained in said confluence from said cooling system is passed to the media of said co-generation process/utility heat loop.

A heat transfer and cooling system for a natural gas fueled, internal combustion engine driven co-generation unit having a turbocharger and utilizing recycled exhaust gas comprising:

• (a) a fluid cooling system for cooling said internal combustion engine having a cooling fluid, an engine coolant pump for flowing said cooling fluid through said fluid cooling system, an oil heat exchanger for removing heat from the engine oil in cooling fluid communication with an outlet of said engine coolant pump and an outlet cooling fluid communication each one of two loops wherein a first loop cooling fluidly communicates with cooling ports of said internal combustion engine at a first inlet temperature at a first flow rate;
• and, a second loop cooling fluidly communicates with an intake of a first exhaust manifold which is in heat exchange communication with engine exhaust ports and then a second exhaust manifold in heat exchange communication with exhaust exiting said turbocharger at a second inlet temperature at a second flow rate, wherein the cooling fluid exiting said first loop at a first exit temperature and a first flow rate and the cooling fluid exiting said second loop at a second exit temperature and a second flow rate converge in a confluence at an inlet side of a thermal control valve which cooling fluidly communicates on an outlet side of said thermal control valve with at least one process heat exchanger or said oil heat exchanger depending on the temperature of said confluence and said at least one process heat exchanger fluidly communicates with at least one dump/balance radiator to remove heat from said cooling system prior to the return of the cooling system fluid to said engine;
• (b) a co-generation process/utility heat loop containing a heat receiving medium in communication with said at least one process heat exchanger containing said confluence from said cooling system such that heat contained in said confluence from said cooling system is passed to the media of said co-generation process/utility heat loop;
• (c) a turbo intercooler unit for cooling compressed air/recycle exhaust gas/fuel intake admixture prior to said admixture entering an engine intake manifold comprising a fluid coolant cooled intercooler coil for cooling said compressed air/recycle exhaust gas/fuel intake admixture which is in liquid communication with an intercooler radiator for exhausting heat from said fluid coolant and a circulation pump for circulating said fluid coolant;
• (d) at least one exhaust gas recycle cooler for cooling the recycled exhaust gas prior to forming the compressed air/recycle exhaust gas/fuel intake admixture comprising two air cooled units in series, and
• (e) an absorption chiller in fluid communication with an exhaust heat recovery device such that non recycled engine exhaust is passed through said exhaust heat recovery device to transfer heat in the non recycled engine exhaust by way of the client absorption chiller to said co-generation process/utility heat loop.