Method and apparatus for decreasing marine vessel power plant exhaust temperature
AssigneeCarrier Corporation
InventorTimothy Neil Sundel
Life of this patent
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Abstract
According to the present invention, a method and apparatus for generating power aboard a marine vessel is provided. The method comprises the steps of: (a) providing a Rankine Cycle device that includes at least one of each of an evaporator, a turbo-generator that includes a turbine coupled with an electrical generator, a condenser, and a refrigerant feed pump; (b) disposing the one or more evaporators within an exhaust duct of a power plant of the marine vessel; (c) operating the power plant; and (d) selectively pumping refrigerant through the Rankine Cycle device, wherein refrigerant exiting the evaporator powers the turbine, which in turn powers the generator to produce power.
Claims17
An apparatus for decreasing the temperature of exhaust from a marine power plant the apparatus comprising:
- at least one evaporator operable to be disposed within the exhaust from the marine power plant;
- at least one condenser having a plurality of tubes disposed within a housing, wherein the tubes are sized to permit a flow of coolant within the tubes into and out of the condenser;
- and
- at least one refrigerant feed pump operable to pump refrigerant within a circuitous path between the evaporator and the condenser.
A method for decreasing the exhaust temperature of a marine vessel power plant, comprising the steps of:
- providing a Rankine Cycle device that includes at least one of each of an evaporator, a condenser, and a refrigerant feed pump;
- disposing the evaporator within an exhaust duct of a power plant of the marine vessel;
- operating the power plant;
- selectively pumping refrigerant through the Rankine Cycle device;
- and providing a coolant flow into and out of the condenser, wherein the coolant is environmental water.
A method for decreasing the exhaust temperature of a marine vessel power plant, comprising the steps of:
- providing a Rankine Cycle device that includes a first evaporator, a second evaporator, and at least one of each of a condenser, a turbo-generator, and a refrigerant feed pump;
- disposing the first and second evaporators within at least one exhaust duct of a power plant of the marine vessel;
- operating the power plant;
- selectively pumping refrigerant through the Rankine Cycle device;
- and
- selectively passing refrigerant through the second evaporator, or diverting refrigerant around the second evaporator, to accommodate a change in the temperature and/or mass flow of the refrigerant.
A method for suppressing the infrared signal of a marine vessel power plant, comprising the steps of:
- providing a Rankine Cycle device that includes at least one of each of an evaporator, a condenser, and a refrigerant feed pump;
- sizing the Rankine Cycle device to have the capacity to decrease the marine vessel's power plant exhaust temperature from a first predetermined temperature to a second predetermined temperature;
- disposing the evaporator within an exhaust duct of a power plant of the marine vessel;
- operating the power plant;
- selectively pumping refrigerant through the Rankine Cycle device:
- and
- providing a coolant flow into and out of the condenser, wherein the coolant is environmental water.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.