High efficiency flexfuel internal combustion engine
OwnerMark Odell Thomasinventor
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Abstract
A heat engine includes a turbine (10), compressor (20), heat pump (30) and combustion source (40) and uses heated and compressed air as a motive fluid in an open Brayton cycle. In the process of the invention, the compressor pressurizes air (21) from the environment. A closed-cycle heat pump (30), having a high-temperature condensation side (33) and a low-temperature evaporation side (35), increases the energy in the compressed air through heat exchange with the high-temperature condensation side (33) of the heat pump. Upon heating in a constant pressure process, the motive fluid is expanded through the turbine (10). The combustion source (40), which is isolated from the motive fluid, further heats the low-temperature evaporation side (35) of the heat pump.
Claims13
A heat engine comprising,
- (a) a compressor to compress air as a motive fluid for expansion in a turbine;
- (b) a heat pump employing a closed cycle to heat the motive fluid prior to expansion in a turbine wherein the heat pump has a low temperature evaporation side to extract heat from a combustion source and a high-temperature condensation side to add heat to the motive fluid;
- (c) a turbine that expands the motive fluid in an open Brayton cycle;
- and,
- (d) a combustion source operating on the low-temperature evaporation side of the heat pump.
A method of using a heat engine comprising the steps of,
- providing a heat engine comprising a compressor;
- a heat pump employing a closed cycle to heat the motive fluid prior to expansion in a turbine wherein the heat pump has a low temperature evaporation side to extract heat from a combustion source and a high-temperature condensation side to add heat to the motive fluid;
- a turbine that expands the motive fluid in an open Brayton cycle;
- and a combustion source operating on the low-temperature evaporation side of the heat pump;
- compressing air with the compressor to use as a motive fluid;
- heating the compressed air with the high-temperature condensation side of the heat pump;
- generating heat by burning fuel in the combustion source to heat the low-temperature side of the heat pump;
- and,
- expanding the motive fluid through the turbine to produce useful work.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.