Open brayton bottoming cycle and method of using the same
AssigneeStarRotor Corporation
InventorsDan Price, Mark T. Holtzapple
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
According to one embodiment, an open brayton bottoming cycle includes a heat exchanger configured between a compressor and an expander. The heat exchanger is configured to receive heat from a heat source and supply at least a portion of the exhaust heat to an expander using a fluid. The compressor configured to supply compressed fluid to the heat exchanger. The expander has a shaft connected to the compressor and configured to supply energy to the compressor. At least one of the compressor or the expander has an efficiency greater than 80 percent.
Claims14
An open brayton bottoming cycle comprising:
- a heat exchanger configured to receive exhaust heat from an engine and supply at least a portion of the exhaust heat to an expander using a fluid, the expander having an inner rotor configured to spin inside an outer rotor;
- a compressor having an inner rotor configured to spin inside an outer rotor, the compressor configured to supply compressed fluid to the heat exchanger, a shaft of the expander connected to the compressor;
- a motor/generator component configured to initially be activated as a motor and then as speed increases, re-configure to become a generator that receives energy from the shaft of the expander;
- a valve configured to supply fluid to the compressor and to trip when the motor/generator component trips and further configured to be throttled when less power is desired;
- and
- a water injector configured to supply a modulated water flow to the compressor, the modulated water flow modulating a volume entering the heat exchanger and the expander,
- wherein each of the compressor and expander have an isentropic efficiency greater than between 80 and 95 percent and the compressor tolerates a presence of water in the fluid.
An open brayton bottoming cycle comprising:
- a heat exchanger configured to receive exhaust heat from a heat source and supply at least a portion of the exhaust heat to an expander using a fluid;
- a compressor configured to supply compressed fluid to the heat exchanger;
- a valve configured to supply fluid to the compressor and to trip when a motor/generator component trips and further configured to be throttled when less power is desired;
- and
- a water injector configured to supply a water flow to the compressor;
- wherein the expander has a shaft connected to the compressor and configured to supply energy to the compressor,
- wherein the heat source is not configured to burn fuel to drive the shaft;
- and
- wherein at least one of the compressor and the expander comprises a gerotor having an isentropic efficiency between 80 and 95 percent at a power rating below 500 kilowatts.
An open brayton bottoming cycle method comprising:
- receiving, using a heat exchanger, exhaust heat from a heat source, the heat exchanger supplying at least a portion of the heat to an expander using a fluid;
- supplying, using a compressor, compressed fluid to the heat exchanger;
- and
- supplying energy to the compressor using the expander,
- tripping a valve when a motor/generator component trips, the valve throttled when less power is desired, wherein the valve is configured to supply fluid to the compressor;
- and
- supplying a water flow to the compressor using a water injector;
- wherein the heat source is not configured to burn fuel to drive a shaft connected to the compressor or expander;
- and
- wherein at least one of the compressor or the expander comprises a gerotor having an isentropic efficiency greater than between 80 and 95 percent at a power rating below 500 kilowatts.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.