Combined heat and power system
First Claim
1. A combined heat and power system comprising:
- a housing;
a coolant circuit including a coolant pump configured to pump coolant through the coolant circuit;
a liquid-cooled internal combustion engine including a liquid cooling system configured to cool the engine with coolant from the coolant circuit thereby heating the coolant;
an air-cooled alternator configured to be driven by the internal combustion engine to produce electricity, the alternator including an air cooling system configured to cool the alternator thereby heating air;
a water circuit including a housing water inlet, a housing water outlet, and a water pump configured to pump water through the water circuit, wherein the housing water inlet is configured to receive water from outside the housing and the housing water outlet is configured to output water from the housing;
an air-to-water heat exchanger configured to receive heated air from inside the housing and receive water from the water circuit in a heat exchange relationship to preheat the water and cool the air;
a coolant-to-water heat exchanger configured to place heated coolant from the liquid cooling system and preheated water from the air-to-water heat exchanger in a heat exchange relationship to further heat the water and cool the coolant, wherein the coolant-to-water heat exchanger is fluidly coupled to the housing water outlet to provide heated water to the housing water outlet.
7 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A combined heat and power system includes a liquid-cooled internal combustion engine, an air-cooled alternator, an air-to-water heat exchanger, and a coolant-to water heat exchanger. The liquid-cooled internal combustion engine includes a liquid cooling system configured to cool the engine with coolant thereby heating the coolant. The air-cooled alternator is configured to be driven by the internal combustion engine to produce electricity. The alternator includes an air cooling system configured to cool the alternator thereby heating air. The air-to-water heat exchanger is configured to receive heated air and water in a heat exchange relationship to preheat the water and cool the air. The coolant-to-water heat exchanger is configured to place heated coolant and preheated water from the air-to-water heat exchanger in a heat exchange relationship to further heat the water and cool the coolant. The coolant-to-water heat exchanger provides heated water to the housing water outlet.
34 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A combined heat and power system comprising:
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a housing; a coolant circuit including a coolant pump configured to pump coolant through the coolant circuit; a liquid-cooled internal combustion engine including a liquid cooling system configured to cool the engine with coolant from the coolant circuit thereby heating the coolant; an air-cooled alternator configured to be driven by the internal combustion engine to produce electricity, the alternator including an air cooling system configured to cool the alternator thereby heating air; a water circuit including a housing water inlet, a housing water outlet, and a water pump configured to pump water through the water circuit, wherein the housing water inlet is configured to receive water from outside the housing and the housing water outlet is configured to output water from the housing; an air-to-water heat exchanger configured to receive heated air from inside the housing and receive water from the water circuit in a heat exchange relationship to preheat the water and cool the air; a coolant-to-water heat exchanger configured to place heated coolant from the liquid cooling system and preheated water from the air-to-water heat exchanger in a heat exchange relationship to further heat the water and cool the coolant, wherein the coolant-to-water heat exchanger is fluidly coupled to the housing water outlet to provide heated water to the housing water outlet. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A combined heat and power system comprising:
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a housing; a coolant circuit including a coolant pump configured to pump coolant through the coolant circuit; a liquid-cooled internal combustion engine including a liquid cooling system configured to cool the engine with coolant from the coolant circuit thereby heating the coolant; an air-cooled alternator configured to be driven by the internal combustion engine to produce electricity, the alternator including an air cooling system configured to cool the alternator thereby heating air; a working fluid circuit including a housing working fluid inlet, a housing working fluid outlet, and a working fluid pump configured to pump working fluid through the working fluid circuit, wherein the housing working fluid inlet is configured to receive working fluid from outside the housing and the housing working fluid outlet is configured to output working fluid from the housing; an air-to-working fluid heat exchanger configured to receive heated air from inside the housing and receive working fluid from the working fluid circuit in a heat exchange relationship to preheat the working fluid and cool the air; a coolant-to-working fluid heat exchanger configured to place heated coolant from the liquid cooling system and preheated working fluid from the air-to-working fluid heat exchanger in a heat exchange relationship to further heat the working fluid and cool the coolant, wherein the coolant-to-working fluid heat exchanger is fluidly coupled to the housing working fluid outlet to provide heated working fluid to the housing working fluid outlet. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification