Integrated control system for engine waste heat recovery using an organic Rankine cycle

• US 10,724,471 B2
• Filed: 12/21/2015
• Issued: 07/28/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 12/21/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cummins Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Cummins Incorporated
• Inventors: Patel, Prashant P., Ravindran, Prashaanth, Nelson, Christopher R., LaPointe, Leon A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Bogue, Jesse S
• Application Number:
  US16/060,512
• Publication Number:
  US 20190003419A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,681 Days
• CPC Class Codes: F02B 41/10 in exhaust turbines use of exhaust turbines for charging F02B37/00
• CPC Class Codes: F02B 63/044 the engine-generator unit being placed on a frame or in an housing
• CPC Class Codes: F02C 6/12 Turbochargers, i.e. plants for augmenting mechanical power output of internal-combustion piston engines by increase of charge pressure
• CPC Class Codes: F02G 2260/00 Recuperating heat from exhaust gases of combustion engines and heat from cooling circuits
• CPC Class Codes: F02G 5/04 in combination with other waste heat from combustion engines
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/12 Improving ICE efficiencies

Abstract

An engine waste heat recovery (WHR) system includes a turbocharger WHR portion, an exhaust WHR portion, an expander in the exhaust WHR portion, a condenser, valves, and a controller. The expander receives a working fluid in a superheated form and converts thermal energy in the working fluid into mechanical energy or electrical energy. The condenser condenses the working fluid for recirculation through the engine WHR system. The recuperator is fluidly coupled between the expander and the condenser to allow the working fluid to flow from the expander to the condenser. The recuperator transfers thermal energy to a flow of the working fluid from the turbocharger WHR portion. Each valve is fluidly coupled to one of the turbocharger WHR portion and the exhaust WHR portion. The controller is electrically coupled to the valves, and the controller selectively controls the valves to selectively circulate the working fluid through the engine WHR system.

Claims

1. An engine waste heat recovery system, comprising:

a turbocharger waste heat recovery portion;

an exhaust waste heat recovery portion;

an expander in the exhaust waste heat recovery portion, the expander configured to receive a working fluid in a superheated form and convert thermal energy in the working fluid into mechanical energy or electrical energy;

a condenser configured to condense the working fluid for recirculation through the engine waste heat recovery system;

a recuperator fluidly coupled between the expander and the condenser to allow the working fluid to flow from the expander to the condenser, the recuperator further configured to transfer thermal energy to a flow of the working fluid from the turbocharger waste heat recovery portion;

a plurality of valves, each of the plurality of valves fluidly coupled to one of the turbocharger waste heat recovery portion and the exhaust waste heat recovery portion, the plurality of valves comprising a three-way valve between the recuperator and the turbocharger waste heat recovery portion, the three way valve configured to selectively direct (a) all of the working fluid to the recuperator, (b) all of the working fluid to the condenser, and (c) a portion of the working fluid to the recuperator and a remainder of the working fluid to the condenser; and

a controller electrically coupled to the plurality of valves, the controller configured to selectively control the plurality of valves to selectively circulate the working fluid through the engine waste heat recovery system.

2. The system of claim 1, further comprising a pump, wherein the controller is further configured to control the pump to selectively adjust a flow rate of the working fluid in the engine waste heat recovery system to regulate a temperature in the exhaust waste heat recovery portion at a desired level.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the turbocharger waste heat recovery portion is configured for waste heat recovery from an intercooler and from an aftercooler.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the controller is configured to selectively control one of the plurality of valves to allow fluid flow to the aftercooler through the valve.

5. The system of claim 3, wherein the controller is configured to selectively control one of the plurality of valves to allow fluid flow from the turbocharger waste heat recovery portion through the valve to the recuperator.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the exhaust waste heat recovery portion and the condenser implement a Rankine cycle.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the controller is configured to selectively control one of the plurality of valves to allow the working fluid to flow to the exhaust waste heat recovery portion through the one of the plurality of valves.

8. An engine waste heat recovery system, comprising:

a turbocharger waste heat recovery portion configured to circulate a working fluid;

an exhaust waste heat recovery portion configured to circulate the working fluid;

an expander in the exhaust waste heat recovery portion, the expander configured to receive the working fluid in a superheated form and convert thermal energy in the superheated working fluid to mechanical or electrical energy;

a recuperator fluidly coupled to the expander and to the turbocharger waste heat recovery portion, the recuperator configured to receive the working fluid from the expander, receive the working fluid from the turbocharger waste heat recovery portion, transfer thermal energy from the working fluid received from the expander to the working fluid received from the

turbocharger waste heat recovery portion, and provide the working fluid to the exhaust waste heat recovery portion;

a plurality of valves, each of the plurality of valves fluidly coupled to one of the turbocharger waste heat recovery portion and the exhaust waste heat recovery portion, the plurality of valves comprising a three-way valve between the recuperator and the turbocharger waste heat recovery portion, the three way valve configured to selectively direct (a) all of the working fluid to the recuperator, (b) all of the working fluid to the condenser, and (c) a portion of the working fluid to the recuperator and a remainder of the working fluid to the condenser; and

a controller configured to control the plurality of valves and to control a flow rate of the working fluid in the waste heat recovery system, to regulate a temperature of a Rankine cycle implemented in the exhaust waste heat recovery portion.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the plurality of valves include:

a first valve configured to control fluid flow from the turbocharger waste heat recovery portion;

a second valve configured to control fluid flow to the turbocharger waste heat recovery portion; and

a third valve configured to control fluid flow to the exhaust waste heat recovery portion.

10. The system of claim 9, further comprising a pump, wherein the controller is configured to, at startup of the engine waste heat recovery system, control the pump to initiate pumping of the working fluid through the engine waste heat recovery system.

11. The system of claim 9, wherein the controller is configured to control the first valve to direct the working fluid from the turbocharger waste heat recovery portion to the recuperator.

12. The system of claim 9, wherein the controller is configured to control the second valve to direct the working fluid to the turbocharger waste heat recovery portion.

13. The system of claim 9, wherein the controller is configured to control the third valve to direct the working fluid towards an inlet of an exhaust boiler.

14. The system of claim 8, further comprising a pump, wherein the controller is configured to, at shutdown of the engine waste heat recovery system, control the pump to decrease a flow of the working fluid in the waste heat recovery system to regulate the temperature of the Rankine cycle.