Process and device for the recovery of energy

• US 20050262842A1
• Filed: 04/08/2005
• Published: 12/01/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 10/11/2002
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Alpps Fuel Cell Systems GmbH
• Original Assignee: Alpps Fuel Cell Systems GmbH
• Inventors: Claassen, Dirk P., Wancura, Herbert
• Application Number:
  US11/101,603
• Publication Number:
  US 20050262842A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 60/618
• CPC Class Codes: F01K 23/065 the combustion taking place in an internal combustion piston engine, e.g. a diesel engine
• CPC Class Codes: F02G 5/02 Profiting from waste heat of exhaust gases
• CPC Class Codes: F02M 26/05 High pressure loops, i.e. wherein recirculated exhaust gas is taken out from the exhaust system upstream of the turbine and reintroduced into the intake system downstream of the compressor
• CPC Class Codes: F02M 26/24 with two or more coolers
• CPC Class Codes: F02M 26/28 with liquid-cooled heat exchangers
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 30/52 Heat recovery pumps, i.e. heat pump based systems or units able to transfer the thermal energy from one area of the premises or part of the facilities to a different one, improving the overall efficiency
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 20/14 Combined heat and power generation [CHP]
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 20/16 Combined cycle power plant [CCPP], or combined cycle gas turbine [CCGT]
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 20/10 Process efficiency
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/12 Improving ICE efficiencies

Abstract

The invention relates to a process and device for the recovery of energy from the waste heat of thermal or chemical processes, wherein at least a portion of said waste heat evaporates a liquid via at least one heat transfer means or heats a vapour or a gas, increasing the pressure thereof, and this pressure is transformed into mechanical energy in an engine (FIG. 1).

Claims

1. A process for the recovery of energy from the waste heat of a combustion engine comprising an exhaust gas recirculation, in particular of a mobile combustion engine, characterized in that at least a portion of the waste heat of the recycled exhaust gas evaporates a liquid and/or heats a vapour and/or a gas, increasing the pressure thereof, and this pressure is transformed into mechanical energy in an engine.

3. A process according to claim 1, characterized in that the vapour or gas is evaporated or heated, respectively, in two or more stages.

4. A process according to claim 1, characterized in that the conversion into mechanical energy is carried out via a steam turbine.

5. A process according to claim 1, characterized in that the conversion into mechanical energy is carried out via a gas turbine.

6. A process according claim 1, characterized in that the conversion into mechanical energy is carried out via a piston engine.

7. A process according to claim 1, characterized in that at least one heat transfer stage is a heat pump.

8. A process according to claim 1 characterized in that, in front of the engine, energy is stored in an energy store.

9. A process according to claim 1, characterized in that the mechanical energy is used as an auxiliary energy for the combustion engine and/or for the fuel cell and/or as an auxiliary energy in means of transport such as vehicles, preferably for driving a coolant pump and/or a hydraulic unit and/or a compressor for an air-conditioning system.

10. A process according to claim 1, characterized in that the mechanical energy is transformed into electrical energy.

11. A process according to claim 10, characterized in that the electrical energy is used as an auxiliary energy for the combustion engine and/or for the fuel cell and/or as an auxiliary energy in vehicles, preferably for driving a coolant pump and/or a hydraulic unit and/or a compressor for an air-conditioning system.

12. A process according to claim 1, characterized by an exhaust gas turbine of the combustion engine, wherein exhaust gas to be recycled is branched off before the exhaust gas is introduced into the exhaust gas turbine.

13. A process according to claim 12, characterized in that at least a portion of the waste heat of the exhaust gas expanded in the exhaust gas turbine evaporates a liquid and/or heats a vapour and/or a gas, increasing the pressure thereof, and this pressure is transformed into mechanical energy in an engine.

14. A process according to claim 12, characterized in that the liquid or the vapour or the gas, respectively, heated by the expanded exhaust gas, is heated further, in particular superheated, by the exhaust gas to be recycled.

15. A process according to claim 12, characterized in that the liquid or the vapour or the gas, respectively, heated by the expanded exhaust gas, is mixed with the liquid or the vapour or the gas, respectively, heated by the recycled exhaust gas.

2. A process for the recovery of energy from the waste heat of a combustion engine, in particular of a mobile combustion engine, and of a fuel cell, characterized in that at least a portion of the waste heat of the exhaust gas of the combustion engine, in particular of a recycled exhaust gas, and at least a portion of the waste heat of the fuel cell evaporate a liquid and/or heat a vapour and/or a gas, increasing the pressure thereof, and this pressure is transformed into mechanical energy in an engine.

16. A process according to claim 2, characterized in that a liquid or a vapour or a gas, respectively, heated by the waste heat of the fuel cell is mixed with a liquid or a vapour or a gas, respectively, heated by the exhaust gas of the combustion engine.

17. A device for the recovery of energy from the waste heat of a combustion engine comprising an exhaust gas recirculation, in particular of a mobile combustion engine, characterized by the combination of the following features:

at least one heat transfer means for transferring the thermal energy of the recycled exhaust gas to a heat carrier medium,

a device for increasing the pressure of the heat carrier medium,

an engine, preferably a steam turbine, which transforms the energy stored in the heat carrier medium into mechanical energy.

19. A device according to claim 17, characterized by two or more heat transfer means which gradually heat the heat carrier medium.

20. A device according to claim 17, characterized in that the heat carrier medium is identical with the cooling medium for the combustion engine and/or the fuel cell.

21. A device according to claim 17, characterized in that at least one heat transfer means is a heat pump.

22. A device according to claim 17, characterized in that an energy store is arranged in front of the engine.

23. A device according to claim 17, characterized in that the engine is coupled with at least one drive for at least one auxiliary power unit for the thermal or chemical process, preferably cooling or lubricant pumps.

24. A device according to claim 17, characterized in that the engine is coupled with at least one drive for at least one auxiliary power unit for a vehicle, preferably with the drive of a hydraulic unit and/or a compressor for an air-conditioning system

25. A device according to claim 17, comprising an electric power generator, preferably a generator, which is drivable by the engine and transforms at least a portion of the mechanical energy into electrical energy.

26. A device according to claim 25, characterized in that the electrical energy is provided for the operation of auxiliary power units for the combustion engine and/or the fuel cell, preferably of cooling or lubricant pumps.

27. A device according to claim 25, characterized in that the electrical energy is provided for the operation of auxiliary power units for a vehicle, preferably of a hydraulic unit and/or a compressor for an air-conditioning system.

28. A device according to claim 17, characterized by an exhaust gas turbine of the combustion engine, wherein an exhaust-gas branch duct for exhaust gas to be recycled, which branches off—

in the flow direction of the exhaust gas—

from the exhaust gas duct in front of the exhaust gas turbine, runs into a heat transfer means.

29. A device according to claim 28, characterized in that a heat transfer means for exhaust gas expanded in the exhaust gas turbine is arranged downstream of the exhaust gas turbine.

30. A device according to claim 28, characterized in that a heat carrier medium duct runs from the heat transfer means arranged downstream of the exhaust gas turbine to the heat transfer means for the exhaust gas to be recycled.

31. A device according to claim 28, characterized in that a mixing device for the heat carrier medium heated by the exhaust gas to be recycled and the heat carrier medium heated by the remaining exhaust gas is provided.

32. A device according to claim 28, characterized in that a heat carrier medium heated by the fuel cell can be supplied via a duct to a mixing device for mixing with a heat carrier medium heated by the exhaust gas of the combustion engine.

18. A device for the recovery of energy from the waste heat of a combustion engine, in particular of a mobile combustion engine, and of a fuel cell, characterized by the combination of the following features:

at least one heat transfer means for transferring the thermal energy of the exhaust gas of the combustion engine to a heat carrier medium,

at least one heat transfer means for transferring the thermal energy of the fuel cell to a heat carrier medium,

a device for increasing the pressure of the heat carrier medium,

an engine, preferably a steam turbine, which transforms the energy stored in the heat carrier medium into mechanical energy.