WASTE HEAT UTILIZATION APPARATUS

• US 20150047351A1
• Filed: 08/14/2012
• Published: 02/19/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 09/30/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sanden Corporation (Hisense Home Appliances Group Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Sanden Corporation (Hisense Home Appliances Group Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Mizoguchi, Shinichiro, Nagai, Hiroyuki, Iwahashi, Riyako, Ogihara, Satoshi, Haraguchi, Tomonori, Ishikawa, Takayuki
• Granted Patent: US 9,441,503 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 60/615
• CPC Class Codes: F01D 15/02 Adaptations for driving vehicles, e.g. locomotives
• CPC Class Codes: F01D 15/12 Combinations with mechanical gearing driven by multiple engines F01D13/00
• CPC Class Codes: F01K 23/101 Regulating means specially adapted therefor F01K23/105, F01K23/108 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F01P 2060/16 Outlet manifold
• CPC Class Codes: F01P 2060/18 Heater
• CPC Class Codes: F02G 5/02 Profiting from waste heat of exhaust gases
• 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

A waste heat utilization apparatus is provided with a Rankine cycle and a power transmission mechanism that transmits power regenerated by an expander to an engine. The power transmission mechanism includes an expander clutch that interrupts or permits The transmission of the power from to expander to the engine. The expander includes a rotational speed sensor that detects a rotational speed of the expander. An increase in friction of the expander is detected on the basis of an increase in the rotational speed of the expander detected by the rotational speed sensor when the expander clutch is disconnected.

Claims

1. A waste heat utilization apparatus comprising:

a Rankine cycle including a heat exchanger that recovers waste heat from an engine with a refrigerant, an expander that produces power by using the refrigerant that exits the heat exchanger, a condenser that condenses the refrigerant that exits the expander, and a refrigerant pump that supplies the refrigerant that exits the condenser to the heat exchanger; and

a power transmission mechanism that transmits the power regenerated by the expander to the engine, wherein;

the power transmission mechanism includes a disconnection/connection means that interrupts or permits the transmission of the power from the expander to the engine; and

the expander includes a rotational speed detection means that detects a rotational speed of the expander,

the waste heat utilization apparatus further comprising a friction increase detection means that detects an increase in friction of the expander on the basis of an increase in the rotational speed of the expander detected by the rotational speed defection means when the disconnection/connection means is disconnected.

2. The waste heat utilization apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the Rankine cycle includes a bypass passage that bypasses the refrigerant introduced into the expander, and a bypass valve that interrupts or permits conduction of the refrigerant into the bypass passage,

wherein the friction increase detection means causes the bypass passage to conduct by controlling the bypass valve when the disconnection/connection means is disconnected.

3. The waste heat utilization apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the friction increase detection means causes the bypass passage to conduct by controlling the bypass valve simultaneously with the disconnection of the disconnection/connection means.

4. The waste heat utilization apparatus according to claim 1, wherein:

the Rankine cycle includes a bypass passage that bypasses the refrigerant introduced into the expander, and a bypass valve that interrupts or permits conduction of the refrigerant into the bypass passage; and

the friction increase detection means, when the disconnection/connection means is disconnected, causes the bypass passage to conduct by controlling the bypass valve so as to make the rotational speed of the expander not greater than an allowable rotational speed of the expander.

5. The waste heat utilization apparatus according to claim 1, comprising a pressure detection means that detects a refrigerant pressure upstream of the expander,

wherein the friction increase detection means disconnects the disconnection/connection means when the refrigerant pressure upstream of the expander detected by the pressure detection means is not greater than a predetermined pressure.

6. The waste heat utilization apparatus according to claim 1, comprising a pressure difference detection means that detects a difference between pressures of the refrigerant upstream and downward of the expander,

wherein the friction increase detection means disconnects the disconnection/connection means when the difference between the refrigerant pressures upstream and downstream of the expander detected by the pressure difference detection means is not greater than a predetermined pressure difference.

7. The waste heat utilization apparatus according to claim 2, wherein, when the detection of the increase in friction of the expander is not performed, the disconnection/connection means is disconnected after the bypass passage is caused to conduct during regeneration of the power by the expander.

8. The waste heat utilization apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the refrigerant pump is a pump driven by the power regenerated by the expander.