RANKINE CYCLE BOTTOMING PLANT

• US 3,830,062 A
• Filed: 10/09/1973
• Issued: 08/20/1974
• Est. Priority Date: 10/09/1973
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Dean T. Morgan, Jerry P. Davis
• Original Assignee: Dean T. Morgan, Jerry P. Davis
• Inventors: Morgan, Dean T., Davis, Jerry P.
• Primary Examiner(s): Geoghegan, Edgar W.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Burks, Sr., H.
• Application Number:
  US05/404,451
• Time in Patent Office: 315 Days
• Field of Search: 60/36,38,11,14,39.18B,49
• US Class Current: 60/618
• CPC Class Codes: F01K 3/245 delivering steam at different pressure levels F01K3/247 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F02G 5/02 Profiting from waste heat of exhaust gases
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/12 Improving ICE efficiencies

Abstract

A primary power source rejects heat by means of its exhaust and its cooling system. A Rankine cycle engine includes a dual vapor generator system for simultaneously utilizing heat rejected by both the exhaust and the cooling system to vaporize a working fluid in a bottoming cycle. Subsequently, the vaporized working fluid is expanded to produce work.

Claims

1. In a power generating system comprising a primary power source and a secondary power source, the primary power source comprising an internal combustion engine, exhaust means for discharging hot combustion products from the internal combustion engine, and closed coolant means confining heat removing fluid in the internal combustion engine;

the secondary power source comprising a Rankine cycle power system adapted for utilization of reject heat from the primary source;

the Rankine cycle power system comprising;

a. a high pressure vapor generator for vaporizing a working fluid at high pressure;

b. first means for directing the hot combustion products from the exhaust means into heat exchange relationship with working fluid in the high pressure vapor generator;

c. a low pressure vapor generator for vaporizing a working fluid at low pressure;

d. second means for directing the fluid from the coolant means into heat exchange relationship with working fluid in the low pressure vapor generator;

e. a single expander means for receiving vaporized working fluid from both the high and low pressure vapor generators and adapted to permit both working fluid vapor from the high pressure vapor generator and working fluid vapor from the low pressure vapor generator to expand and perform work simultaneously; and

f. a condenser for liquifying vaporized working fluid from the high pressure vapor generator and the low pressure vapor generator.

2. The power generating system of claim 1 wherein the internal combustion engine is a Diesel and the working fluid used in the secondary power source, in the high pressure vapor generator and in the low pressure vapor generator, is an organic fluid.

3. The power generating system of claim 2 further comprising a regenerator in the secondary source for transferring heat from the gaseous working fluid from the high pressure vapor generator, after it departs the expander and before it enters the condenser, to liquid working fluid from the condenser destined for the high pressure generator.

4. A power generating system as defined in claim 2 wherein the expander comprises a turbine having one shaft and two rotors thereon, a first rotor comprising a reaction member for working fluid vapor from the high pressure vapor generator and the second rotor comprising a reaction member for working fluid vapor from the low pressure vapor generator.

5. A power generating system as defined in claim 4 comprising an electric generator driven by the turbine.

6. The power generating system of claim 1 further comprising a regenerator in the secondary source for transferring heat from the gaseous working fluid from the high pressure vapor generator, after it departs the expander and before it enters the condenser, to liquid working fluid from the condenser destined for the low pressure vapor generator.

7. A method of recovery of reject heat from a combustion producing, fluid cooled primary power source comprising the steps of:

by means of reject heat from combustion products, vaporizing a mass of organic working fluid having a boiling point between 100* and 300* F at atmospheric pressure in a vapor generator;

by means of reject heat from the coolant fluid of the primary source, vaporizing another mass of the same working fluid simultaneously in a second vapor generator;

receiving simultaneously the vaporized working fluid from the first and second vapor generators;

expanding the vaporized working fluid to produce work;

condensing expanded working fluid;

pumping liquid working fluid to the first vapor generator at one pressure; and

pumping liquid working fluid to the second vapor generator at a second pressure lower than the one pressure.

8. The method according to claim 7 further comprising the step of preheating the liquid working fluid from the condenser destined for the first vapor generator by transferring to it heat from expanded working fluid from the first vapor generator.

9. The method according to claim 7 further comprising the step of preheating the liquid working fluid from the condenser destined for the second vapor generator by transferring to it heat from expanded working fluid from the first vapor generator.

10. The method according to claim 7 wherein the expander is a dual expansion chamber turbine and the expanding step further includes the steps of driving a rotor in one chamber of the turbine expander by means of vaporized working fluid from the first vapor generator and simultaneously driving another rotor in the other chamber of the turbine expander by means of vaporized fluid from the second vapor generator.