High efficiency hybrid car with gasoline engine, and electric battery powered motor

• US 5,327,987 A
• Filed: 05/26/1992
• Issued: 07/12/1994
• Est. Priority Date: 04/02/1992
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Fawzy T. Abdelmalek
• Original Assignee: Fawzy T. Abdelmalek
• Inventors: Abdelmalek, Fawzy T.
• Primary Examiner(s): KOCZO JR, MICHAEL
• Application Number:
  US07/887,876
• Time in Patent Office: 777 Days
• Field of Search: 60/618, 180/65.2, 180/65.4
• US Class Current: 180/65.25
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2300/60 Vehicles using regenerative power
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 17/356 having fluid or electric motor, for driving one or more wheels disposition of motor in, or adjacent to, traction wheel B60K7/00
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 25/10 directly from oscillating movements due to vehicle running motion, e.g. suspension movement resilient suspensions having dampers accumulating utilisable energy, e.g. compressing air, B60G13/14
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/24 characterised by the combustion engines
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/48 Parallel type
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/52 Driving a plurality of drive axles, e.g. four-wheel drive
• CPC Class Codes: F01K 23/065 the combustion taking place in an internal combustion piston engine, e.g. a diesel engine
• CPC Class Codes: F02B 1/04 with fuel-air mixture admission into cylinder
• CPC Class Codes: F02G 5/00 Profiting from waste heat of combustion engines, not otherwise provided for
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/12 Improving ICE efficiencies
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/62 Hybrid vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 903/905 Combustion engine
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 903/916 with plurality of drive axles

Abstract

A hybrid-propulsion car system having one axle driven by an internal combustion engine and another axis driven by an electric motor. The waste heat of the internal combustion engine is absorbed by the engine cooling fluid, and is then heat exchanged with an evaporative fluid in a closed circuit. The evaporative fluid is vaporized by the heat of the engine cooling fluid in order to drive an expander which in turn drives an electric generator. The electric generator supplies current to a storage battery and to the electric motor.

Claims

1. In combination with a hybrid car having an internal combustion engine for front wheel axle drive, and a battery powered motor for a rear wheel axle drive, wherein the improvement allows the waste heat energy usually rejected in the radiator, and the waste heat energy usually rejected in the exhaust gas stream, to be recovered and utilized to actuate a hermetically sealed gas expander having a common drive shaft driving a direct current electric generator, the improvement which comprises:

an internal combustion engine having recirculating cooling fluid jacket;

a liquid cooling fluid;

an internal combustion engine cooling fluid circulating pump;

a temperature controlled three-way flow control modulating valve;

a forced ambient air cooled radiator, having an electric motor driven fan;

a heat exchanger adapted to exchange heat between said internal combustion engine exhaust gas stream, and said engine cooling fluid, to effect cooling of said exhaust gas stream and heating of said engine cooling fluid;

means to interconnect said cooling fluid jacket, said circulating pump, said flow control valve, said cooling fluid air radiator, and said exhaust gas heat exchanger in a closed circuit;

an evaporative power fluid;

a heat exchanger adapted to exchange heat between said evaporative power fluid and said liquid cooling fluid;

a hermetically sealed gas expander assembly adapted to expand said power fluid vapor, said gas expander has a common power shaft to drive a D.C. electric generator adapted to produce electric power;

means for regulating the pressure of the relatively high pressure vapor of said power fluid flowing from said heat exchanger and directing it to the inlet of said hermetically sealed gas expander;

a condenser adapted to exchange heat energy between the expanded vapor of said power fluid, and the ambient cooling air to affect cooling and condensing said power fluid vapor;

means for directing the expanded vapor of said power fluid flowing from said expander outlet to said condenser inlet;

a liquid receiver;

a hermetically sealed liquid pump adapted to substantially pressurize the condensate of said power fluid;

a one way non-return valve;

means for directing the relatively low pressure vapor condensate of the power fluid flowing from said condenser into said liquid receiver, to the intake of said pump;

means for directing said pressurized vapor condensate of said power fluid flowing from said pump through said non-return valve to said heat exchanger, to substantially heat and evaporate said power fluid;

a direct current electric storage battery;

an electric volt regulator controller;

a solid state programmable control unit adapted to select and operate said internal combustion engine, or said electric motor drive for the best mode of operation, said controller accepts and evaluates the value of analog electric signals for the battery charge, and the vehicle speed; and

produces digital signals to affect selection of drive mode, said control unit includes an electronic inverter to convert the direct current to a variable cycle alternating current for A.C. electric motor speed control.

2. The system according to claim 1 further includes a shock absorber system for damping the road shocks, and pressurizing a power fluid in a closed power circuit to actuate a power expander having an electric power generator to charge said battery, and drive said electric motor.

3. An apparatus to be employed in the combination of claim 1 for a hermetically sealed helical screw gas expander-liquid pump-electric power generator unit having a helical screw gas expander assembly, a positive displacement liquid pump assembly, and a direct current electric power generator assembly, all mounted on a common drive shaft and are disposed in a hermetically sealed enclosure comprising:

a helical screw gas expander assembly to affect expansion of a relatively high pressure gas to a relatively lower pressure level, simultaneously producing kinetic energy to drive a power shaft;

said gas expander is characterized to have two intermeshing female helical screw driver rotor, with a male helical screw driven rotor, and has a spur gear drive to transmit the kinetic energy to a power shaft;

the enclosure of said expander has a high pressure gas inlet which extends to outside the hermetically sealed enclosure, and has a low pressure outlet exhaust which discharges inside the hermetically sealed enclosure;

a liquid positive displacement helical gear pump assembly mounted on said power shaft, and characterized to have two intermeshing male and a female helical gears enclosed in a sealed enclosure which have a low pressure suction connection, and a high pressure discharge connected directly to outside said hermetically sealed enclosure;

a permanent magnet brushless D.C. electric power generator connected to said power shaft, said generator uses electronic commutation with electronic switching means that switches the voltage supplied from the winding leads in response to the rotor'"'"'s position;

a hermetically sealed enclosure consists of welded shell to contain said gas expander-liquid pump-electric generator assembly, said enclosure has resilient support means, gas and liquid conduit connections, and electric generator power wiring terminal connections.

4. An apparatus to be employed in combination of claim 1 for a hermetically sealed reciprocating piston gas expander unit comprising:

a reciprocating piston gas expansion mechanism having one or more pistons, each piston is enclosed in a sealed cylinder, and is operatively connected to a power shaft through a connecting rod, and an eccentric or crank arm;

a liquid positive displacement helical gear pump assembly directly mounted on said power shaft, and characterized to have two intermeshing male and female gears enclosed in a sealed enclosure, and have a low pressure suction, and a high pressure discharge connections, directly connected to outside of said hermetically sealed enclosure;

a permanent magnet brushless D.C. electric power generator having a rotor fitted on said power shaft, and is commutated by electronic switching means that switches the voltage supplied from the stator coil winding leads in response to the rotor'"'"'s position;

means to permit alternative release of high pressure gas intake, and low pressure gas exhaust in coordination with the position of the piston to affect synchronous actuation of the expander pistons to drive the power shaft;

a hermetically sealed enclosure consists of welded shell to contain said gas expander-liquid pump-electric generator assembly, said enclosure has resilient support means, gas and liquid conduit connections, and electric generator power wiring terminal connections.

5. A solid state programmable logic controller unit in combination with claim 1 by which a first mode connects said electric motor drive to said battery, and actuates a first clutch to the engage position, while simultaneously actuating a second clutch to the disengage position;

when said control unit is set in second mode it disconnects the electric motor drive, and actuates the first clutch to the disengage position while simultaneously actuating a relay to the close position so as to electrically start the internal combustion engine and actuates the second clutch to the engaged position;

said control unit is characterized to have solid state logic circuiting which permits selection of the best mode of operation depending on measuring and comparing values of analog electric signals with preset values for the speed of the vehicle and the battery charge level;

said control unit has a time delay feature to prevent excessive switching between the two modes while the vehicle is in operation.

6. A rechargeable battery in combination with claim 1 or claim 5, which is electrically linked through said control unit to said electric motor, and is linked to said voltage regulators of said waste heat recovery electric generator, and said kinetic energy recovery electric generator;

said electric battery is also linked through said control unit to actuate said clutches, relays, and is independently connected to other vehicle motor drives, accessories, lights, and controls.