System and method for utilization of waste heat from internal combustion engines

• US 7,458,217 B2
• Filed: 09/15/2005
• Issued: 12/02/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 09/15/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kalina Power Limited
• Original Assignee: Kalex, LLC
• Inventors: Kalina, Alexander I.
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen; Hoang M
• Application Number:
  US11/227,991
• Publication Number:
  US 20070056284A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,174 Days
• Field of Search: 606/49, 606/51, 606/53, 606/71, 606/73, 606/18
• 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: F01K 23/10 with exhaust fluid of one cycle heating the fluid in another cycle F01K17/025 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F01K 25/06 using mixtures of different fluids plants using mixtures of steam and gas F01K21/04
• CPC Class Codes: F02B 41/10 in exhaust turbines use of exhaust turbines for charging F02B37/00
• CPC Class Codes: F02G 5/02 Profiting from waste heat of exhaust gases
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/12 Improving ICE efficiencies

Abstract

A system and method is disclosed to increase the efficient of internal combustion engines where the system and method converts a portion of thermal energy produced in the combustion process to a usable form of energy. If the engines are used in power generation, then the system and method increases the power output of the engine significantly. If the engines are used in traditional mechanical operations such as ships, then the system and method operates to increase mechanical power output or to increase co-produced electrical energy output.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

an internal combustion engine including a cooling system,

a heat recovery vapor generator (HRVG) connected to an exhaust of the engine and adapted to utilize heat in exhaust gases produced by the internal combustion engine to fully vaporize a fully condensed multi-component working fluid stream,

a turbine connected to the HRVG for converting a portion of thermal energy in the fully vaporized multi-component working fluid stream to a usable form of energy to form a spent multi-component working fluid stream, and

a condensation thermal compression subsystem (CTCSS) connected to the turbine and to the cooling system, where the CTCSS comprises a plurality of heat exchangers, at least two pumps, a separator, at least one throttle valve, and a plurality of mixing and combining valves, where the CTCSS is adapted to fully condense the spent multi-component working fluid stream to form the fully condensed working fluid stream utilizing heat from a cooling system stream, transferring heat between a plurality of stream comprising three different compositions of the multi-component working fluid and transferring heat to external coolant streams to form fully condensed streams including the fully condensed multi-component working fluid stream.

2. The system of claim 1, further comprising a plurality of internal combustion engines, where the exhausts of all of the engines are combined and forwarded to the HRVG and the hot coolant from the cooling systems are combined and sent to the CTCSS to assist in the condensation thermal compression process.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the HRVG is a multi-stage heat exchanger.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the HRVG superheats the fully vaporized multi-component working fluid.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the multi-component fluid comprises at least one higher boiling component and at least one lower boiling component.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the multi-component fluid is selected from the group consisting of an ammonia-water mixture, a mixture of two or more hydrocarbons, a mixture of two or more freons, and a mixture of hydrocarbons and freons.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the multi-component fluid comprises a mixture of water and ammonia.

8. An apparatus comprising:

an internal combustion engine having an exhaust system and a cooling system;

a heat recovery vapor generator (HRVG) connected to the exhaust system and adapted to transfer a portion of heat in engine exhaust gases produced by the internal combustion engine to fully vaporize a fully condensed multi-component working fluid;

a turbine connected to the HRVG and designed to convert a portion of heat from the fully vaporized multi-component working fluid to a usable form of energy to form a spent multi-component working fluid stream; and

a condensation thermal compression subsystem (CTCSS) connected to the turbine and to the cooling system, where the CTCSS comprises a plurality of heat exchangers, at least two pumps, a separator, at least one throttle valve, and a plurality of mixing and combining valves, where the CTCSS is adapted to fully condense the spent multi-component working fluid stream to form the fully condensed working fluid stream utilizing heat from a cooling system stream, transferring heat between a plurality of stream comprising three different compositions of the multi-component working fluid and transferring heat to external coolant streams to form fully condensed streams including the fully condensed multi-component working fluid stream.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the HRVG comprises a plurality of heat exchange stages which successively heat the fully condensed working fluid until it is fully vaporized.

10. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the HRVG comprises a plurality of heat exchange stages which successively heat the fully condensed working fluid until it is fully vaporized and superheated.

11. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the multi-component fluid comprises at least one higher boiling component and at least one lower boiling component.

12. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the multi-component fluid is selected from the group consisting of an ammonia-water mixture, a mixture of two or more hydrocarbons, a mixture of two or more freons, and a mixture of hydrocarbons and freons.

13. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the multi-component fluid comprises a mixture of water and ammonia.

14. A method, for converting a portion of waste thermal energy generated by an internal combustion engine into a usable form of energy, comprising the steps of:

combusting a fuel in an internal combustion engine including an exhaust system and a cooling system;

vaporizing a fully condensed working fluid stream, with heat from an exhaust gas stream from the exhaust system, in a heat recovery vapor generator (HRVG) including a plurality of heat exchange stages to form a vaporized working fluid stream;

converting a portion of thermal energy in the vaporized working fluid stream to a usable form of energy in a turbine to form a spent working fluid stream; and

passing the spent working fluid stream through a condensation thermal compression subsystem (CTCSS), where the CTCSS comprises a plurality of heat exchangers, at least two pumps, a separator, at least one throttle valve, and a plurality of mixing and combining valves, where the CTCSS is adapted to fully condense the spent multi-component working fluid stream to form the fully condensed working fluid stream utilizing heat from a cooling system stream, transferring heat between a plurality of stream comprising three different compositions of the multi-component working fluid and transferring heat to external coolant streams to form fully condensed streams including the fully condensed multi-component working fluid stream.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising the step of:

superheating the vaporized working fluid stream in the HRVG prior to the converting step.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein the working fluid comprises a multi-component fluid.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the multi-component fluid comprises at least one higher boiling component and at least one lower boiling component.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein the multi-component fluid is selected from the group consisting of an ammonia-water mixture, a mixture of two or more hydrocarbons, a mixture of two or more freons, and a mixture of hydrocarbons and freons.

19. The method of claim 16, wherein the multi-component fluid comprises a mixture of water and ammonia.

20. The method of claim 14, wherein the passing step comprises the steps of:

forwarding the spent working fluid a first heat exchanger where a portion of its heat is transferred to a first portion of a heated, leaner working fluid stream to form a first partially vaporized, leaner working fluid stream and a cooled working fluid stream;

combining the first partially vaporized, leaner working fluid stream with a second partially vaporized, leaner working fluid stream to form a combined, partially vaporized leaner working fluid stream,

separating the combined partially vaporized leaner working fluid stream in the separator to produce a rich vapor working fluid stream and a lean liquid working fluid stream;

passing the lean liquid working fluid stream through a throttle valve where its pressure is adjust to be the same or substantially the same as a pressure of the cooled working fluid stream;

combining the pressure adjusted, lean liquid working fluid stream with the cooled working fluid stream to form a leaner working fluid stream;

forwarding the leaner, working fluid stream into a heat exchange relationship with a first portion of a pressurized liquid, leaner working fluid stream to form the heated, leaner working fluid stream and a partially condensed leaner, working fluid stream;

condensing the partially condensed, leaner working fluid stream with an external coolant stream in a condenser to form a fully condensed or liquid, leaner working fluid stream;

pressurizing the liquid, leaner working fluid stream to form a pressurized liquid, leaner working fluid steam;

dividing the pressurized liquid, leaner working fluid steam into the first portion of the pressurized liquid, leaner working fluid stream and a second portion of the pressurized liquid, leaner working fluid stream;

combining the second portion of the pressurized liquid, leaner working fluid stream with the rich vapor working fluid stream to form a partially condensed working fluid stream;

condensing the partially condensed working fluid stream with an external coolant stream in a high pressure condenser to form the fully condensed, lower pressure working fluid stream;

pumping the fully condensed, lower pressure working fluid stream in a feed pump to form the fully condensed working fluid, where its pressure is raised to a desired high pressure level; and

forwarding the fully condensed working fluid stream to the HRVG.