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WO2008116667A1 - Système de moteur - Google Patents

Système de moteur Download PDF

Info

Publication number
WO2008116667A1
WO2008116667A1 PCT/EP2008/002516 EP2008002516W WO2008116667A1 WO 2008116667 A1 WO2008116667 A1 WO 2008116667A1 EP 2008002516 W EP2008002516 W EP 2008002516W WO 2008116667 A1 WO2008116667 A1 WO 2008116667A1
Authority
WO
WIPO (PCT)
Prior art keywords
fluid compound
engine system
compound
heat exchanger
gaseous fluid
Prior art date
Application number
PCT/EP2008/002516
Other languages
English (en)
Inventor
John Butler
Original Assignee
John Butler
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by John Butler filed Critical John Butler
Publication of WO2008116667A1 publication Critical patent/WO2008116667A1/fr

Links

Classifications

    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F02—COMBUSTION ENGINES; HOT-GAS OR COMBUSTION-PRODUCT ENGINE PLANTS
    • F02C—GAS-TURBINE PLANTS; AIR INTAKES FOR JET-PROPULSION PLANTS; CONTROLLING FUEL SUPPLY IN AIR-BREATHING JET-PROPULSION PLANTS
    • F02C1/00—Gas-turbine plants characterised by the use of hot gases or unheated pressurised gases, as the working fluid
    • F02C1/04—Gas-turbine plants characterised by the use of hot gases or unheated pressurised gases, as the working fluid the working fluid being heated indirectly
    • F02C1/10—Closed cycles

Definitions

  • the invention relates to an engine system and in particular to an engine system that converts heat energy to mechanical energy with improved efficiency.
  • Existing engine systems operate to convert heat energy to mechanical energy.
  • the four strokes, or phases refer to intake, compression, combustion and exhaust phases.
  • air and fuel are input into a cylinder of the engine.
  • compression phase the air and fuel within the engine cylinder are compressed.
  • the fuel and air mixture are then combusted during the combustion phase.
  • combustion the air within the engine is heated by the combustion and expands.
  • the expanding air is used to mechanically operate a piston of the engine, which may, in turn, cause rotation of a crank shaft attached to the piston.
  • the efficiency of such an engine is determined by how much of the heat energy, generated through combustion of the fuel, is converted to mechanical energy
  • the piston completes four movements or strokes.
  • the acceleration of the piston in each stroke generates a large amount of vibration in the engine.
  • large amounts of work must be done by the piston, in order to compress the air and fuel within the engine cylinder.
  • the expenditure of work, to effect the compression decreases the overall efficiency of the engine.
  • the expanding heated air that is formed during the combustion phase is used to do work. Work is done during the combustion phase only, therefore, in a combustion engine, work can only be done intermittently. As described above, in a four stroke engine the work is done to operate a piston.
  • an expanding heated gas is directed to flow over a turbine. The flow of the expanding heated gas causes the turbine to rotate, thereby generating mechanical energy. In many cases the gas is often so hot that is causes damage to the turbines, such as burning of the turbine blades.
  • an engine system that houses a fluid compound, comprising a refrigeration element to receive fluid compound, refrigerate the fluid compound and output liquid fluid compound; a pump, in fluid communication with the refrigeration element, to receive the liquid fluid compound and pressurise the liquid fluid compound; a heat exchanger, in fluid communication with the pump, to receive the pressurised liquid fluid compound and to exchange heat between fluid compound flowing within the engine system and the pressurised liquid fluid compound to form gaseous fluid compound therefrom; a heat source, in fluid communication with the heat exchanger, to receive the gaseous fluid compound and to heat the gaseous fluid compound to form expanding gaseous fluid compound; and a work mechanism, in fluid communication with the heat source, to receive the expanding gaseous fluid compound and to use the expanding gaseous fluid compound to effect mechanical work.
  • the fluid compound received by the refrigeration element may be gaseous fluid compound.
  • the fluid compound received by the refrigeration element may be liquid fluid compound.
  • the fluid compound received by the refrigeration element may be a combination of gaseous fluid compound and liquid fluid compound.
  • the fluid compound received by the pump is in liquid phase, the fluid compound may be raised to high pressure with minimum mechanical effort by the pump.
  • the engine system of the invention is also capable of operating at high pressure and at a relatively low temperature.
  • the heat exchanger of the engine system may be a counter-flow heat exchanger.
  • the use of a counter-flow heat exchanger increases the thermal efficiency of the heat exchanger and maximizes the heat exchange between the fluid compound flowing within the heat exchanger. Maximizing heat exchange improves the overall efficiency of the engine system.
  • the heat exchanger may comprise a tapered flow channel.
  • the direction of the taper in the flow channel can be chosen so that the pressure of the fluid compound is either increased or decreased as it flows through the heat exchanger.
  • Such an arrangement can be used to cool or heat the fluid compound flowing in the heat exchanger.
  • the heat source may be at least one of a counter-flow heat exchanger, a burner or an electrical heater.
  • Alternative heat sources include heat sources using internal combustion.
  • the heat source may be located external to a flow channel of the engine system which connects the heat exchanger and the work mechanism, to provide heat to fluid compound flowing through the flow channel. Alternatively, the heat source may be located within the flow channel.
  • the engine system may further comprise a pressurised storage cylinder that stores the fluid compound which has been pressurised by the pump.
  • the storage cylinder may comprise a release valve, which may be positioned in a first, open, position in which the fluid compound can flow from the storage cylinder to the heat exchanger, or in a second, closed, position in which the fluid compound is prevented from flowing from the storage cylinder.
  • the facility to store the fluid compound in a pressurised environment removes the need for a battery to initiate the start-up of the engine system.
  • the start-up of the engine system may be effected simply by opening the release valve, which will allow the pressurised fluid compound stored in the storage cylinder, to flow within the engine system.
  • the fluid compound may be at least one of a nitrogen, oxygen, oxide of nitrogen, compounds of nitrogen and hydrogen, hydrogen, helium, an oxide of carbon, hydrocarbon, an oxide of sulphur, halogenated hydrocarbon, oxygenated hydrocarbons or a noble gas.
  • the fluid compound is carbon dioxide.
  • a low latent heat of vapourisation reduces the work required in the heat exchanger to vapourise the liquid fluid compound, while the low latent heat of condensation reduces the work required in the refrigerator to condense received gaseous fluid compound.
  • Such fluid compounds therefore increase the total amount of heat energy that is available to be converted to work, thereby increasing the overall efficiency of the engine system.
  • the volume of emissions may be reduced to a level in which they can be stored in a compartment and later disposed of.
  • the engine system may further comprise an emission storage compartment, to store emissions generated by the engine system. Storing the engine emissions allows a person to control when the engine emissions are released into the atmosphere. The storage compartment will allow the emissions to be collected and later dumped at a designated dumping area.
  • the work mechanism may comprise one or more turbine mechanisms.
  • the work mechanism may comprise one or more piston mechanisms.
  • the turbine mechanisms may be arranged in parallel or series.
  • the piston mechanisms may be arranged in parallel or series.
  • the work mechanism may be insulated to reduce noise pollution.
  • the engine system may further comprise one or more modulating valves.
  • One or more modulating valves may be used to allow expanding gaseous fluid compound which is above a threshold pressure to pass to the work mechanism.
  • a method of producing mechanical work in a work mechanism of an engine system comprising the steps of; refrigerating a fluid compound to produce a liquid fluid compound; pumping the liquid fluid compound to produce pressurised liquid fluid compound; effecting a phase change of the pressurised liquid fluid compound to produce gaseous fluid compound; heating the gaseous fluid compound to form expanding gaseous fluid compound, and using the expanding gaseous fluid compound to effect mechanical work in the work mechanism.
  • Figure 1 is a schematic representation of an engine system of the present invention
  • Figure 2 is a perspective view of a counter-flow heat exchanger used in the engine system of Figure 1.
  • FIG. 1 provides a schematic representation of an engine system 1 of the present invention.
  • the engine system 1 comprises a refrigerator 2, a pump 3 in fluid communication with the refrigerator 2, a storage cylinder 4 in fluid communication with the pump 3, a heat exchanger 5 in fluid communication with the storage cylinder 4, a heat source 6 in fluid communication with the heat exchanger 5, and a work mechanism 7, in the form of a series of turbines 7a-7e, each of which is in fluid communication with the heat source 6.
  • the elements of the engine system 1 are arranged to form a closed system.
  • a fluid compound 8 is contained in and may flow within the closed engine system 1 , through a flow channel 13 connecting each of the elements of the engine system 1.
  • the fluid compound 8, used in the engine system of Figure 1 is CO 2 , however, any suitable fluid may be used, such as an nitrogen, oxygen, oxide of nitrogen, compounds of nitrogen and hydrogen e.g. ammonia, hydrogen, helium, an oxide of carbon, hydrocarbon, an oxide of sulphur, halogenated hydrocarbon, oxygenated hydrocarbons or a noble gas.
  • the storage cylinder 4 is provided with a valve 12.
  • the valve 12 is movable between a first, open, position in which the fluid compound 8 can flow from the storage cylinder 4 to the heat exchanger 5, and a second, closed, position in which the fluid compound 8 is prevented from flowing from the storage cylinder 4.
  • the position of valve 12 determines the flow of the fluid compound 8 within the engine system 1.
  • FIG 2 provides a perspective view of the heat exchanger 5 of Figure 1.
  • the heat exchanger 5 is arranged as a counter-flow heat exchanger.
  • the heat exchanger 5 comprises a first channel 9 and a second channel 10.
  • the first channel 9 is arranged to surround the second channel 10.
  • Fluid compound 8 flows in both channels 9,10. However, the fluid compound 8 in each channel flows in opposite directions, as indicated by the arrows shown in Figure 2.
  • the fluid compound 8 flowing in each of the channels will have different temperatures, and heat is transferred from the fluid compound 8 flowing in one of the channels to the fluid compound 8 flowing in the other channel.
  • the fluid compound 8 flowing from the work mechanism 7 flows through channel 9, and the fluid compound 8 flowing from the storage cylinder 4 flows through channel 10. As will be explained later, heat will be transferred from the warm fluid compound 8 flowing in channel 9, to the cooler fluid compound 8 flowing in channel 10.
  • the heat source 6 may comprise any suitable heating mechanism, arrangeable to heat the fluid compound 8 flowing within the engine system 1.
  • the heat source 6 of Figure 1 is a burner 6.
  • the burner 6 is located externally of the flow channel 13.
  • the burner 6 heats the fluid compound 8 flowing in the flow channel 13, by means of conduction.
  • the engine system 1 acts to generate heat energy, by the operation of the refrigerator 2, the pump 3, the heat exchanger 5 and the heat source 6, and uses the heat energy to produce expansion of the fluid compound which in turn effects mechanical work in the work mechanism.
  • the refrigerator 2 receives fluid compound 8 from the heat exchanger 5, refrigerates this and outputs liquid fluid compound 8.
  • the fluid compound received by the refrigeration element may be gaseous fluid compound, liquid fluid compound, or a combination of gaseous fluid compound and liquid fluid compound.
  • refrigeration of the gaseous fluid compound cools the gaseous fluid compound, removing the kinetic energy that the molecules of the gaseous fluid compound possess, thereby condensing the gaseous fluid compound to form a liquid fluid compound.
  • the molecules of the liquid fluid compound 8 will be in a highly compressed form, as the kinetic energy of the molecules will have been greatly reduced by the change of phase from gas to liquid.
  • the refrigerator 2 acts to cool the liquid fluid compound. In each case, the refrigerator 2 outputs liquid fluid compound.
  • the liquid fluid compound is output from the refrigerator 2 to the pump 3.
  • the pump 3 is used to increase the pressure of the liquid fluid compound 8.
  • the pump 3 raises the pressure of the liquid fluid compound to an operating pressure and also, when the valve 12 is open, directs the flow of the liquid fluid compound 8 in a desired direction within the engine system.
  • the liquid fluid compound 8 is output from the pump 3 to the storage cylinder 4, where it is stored.
  • the liquid fluid compound 8 is stored under pressure within the storage chamber 4.
  • the liquid fluid compound 8 flows from the storage cylinder 4 to the heat exchanger 5.
  • the liquid fluid compound 8 flows into the second channel 10 of the heat exchanger 5.
  • Gaseous fluid compound 8 is flowing in the opposite direction through the first channel 9 of the heat exchanger 5.
  • the gaseous fluid compound is warmer than the liquid fluid compound.
  • the liquid fluid compound 8 flowing in the second channel 10 receives heat energy from the warmer gaseous fluid compound 8 flowing through the first channel 9.
  • An amount of heat energy which is at least equal to the latent heat of vapourisation of the liquid fluid compound is exchanged between the warmer gaseous fluid compound 8 flowing through the first channel 9 and the cooler liquid fluid compound flowing the second channel 10.
  • a phase change is effected in the liquid fluid compound flowing in the second channel 10 to convert this to gaseous fluid compound.
  • the gaseous fluid compound 8 is directed to the heat source 6.
  • the heat source 6 adds heat energy to the gaseous fluid compound, which causes the gaseous fluid compound to expand. The expansion of the gaseous fluid compound will cause the gaseous fluid compound to flow from the heat source 6 to the work mechanism 7.
  • the gaseous fluid compound 8 is channeled to flow over the turbines 7a-7e of the work mechanism. This flow is used to drive the turbines 7a-7e.
  • the turbines 7a-7e are arranged in series, and each successive turbine in the series receives gaseous fluid compound of progressively decreasing pressure, as at each turbine an amount of gaseous fluid compound will be expended in driving that turbine. In driving the turbines 7a-7e, the gaseous fluid compound effects mechanical movement i.e. mechanical work of the turbines.
  • the gaseous fluid compound 8 After the gaseous fluid compound 8 has flowed over the final turbine 7e, the gaseous fluid compound will no longer possess sufficient pressure to drive another turbine. However, the gaseous fluid compound will still be in the form of a warm gaseous fluid compound.
  • the warm gaseous fluid compound 8, coming from the series of turbines 7a-7e, is passed to the heat exchanger 5 and is directed to flow through the first channel 9.
  • the heat energy remaining in the warm gaseous fluid compound is transferred to the much cooler liquid fluid compound 8 flowing in the opposite direction in the second channel 10 of the heat exchanger 5.
  • the amount of heat energy transferred from the gaseous fluid compound 8 flowing in the first channel 9 of the heat exchanger 5, to the liquid fluid compound 8 flowing in the channel 10 of the heat exchanger 5, will be approximately be equal to the latent heat of condensation of the gaseous fluid compound 8.
  • the fluid compound 8 flowing in channel 9, that is output from the heat exchanger 5 may be in the form or a liquid, gas or a combination thereof.
  • the fluid compound output from the heat exchanger 5 is returned to the refrigerator 2, where the operation cycle of the engine system 1 repeats.
  • the amount of energy required by the refrigerator 2 to refrigerate the fluid compound 8 is reduced as, an amount of heat has already been removed through the heat exchange that occurred in the heat exchanger 5.
  • the heat generated by the refrigerator 2 in refrigerating the fluid compound can be used to heat the liquid fluid compound flowing in the second channel 10 of the heat exchanger 5.
  • the addition of such heat will reduce the amount of heat energy required by the heat source 6 to expand the gaseous fluid compound 8.

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  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
  • Combustion & Propulsion (AREA)
  • Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
  • General Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Engine Equipment That Uses Special Cycles (AREA)

Abstract

La présente invention divulgue un système de moteur qui reçoit un composé fluide, comportant un élément de réfrigération pour recevoir un composé fluide, pour réfrigérer le composé fluide et pour distribuer le composé fluide liquide ; une pompe, en communication de fluide avec l'élément de réfrigération, pour recevoir le composé fluide liquide et le mettre sous pression ; un échangeur thermique, en communication de fluide avec la pompe, pour recevoir le composé fluide liquide sous pression et pour permettre un échange de chaleur entre le composé fluide s'écoulant à l'intérieur du système de moteur et le composé fluide liquide sous pression afin de former un composé fluide gazeux à partir de celui-ci ; une source de chaleur, en communication de fluide avec l'échangeur thermique, pour recevoir le composé fluide gazeux et pour chauffer le composé fluide gazeux afin de former un composé fluide gazeux se dilatant, et un mécanisme de travail, en communication de fluide avec la source de chaleur, pour recevoir le composé fluide gazeux se dilatant et pour utiliser le composé fluide gazeux se dilatant pour effectuer un travail mécanique.
PCT/EP2008/002516 2007-03-28 2008-03-28 Système de moteur WO2008116667A1 (fr)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
IES2007/0200 2007-03-28
IE20070200 2007-03-28

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
WO2008116667A1 true WO2008116667A1 (fr) 2008-10-02

Family

ID=39523769

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
PCT/EP2008/002516 WO2008116667A1 (fr) 2007-03-28 2008-03-28 Système de moteur

Country Status (1)

Country Link
WO (1) WO2008116667A1 (fr)

Citations (6)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
GB785035A (en) * 1959-12-24 1957-10-23 C V Prime Movers Ltd Improvements in closed circuit turbine power plants
US3040528A (en) * 1959-03-22 1962-06-26 Tabor Harry Zvi Vapor turbines
GB1315105A (en) * 1971-02-08 1973-04-26 Du Pont Power fluids for rankine cycle engines
GB1328932A (en) * 1971-04-01 1973-09-05 Thermo Electron Corp Rankine cycle power generating systems
US4142108A (en) * 1976-04-06 1979-02-27 Sperry Rand Corporation Geothermal energy conversion system
US4192144A (en) * 1977-01-21 1980-03-11 Westinghouse Electric Corp. Direct contact heat exchanger with phase change of working fluid

Patent Citations (6)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3040528A (en) * 1959-03-22 1962-06-26 Tabor Harry Zvi Vapor turbines
GB785035A (en) * 1959-12-24 1957-10-23 C V Prime Movers Ltd Improvements in closed circuit turbine power plants
GB1315105A (en) * 1971-02-08 1973-04-26 Du Pont Power fluids for rankine cycle engines
GB1328932A (en) * 1971-04-01 1973-09-05 Thermo Electron Corp Rankine cycle power generating systems
US4142108A (en) * 1976-04-06 1979-02-27 Sperry Rand Corporation Geothermal energy conversion system
US4192144A (en) * 1977-01-21 1980-03-11 Westinghouse Electric Corp. Direct contact heat exchanger with phase change of working fluid

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