Patent application number | Description | Published |
20110048012 | ENERGY RECOVERY SYSTEM AND METHOD USING AN ORGANIC RANKINE CYCLE WITH CONDENSER PRESSURE REGULATION - An energy recovery system and method using an organic rankine cycle is provided for recovering waste heat from an internal combustion engine, which effectively controls condenser pressure to prevent unwanted cavitation within the fluid circulation pump. A coolant system may be provided with a bypass conduit around the condenser and a bypass valve selectively and variably controlling the flow of coolant to the condenser and the bypass. A subcooler may be provided integral with the receiver for immersion in the accumulated fluid or downstream of the receiver to effectively subcool the fluid near the inlet to the fluid pump. | 03-03-2011 |
20110146618 | PRE-COMBUSTION DEVICE FOR AN INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE - An apparatus is disclosed including a first end defining an inner passage along a first inner surface of the first end, where the inner passage has threads structured to receive a spark plug. The apparatus further includes a second end opposite the first end and extending into a combustion chamber of a cylinder, the second end defining a pre-combustion chamber along a second inner surface and threads on an outer surface structured to thread into a spark plug hole in a cylinder head, which may be an enlarged spark plug hole. The second end includes holes that fluidly couple the pre-combustion chamber of the second end with the combustion chamber of the cylinder. | 06-23-2011 |
20120042650 | RANKINE CYCLE CONDENSER PRESSURE CONTROL USING AN ENERGY CONVERSION DEVICE BYPASS VALVE - The disclosure provides a waste heat recovery system and method in which pressure in a Rankine cycle (RC) system of the WHR system is regulated by diverting working fluid from entering an inlet of an energy conversion device of the RC system. In the system, an inlet of a controllable bypass valve is fluidly coupled to a working fluid path upstream of an energy conversion device of the RC system, and an outlet of the bypass valve is fluidly coupled to the working fluid path upstream of the condenser of the RC system such that working fluid passing through the bypass valve bypasses the energy conversion device and increases the pressure in a condenser. A controller determines the temperature and pressure of the working fluid and controls the bypass valve to regulate pressure in the condenser. | 02-23-2012 |
20140261351 | Air-Fuel-Ratio Dithering Using a Dual Fuel Path Source - An apparatus for dithering fuel into an internal combustion engine includes a turbine that is powered by the internal combustion engine and a first fuel injector that injects a first fuel into an air stream to create a fuel/air stream. The apparatus also includes an air/fuel compressor that provides a compressed fuel/air stream to the internal combustion engine. The air/fuel compressor is powered by the turbine, and the air/fuel compressor compresses the fuel/air stream to create the compressed fuel/air stream. Additionally, the apparatus includes a second fuel injector that injects a second fuel into the compressed fuel/air stream prior to the compressed fuel/air stream entering the engine and after the compressed fuel/air stream exits the air/fuel compressor. | 09-18-2014 |
20140345274 | WASTE HEAT RECOVERY SYSTEM - A waste heat recovery system includes a Rankine cycle (RC) circuit having a pump, a boiler, an energy converter, and a condenser fluidly coupled via conduits in that order, to provide additional work. The additional work is fed to an input of a gearbox assembly including a capacity for oil by mechanically coupling to the energy converter to a gear assembly. An interface is positioned between the RC circuit and the gearbox assembly to partially restrict movement of oil present in the gear assembly into the RC circuit and partially restrict movement of working fluid present in the RC circuit into the gear assembly. An oil return line is fluidly connected to at least one of the conduits fluidly coupling the RC components to one another and is operable to return to the gear assembly oil that has moved across the interface from the gear assembly to the RC circuit. | 11-27-2014 |
20150013935 | WASTE HEAT RECOVERY SYSTEM INCLUDING A MECHANISM FOR COLLECTION, DETECTION AND REMOVAL OF NON-CONDENSABLE GAS - The disclosure describes a non-condensable gas collection, detection, and removal system for a WHR system that helps to maintain cycle efficiency of the WHR system across the life of an engine system associated with the WHR system. A storage volume is configured to collect non-condensable gas received from the working fluid circuit, and a release valve is configured to selectively release non-condensable gas contained within the storage volume. | 01-15-2015 |
20150027118 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR DETERMINING THE NET OUTPUT TORQUE FROM A WASTE HEAT RECOVERY SYSTEM - The disclosure provides a waste heat recovery system with a system and method for calculation of the net output torque from the waste heat recovery system. The calculation uses inputs from existing pressure and speed sensors to create a virtual pump torque sensor and a virtual expander torque sensor, and uses these sensors to provide an accurate net torque output from the WHR system. | 01-29-2015 |
20150159535 | WASTE HEAT RECOVERY SYSTEM INCLUDING A CLUTCHED FEEDPUMP - An engine including a WHR system includes a clutch positioned to engage or disengage a WHR feedpump that moves working fluid through a WHR circuit. The clutch engages or disengages the feedpump under certain operating conditions of the engine and/or the WHR system, and/or at the request of an operator of the engine. Conditions may include cool or cold components, and insufficient working fluid. The operator may also request the clutch be disengaged, such as might be advantageous if the operator detects an operational problem with the WHR system or determines there is an advantage to operating the engine without the WHR system. | 06-11-2015 |