Power plants – Motive fluid energized by externally applied heat – Including heat – steam – or compressed gas storage means
Patent
1996-12-19
1999-03-02
Kamen, Noah P.
Power plants
Motive fluid energized by externally applied heat
Including heat, steam, or compressed gas storage means
F01K 300
Patent
active
058756353
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a device for a steam engine power plant that includes a steam generator, a steam buffer, and an adjustable valve for variable filling with forward and backward motion and having a supply of steam for a steam engine of a displacement type, especially an axial piston type engine.
2. Description of the Prior Art
For a steam engine, as for other engines, potential engine braking is desirable. For conventional engines, engine braking is obtained through pump losses, which do not exist in a steam engine, and mechanical losses, which are considerably higher than in a steam engine. Consequently, it is advantageous to provide a steam engine with an engine braking capability.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
A steam engine power plant of the introductorily mentioned type is equipped with a steam buffer, and the invention is based on utilization of a steam buffer of the type which is described in detail in a pending application filed together with this application, entitled "Steam Buffer For A Steam Engine Plant" with U.S. Ser. No. 08/750,833, to which reference is made regarding details about the steam buffer. This steam buffer is equipped with a high temperature connection for steam, preferably with a temperature of 500.degree. C. and a pressure of 250 bar, a low temperature connection for feed water, and a solid heat exchanging material with a large number of pressure resistant flow channels with a hydraulic diameter less than 0.5 mm for the steam and feed water between the two connections. It has been shown that an energy density of 500 kJ/kg and a power density of 100 kW/kg is possible to be obtained with this design, which can be compared with corresponding values for a lead-acid battery, for instance, which typically exhibit an energy density of only 10 kJ/kg and a power density of only 100 W/kg.
An object of the present invention is to provide a device according to the introductorily mentioned type having an efficient and preferably also regenerative engine braking capability which is simple and uncomplicated, and hence safe to operate.
This object can be achieved according to the present invention. By shifting the inlet valve for driving the engine in the opposite direction of rotation than the current direction of rotation, high pressure steam will start flowing into a cylinder in which the piston is moving up toward the top dead center. Hereby, very powerful engine braking is possible, but the steam, however, will pass through a process that, if no measures are taken, could result in heavy overheating and rapid meltdown of the steam engine plant. The solution to this overheating problem is to cool the high pressure steam during its admission to the cylinder to a nominal steam buffer temperature by injecting of cold feed water at least 80.degree. C., that is available. Whereafter, the steam is permitted to flow into the steam buffer, which has a large capacity for absorbing the energy content of this steam for later use as needed. Hereby, a very effective braking function is obtained, which also is controllable from zero to very high power, and works in both directions of rotation of the engine.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The invention is described in the following in more detail with reference to the attached drawings, which schematically illustrate one embodiment of a device according to the invention.
FIG. 1 illustrates a simplified perspective view of the parts of interest of the device;
FIGS. 2 and 3 are graphical indicator diagrams for driving and braking, respectively; and
FIGS. 4 and 5 show the flow diagrams for two different braking processes.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
FIG. 1 shows the main engine 1 in a steam engine plant and the other components to which it is directly connected. The engine 1, which is of an axial piston type, has a central rotating timing valve 2, which controls the steam supply. The steam supply has a pressure of 250 bar and temperature of 500.degree. C. and is supplied
Kamen Noah P.
Ranotor Utvecklings AB
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