Power plants – Motive fluid energized by externally applied heat – Power system involving change of state
Reexamination Certificate
2002-12-04
2004-11-16
Richter, Sheldon J (Department: 3748)
Power plants
Motive fluid energized by externally applied heat
Power system involving change of state
C060S775000, C060S039530, C060S653000, C060S673000, C060S674000, C060S676000, C123S02500R, C123S02500R, C123S02500R
Reexamination Certificate
active
06817182
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The burning of fuel to produce energy, and particularly mechanical energy, is at the root of modern society. Improvement in the efficiency of such combustion, or in reduction of the emissions created by combustion, are therefore important. A variety of prime movers or engine types are currently in use. The most widespread of these are the internal combustion engine and the turbine.
The internal combustion engine, especially the spark-fired “Otto cycle” engine, is particularly ubiquitous, but presents significant challenges in the further improvement of its efficiency. The reciprocating piston Otto cycle engine is in principle extremely efficient. For example, an Otto cycle engine operating with a 10:1 compression ratio, constant volume TDC, no heat loss, and at constant specific heat ratio (K) should, in theory, have about a 60% cycle efficiency. However in actual practice, engines typically operate at about half these air cycle values (i.e. about 31-32% efficiency). This is due to a number of reasons, including the fact that as the fuel burns, raising air temperature, the combustion chemistry limits peak temperature through dissociation and specific heat increase. Also, heat loss, finite burning, and exhaust time requirements reduce efficiency to about 85% theoretical fuel-air cycle values. Finally, engine friction, parasitic losses, etc., reduce actual power output by another 15% or so in a naturally aspirated engine.
It is well-known that it would be more efficient to run such an engine leaner—i.e., at a higher stiochiometric ratio of oxygen to fuel—to improve efficiency and reduce NOx (nitrogen oxide) emission. However, lean burning makes it difficult to sustain flame-speed (and thus avoid misfire) in a conventional Otto cycle engine, which limits the effectiveness of this approach. This problem could be overcome to some extent by “supercharging” the engine—i.e. running it at an inlet pressure significantly above atmospheric pressure—but then the problem of premature detonation must be avoided, which limits the maximum available compression ratio, and thereby decreases the efficiency.
Moreover, each improvement in compression and leanness tends to increase the creation of NOx at a given peak temperature, which must then be removed by parasitic devices, such as exhaust emission systems. Further, the exhaust emission catalysts tend to be made inefficient, or poisoned entirely, by excess oxygen.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It has been discovered that the methods described herein can be used to increase the efficiency of energy producing systems, particularly engines, and more particularly the Otto cycle engine. The modifications to present practice to achieve the improved process are relatively straightforward and easily implemented, and produce significant and synergistic effects when used in combination.
In one embodiment, a combustion engine power system comprises a combustion chamber which burns a fuel with a pressurized mixture of steam and air to produce useful power, waste heat, and a steam-containing exhaust stream; a compressor which pressurizes air to produce a pressurized air stream; a water supply containing water that is heated by waste heat from the power system and evaporated into the pressurized air stream to produce the pressurized mixture of air and steam; a expander which is driven by the steam-containing exhaust stream to produce a power output in excess of the power required to pressurize the air; and a power take-off of the excess power from the expander. In one aspect, the present power generating system in effect superimposes a Rankine or steam cycle power addition onto a conventional turbo-compressor bottoming recuperation cycle. The steam cycle uses waste heat from the engine while simultaneously diluting the working fluid (e.g. air) of the engine. This combination of the cycles (the “joint cycle”) improves cycle efficiency, suppresses detonation via steam dilution, and increases engine specific power. In certain embodiments, the power system uses hydrogen to support flame propagation of the steam-diluted fuel-air mixture, and the hydrogen may be advantageously provided by reforming a fuel using the high thermal mass steam-laden engine exhaust.
According to one aspect, the Otto cycle power system of the present invention operates with a steam-diluted fuel-air charge at an elevated pressure. The working fluid of the engine (e.g. air) is compressed to a high-pressure by a compressor. The preferred pressure is in the range of about 2 to about 6 atmospheres, including pressures within this range such as 2 to 3, 3 to 4, 4 to 5, and 5 to 6 atm. One embodiment described herein uses a 4 atm pressurized air stream (1 atm=1 bar; 1 bar is approximately 0.1 megapascal (MPa)).
Then, waste heat from the power system (such as from the engine exhaust or the engine cooling system) is used to evaporate water into the pressurized air to produce a pressurized mixture of air and steam. This may be efficiently done by partial pressure boiling of water (warmed by waste heat of the engine) in the presence of the pressurized air stream at one or several locations in the system.
The pressurized steam-air mixture is then inducted into the combustion chamber of the engine, together with an appropriate amount of fuel, where they are combusted in the conventional fashion (i.e. two cycle or preferably four cycle for maximum efficiency). The water (i.e. steam) concentration in the inlet stream of the combustion chamber should be as high as practical. In a 4 atm system, this can be about 8 moles of water per mole of methane (or equivalent in gasoline).
One advantage in using a steam-diluted fuel-air mixture is a reduction in peak cycle temperature, which has the effect of improving cycle efficiency while also reducing NOx emissions. Another important advantage of operating dilute is the tremendous detonation suppression resulting from the added steam. This makes it possible to operate the engine at high pressures (e.g. 4 atm). This turbocharging of the engine inlet not only aids in burning speed, but also provides the means for hybrid power/efficiency gains, and increases engine output and mechanical efficiency well over that of the natural aspired stochiometrically correct standard engine practice.
Where the addition of steam diluent hampers the ability of the fuel mixture to burn in the engine, any conventional means for igniting a dilute fuel-air mixture may be employed. In one embodiment, the primary fuel injected into the combustion chamber is supplemented by the addition of a second fuel, such as hydrogen, to help sustain flame-front propagation in the steam-diluted mixture. Moreover, by turbocharging the engine, the resultant high-temperature and high-pressure exhaust can be advantageously used as a source of heat and/or steam to partially reform the primary fuel to provide a source of the supplemental fuel (e.g. hydrogen). Because the exhaust contains a substantial amount of steam, the exhaust itself can provide steam required for the reforming reaction. Alternatively, or in addition, steam from elsewhere in the system, such as a dedicated boiler, can be used.
The combustion in one or more combustion chambers (or cylinders) provides the primary output power of the system, and is typically used directly for mechanical work, or indirectly for electricity generation. The engine combustion also generates waste heat, some of which is contained in the high-temperature engine exhaust, and some of which is removed from the engine via a cooling fluid which circulates through the engine. Much of this waste heat, such as heat from the engine cooling loop and heat from low-temperature exhaust, is low-grade heat that is notoriously difficult to recapture in a useful manner. Consequently, in a conventional engine, this low-temperature waste heat is typically rejected from the engine.
In the present invention, however, at least a portion of this low-temperature waste heat is advantageously recaptured by using the energy of the waste heat to evaporate water
Hamilton Brook Smith & Reynolds P.C.
Richter Sheldon J
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