Double-Working-Medium Expander for Two-Stage ORC
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing two-stage organic Rankine cycle systems for waste heat recovery in internal combustion engines require separate expanders and auxiliary systems for high-temperature and low-temperature cycles, increasing complexity and weight, and limiting miniaturization and light weight requirements.
Innovation Solution
A double-working-medium expander integrates a high-temperature and low-temperature expander in a single device using a rotor with slip sheets and an annular cylinder body, allowing both working mediums to expand simultaneously with shared auxiliary systems, reducing the need for duplicate systems and optimizing spatial arrangement.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If separate expanders and auxiliary systems are used for high-temperature and low-temperature cycles, then each cycle can be optimized independently, but the device complexity and weight increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines two separate expanders into a single integrated expander device that can handle both high-temperature and low-temperature working mediums. The integrated design shares common auxiliary systems including lubrication, sealing, cooling, and transmission components, thereby reducing overall device complexity and weight while maintaining independent optimization capability for each temperature cycle through separate fluid pathways and working chambers.
Solution Approach 2:
The integrated expander is designed with multi-functional capability to accommodate both high-temperature and low-temperature expansion processes within a single device. The universal design allows one set of auxiliary systems to serve dual purposes for both temperature cycles, eliminating the need for duplicate systems and achieving weight reduction and miniaturization while preserving the adaptability to handle different working conditions.
2Reliability
If separate expanders are used for high-temperature and low-temperature cycles, then each expander can be optimized for its specific working conditions, but the overall equipment weight increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges two separate expander units into a single integrated device that processes both high-temperature and low-temperature working mediums. By combining the expanders and sharing common auxiliary systems such as lubrication, sealing, cooling, and transmission components, the overall equipment weight is significantly reduced while maintaining the ability to optimize performance for each specific temperature cycle through dedicated working chambers and fluid pathways.
3Ease of operation
If duplicate auxiliary systems are provided for both expanders, then each expander operates independently, but the device size and weight increase
Solution Approach 1:
The integrated expander employs universal auxiliary systems that can serve both high-temperature and low-temperature expansion processes simultaneously. The lubrication system, sealing system, cooling system, and transmission system are designed with multi-functional capability to support independent operation of both temperature cycles while avoiding duplication, thereby reducing device weight and size while preserving ease of operation for each cycle.
4Adaptability or versatility
If two separate expanders are used, then the system can handle different working conditions, but miniaturization becomes difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The patent integrates two separate expander units into a single compact device that can handle both high-temperature and low-temperature working conditions. The merged design shares common auxiliary systems and uses a unified structural framework, enabling the system to maintain adaptability to different working conditions while achieving significant reduction in device volume and enabling miniaturization for automotive applications.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This integration reduces the weight and fuel consumption of waste heat recovery devices, enabling miniaturization and light weight designs while ensuring complementary power generation from both high-temperature and low-temperature expansion processes.
Implementation Method 1
double-working-medium expander used for a two-stage organic Rankine cycle
Data Source
AI summary
Single expander device working with two working media in a two-stage organic Rankine cycle, which has a cylinder body, a rotor disposed inside the cylinder body and provided with a number of slip sheets in a radial direction of the cylinder body, and a rotary shaft fixedly connected to the center of the rotor, with the outer profile of the cylinder body defined by two mathematical equations.