Gas Turbine Engine Heater Eliminates Parasitic Battery Load
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Solution Overview
Problem
Traditional engine heaters for vehicles, such as locomotives and trucks, are inefficient as they act as parasitic loads on the vehicle's battery by using fans and pumps powered by the battery to maintain engine temperature, reducing battery charge and increasing power consumption.
Innovation Solution
An engine heater system that includes a heat exchanger coupled to a gas turbine's exhaust, utilizing the exhaust to maintain engine temperature and an electric generator that charges the battery when the gas turbine rotates, eliminating the need for battery-powered fans and pumps.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If a fan is used to provide air to the combustor, then the combustion engine can be maintained within a desired temperature range, but the battery charge is reduced due to parasitic load
Solution Approach 1:
The gas turbine system generates its own power through combustion of fuel in the combustor, eliminating the need for battery-powered fans. The system serves itself by using the fuel combustion process to directly drive the turbine and generate mechanical power for heating, rather than relying on external battery power.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the electrical fan system (powered by battery) with a mechanical gas turbine system that generates its own power. The turbine mechanically drives the heating process through direct combustion, substituting the electrical-mechanical fan system with a self-powered thermal-mechanical system.
2Temperature
If a pump is used to provide engine oil or coolant flow, then the combustion engine can be maintained within a desired temperature range, but the battery charge is reduced due to parasitic load
Solution Approach 1:
The gas turbine system generates its own power through fuel combustion, eliminating the need for battery-powered pumps. The system becomes self-sufficient by using the combustion process to directly drive the turbine and generate mechanical power for the heating application.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the electrical pump system (powered by battery) with a self-powered gas turbine system. The turbine mechanically drives the heating process through direct combustion, substituting the electrical-mechanical pump system with a self-powered thermal-mechanical system.
3Temperature
If traditional fuel fired heaters are used with battery-powered components, then engine temperature can be maintained, but the system becomes a parasitic load on the vehicle
Solution Approach 1:
The gas turbine heater system generates its own power through fuel combustion in the combustor, making it self-sufficient and eliminating the parasitic load on the vehicle battery. The system serves itself by using combustion to drive the turbine and generate the mechanical power needed for heating.
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 solution reduces power consumption and optimizes vehicle operation by not being a parasitic load on the vehicle's battery, allowing for more efficient engine temperature maintenance and battery charging.
Implementation Method 1
a heat exchanger communicatively coupled to an exhaust of a gas turbine. The heat exchanger may utilize the exhaust of the gas turbine to keep the diesel engine of the vehicle within a desired temperature range
Implementation Method 2
A shaft may be rotatably attached between the gas turbine and an electric generator, and the generator may charge the battery when the gas turbine rotates the shaft
Implementation Method 3
The combustor may include a toroidal-shaped combustion zone
Implementation Method 4
A shaft may be rotatably attached between the gas turbine and an electric generator, and the generator may charge the battery when the gas turbine rotates the shaft
Implementation Method 5
An atomizer component may be fixed to a portion of a shaft extending into the central hole of the toroidal-shaped combustion zone. The atomizer component may provide for atomizing a liquid fuel into the toroidal-shaped combustion zone when the shaft is rotated
Data Source
AI summary
An engine heater system for heating a diesel engine of a vehicle. The engine heater system including a gas turbine. A heat exchanger communicatively coupled to an exhaust of the gas turbine. An electric generator including connection members to couple to a battery of the vehicle, and a shaft rotatably attached between the gas turbine and the electric generator. The heat exchanger utilizes the exhaust of the gas turbine to keep the diesel engine of the vehicle within a desired temperature range, and the electric generator charges the battery when the gas turbine rotates the shaft.