ORC Waste Heat Recovery with Segmented Cooling Circuits
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing systems for harnessing waste heat from internal combustion engines, such as ORC systems, face challenges in efficiently dissipating heat during maximum load conditions and integrating with existing engine components without significant structural intervention or efficiency loss.
Innovation Solution
A drive system that incorporates an air cooler and an ORC device with a cooling fluid circuit, allowing for heat transfer from the internal combustion engine's cooling circuit to the ORC system, and utilizing valves to manage temperature and flow to optimize heat dissipation and emergency running capabilities, while also incorporating an exhaust gas heat exchanger to enhance heat utilization.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Use of energy by moving object
If waste heat from the internal combustion engine is used to evaporate the working medium in the ORC system, then the efficiency of waste heat utilization is improved, but the heat dissipation capability during maximum load conditions deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The cooling system is divided into two separate circuits: an engine cooling circuit and a condenser cooling circuit. This segmentation allows independent optimization of each circuit's function - the engine cooling circuit maintains engine temperature while the condenser cooling circuit handles ORC waste heat dissipation, resolving the contradiction between heat utilization and dissipation capability
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a heat exchanger as an intermediary component between the two cooling circuits. This heat exchanger enables thermal energy transfer from the engine cooling circuit to the condenser cooling circuit, allowing waste heat to be utilized while maintaining separate control over heat dissipation pathways
2Device complexity
If the engine cooler is used for heat dissipation from the ORC condenser, then the number of components is reduced and compactness is improved, but the heat dissipation efficiency under maximum load deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the engine cooler and condenser cooler into a single integrated cooler unit with separate cooling circuits. This combining reduces the total number of components and improves compactness while maintaining the functional independence needed for efficient heat dissipation under various load conditions
Solution Approach 2:
The integrated cooler serves multiple functions: it cools the engine cooling circuit and the condenser cooling circuit simultaneously. This multi-functionality allows a single component to handle both engine temperature control and ORC waste heat dissipation, resolving the contradiction between component reduction and heat dissipation efficiency
3Power
If the outlet temperature of the engine cooling fluid is increased to improve ORC performance, then the thermodynamic cycle performance is improved, but the engine cooling efficiency deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs controllable valves (three-way valves) in the engine cooling circuit that dynamically adjust the flow distribution between different circuit branches. This dynamic control allows the system to optimize the outlet temperature of cooling fluid to the ORC evaporator based on operating conditions, improving thermodynamic performance without compromising engine cooling efficiency
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the temperature parameter of the engine cooling fluid dynamically by using valves to redirect flow. By adjusting the outlet temperature of cooling fluid to the evaporator, the system optimizes ORC performance while maintaining adequate engine cooling through alternative flow paths
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 configuration enhances the efficiency of waste heat utilization, provides emergency running capabilities, and minimizes structural changes, ensuring effective heat dissipation and increased performance of the ORC system even under maximum load conditions.
Implementation Method 1
an evaporator for evaporating the working medium by transferring waste heat from the internal combustion engine to the working medium
Implementation Method 2
an evaporator for evaporating the working medium by transferring waste heat from the internal combustion engine to the working medium
Implementation Method 3
a cooler for transferring heat to an ambient medium, in particular wherein the cooler is an air cooler and the ambient medium is air
Implementation Method 4
a cooler for transferring heat to an ambient medium, in particular wherein the cooler is an air cooler and the ambient medium is air
Implementation Method 5
a condenser for condensing the working medium expanded in the expansion device
Implementation Method 6
a condenser for condensing the working medium expanded in the expansion device
Data Source
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AI summary
The drive system according to the invention comprises an internal combustion engine and a cooling device for dissipating waste heat from the internal combustion engine, wherein the cooling device comprises: a cooler for transferring heat to an ambient medium, in particular wherein the cooler is an air cooler and the ambient medium is air; and a thermodynamic cycle device, in particular an ORC device, with a working medium, an evaporator for evaporating the working medium by transferring waste heat from the internal combustion engine to the working medium, an expansion device for generating mechanical energy, and a condenser for condensing the working medium expanded in the expansion device; wherein the cooling device further comprises a condenser cooling fluid circuit for dissipating heat from the condenser of the thermodynamic cycle device via the cooler.The method according to the invention is suitable for dissipating waste heat from an internal combustion engine using a cooling device.