Rotary Absorber Engine Test Cell Waste Heat Recovery
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Engine testing generates significant waste energy in the form of heat, which is typically dissipated, rather than being efficiently converted into usable energy, leading to energy losses and increased operational costs.
Innovation Solution
An engine testing system that captures waste energy through a rotary absorber and converts it into heat, which is then stored in a hot reservoir and used to generate on-demand electrical power via an Organic Rankine Cycle (ORC) turbine-generator device, allowing for independent operation and efficient energy recovery.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of energy
If waste energy from engine testing is dissipated directly, then the system is simple and operational costs are low, but energy losses increase and operational costs rise
Solution Approach 1:
The patent converts the harmful waste heat energy from engine testing into beneficial electrical power through an Organic Rankine Cycle (ORC) turbine-generator system. The waste heat from the engine coolant is used to vaporize an organic working fluid, which then drives a turbine connected to a generator, transforming the previously wasted thermal energy into usable electrical energy that can power testing equipment or be fed back into the grid.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the physical state parameters of the working fluid through the ORC cycle - vaporizing the organic fluid using waste heat to drive the turbine, then condensing it back to liquid form. This parameter transformation enables continuous operation of the power generation system using intermittent waste heat sources from engine testing.
2Adaptability or versatility
If a single energy conversion device is used, then the device complexity is reduced, but the system cannot provide both immediate heat and on-demand electrical power independently
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a dual-function energy conversion system where one device converts waste energy to heat for immediate use, while a separate ORC turbine-generator device converts waste energy to electrical power on-demand. This multi-functionality allows the system to address different energy needs independently - thermal energy for process heating and electrical energy for powering equipment - thereby increasing adaptability and versatility of the waste energy utilization system.
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
The system effectively converts waste energy into usable electrical power, reducing energy losses and operational costs by generating power on demand, even after testing has completed, and can power components of the testing system or feed back into the grid.
Implementation Method 1
a rotary absorber is coupled to the shaft of the engine to supply a variable resistance (i.e., reactionary torque) to the shaft as the engine is operated. The amount of resistance supplied by the rotary absorber is controlled as part of the test operation to simulate the load. As the shaft of the engine turns, power transmitted through the shaft is (ultimately) converted to heat through the application of this resistance.
Implementation Method 2
an Organic Rankine Cycle (ORC) turbine-generator device, which converts heat from heated coolant into electrical power
Implementation Method 3
an Organic Rankine Cycle (ORC) turbine-generator device, which converts heat from heated coolant into electrical power
Data Source
AI summary
An engine testing system comprises a rotary absorber that provides a variable resistance to an engine under test and heats coolant from a cold reservoir. A hot reservoir coupled to rotary absorber stores the heated coolant for later (or concurrent) use. Moreover, an organic Rankine cycle turbine-generator device is coupled to the hot reservoir, which converts heat from heated coolant into electrical power. A conditioning system is coupled to the organic Rankine cycle turbine-generator device that cools the coolant for storage in the cold reservoir. The available captured waste energy may be augmented with waste energy that is also available during engine testing. The additional waste energy may be in the form of exhaust gases, thrust, heat from engine coolant systems, residual engine heat, radiant or convective waste heat, friction etc. Variations of the above system may replace the primary energy re-capture from other than a rotary absorber.