Process and device for reducing the fuel consumption of an internal-combustion engine

Abstract

Abstract 1. A method of reducing fuel consumption in an internal combustion engine of given cylinder capacity, in particular for a motor vehicle, using a Rankine cycle circuit to recover at least part of the heat energy dissipated by the engine, to transform the recovered energy into mechanical energy, and then to deliver the mechanical energy to the engine and/or to its accessories, and in supercharging the engine (M) with air by means of a compressor, characterized in that the Rankine cycle circuit and the engine supercharging compressor (S) are independent from each other, the compressor (S) being driven mechanically by the engine (M) only whenever it is necessary to obtain maximum performance or power corresponding to those of an engine of greater cylinder capacity ; the Rankine cycle having maximum efficiency at low engine output powers lying between about 0% and about 50% of the maximum power from said engine.

Inventors

• 👤 Pierre Sagnes
• 👤 Jean-Paul Ribault
• 👤 Serge Galant

Bibliographic Details