Method and apparatus for extracting heat from the hot exhaust gases of internal combustion engines

Claim 1

APPARATUS FOR EXTRACTING HEAT FROM THE HOT EXHAUST GASES PRODUCED BY AN INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE COMPRISING: A BOILER HAVING MEANS FOR REMOVING STEAM AT A HIGH TEMPERATURE THEREFORM; COOLING MEANS HAVING INDIRECT HEAT EXCHANGE MEANS FOR TRANSFERRING USEFUL HEAT FROM ONE FLUID TO ANOTHER; A HEAT EXCHANGER INCLUDING MEANS FOR FORWARDING HOT EXHAUST GASES THERETHROUGH AND MEANS FOR FORWARDING WATER THERETHROUGH IN DIRECT HEAT EXCHANGE RELATIONSHIP WITH SAID EXHAUST GASES SO THAT THE HEAT CONTENT OF SAID WATER IS INCREASED; CONDUITS CONNECTING SAID BOILER, SAID COOLING MEANS AND SAID HEAT EXCHANGER TO PROVIDE A CLOSED CURCUIT FOR CIRCULATING WATER FROM SAID BOILER THROUGH SAID CIRCIUT WITH SAID WATER PASSING THROUGH SAID COOLING MEANS BEFORE IT PASSES THROUGH SAID HEAT EXCHANGER SO THAT HEAT IS TRANSFERRED FROM SAID WATER TO ANOTHER FLUID IN SAID COOLING MEANS; MEANS FOR CONTINUOUSLY CURCULATING WATER THROUGH SAID CLOSED CIRCUIT; A BYPASS CIRCUIT CONNECTED IN PARALLEL WITH SAID COOLING MEANS AND VALVE MEANS IN SAID BYPASS CIRCUIT FOR CONTROLLING THE AMOUNT OF WATER CIRCULATING THROUGH SAID BYPASS CIRCUIT WHEREBY THE AMOUNT OF COOLING OF THE CURCULATING WATER BY SAID COOLING MEANS CAN BE CONTROLLED.