Internal combustion engine with Rankine bottoming cycle

Claim 1

An internal combustion engine with a Rankine bottoming cycle comprising: an internal combustion engine (10) including an exhaust (12) for exhausting combustion gases; an expander (24) having a mechanical output (26) for performing work; a boiler (18); means (20,50) for supplying liquid to said boiler to be vaporized therein; means (22) for supplying the expander with vaporized liquid from said boiler; means (62) connecting said exhaust to said boiler so that heat in the exhausted gases of combustion will vaporize the liquid supplied to said boiler; a condenser (46) for condensing vapor received from said expander; said liquid supply means comprising a pump (50) for pumping liquid from said condenser to said boiler; a heat exchanger (38) having a first fluid flow path (40) disposed between said expander and said condenser and a second fluid flow path (42) in heat exchange relationship with said first fluid flow path and disposed between said condenser and said boiler; whereby waste heat in the fluid passing from said expander to said condenser preheats liquid flowing from said condenser to said boiler; said internal combustion engine being cooled and including means (15,16) for circulating coolant liquid; an additional heat exchanger (58) receiving preheated liquid from said first heat exchanger prior to its entry into said boiler and receiving heated engine coolant from said circulating means for further preheating said preheated liquid prior to its vaporization in said boiler; and an additional expander (72) having a mechanical output (84) and connected to said boiler to receive said gases of combustion and expand the same to obtain useful work; said first named expander comprising a turbine with its mechanical output having a shaft (26) connected to a rotary compressor (28), said compressor having an inlet (30) and an outlet (32), said internal combustion engine further including an inlet (14) for receiving combustion air, said compressor outlet being connected to said engine inlet by cooling means (34); said engine further including a mechanical output shaft (78) and said additional expander comprising a turbine having a shaft (74) connected (76) to said engine shaft.