Utilization of low-value heat in a supercharged thermal engine

Claim 3

A method according to claim 1, wherein step (c) comprises recovering high-temperature thermal energy from the compressed feed air including a temperature range around 240° C. and recovering residual low-temperature thermal energy from the compressed feed air including a temperature range between about 50° C. and about 80° C. after recovery of high-temperature thermal energy, and the method comprises transferring the recovered residual low-temperature thermal energy to the low pressure feed air in step (a).

Claim 4

A method according to claim 2, comprising using the high-temperature thermal energy recovered in step (b) for utility purposes.

Claim 5

A method according to claim 1, wherein the plant includes a machine that is connected for being driven by the engine and includes a cooling system, and step (a) comprises transferring low-temperature thermal energy at a temperature below 90° C. to the low pressure feed air from the cooling system of the machine.

Claim 6

A method according to claim 1, wherein the engine includes a cooling system and step (a) comprises transferring thermal energy at a temperature below 90° C. to the low pressure feed air from the cooling system of the engine.

Claim 7

A method according to claim 1, wherein step (a) comprises transferring thermal energy at a temperature below 90° C. to the low pressure feed air from a plurality of separate sources of low-temperature thermal energy.

Claim 8

A method according to claim 1, comprising operating the engine at a power output of at least 0.5 MW.

Claim 9

A method according to claim 1, wherein the temperature of the compressed feed air after step (c) is at the most 85° C.

Claim 10

A method according to claim 1, wherein the temperature of the low-temperature thermal energy is higher than 40° C.

Claim 11

A power plant comprising: a combustion engine, a supercharger for receiving and compressing a flow of air and providing a flow of compressed air to the combustion engine, a high-temperature heat exchanger connected to receive high-temperature thermal energy from the compressed air leaving the supercharger, and a feed air heater for warming the flow of air entering the supercharger using low-temperature thermal energy from a heat source of considerably lower temperature than the temperature at which energy is received by the high-temperature heat exchanger from the compressed air leaving the supercharger, whereby the thermal energy is used for boosting the temperature of the compressed air leaving the supercharger to a temperature above 230° C. and a greater total quantity of thermal energy is recoverable from operation of the engine. and wherein the power plant includes a machine that is connected for being driven by the engine and includes a cooling system and said heat source includes the cooling system of the machine.

Claim 12

A power plant comprising: a combustion engine, a supercharger for receiving and compressing a flow of air and providing a flow of compressed air to the combustion engine, a high-temperature heat exchanger connected to receive high-temperature thermal energy from the compressed air leaving the supercharger, and a feed air heater for warming the flow of air entering the supercharger using low-temperature thermal energy from a heat source of considerably lower temperature than the temperature at which energy is received by the high-temperature heat exchanger from the compressed air leaving the supercharger, whereby the thermal energy is used for boosting the temperature of the compressed air leaving the supercharger to a temperature above 230° C. and a greater total quantity of thermal energy is recoverable from operation of the engine. and wherein the power plant includes a machine that is connected for being driven by the engine and includes a cooling system and said heat source includes the cooling system of the machine.

Claim 13

A power plant according to claim 10, wherein the high-temperature heat exchanger recovers high temperature thermal energy from the compressed air including a temperature range around 240° C. for utility use, the power plant further comprises a low-temperature heat exchanger downstream of the high-temperature heat exchanger for recovering residual low-temperature thermal energy from the compressed air including a temperature range from about 50° C. to about 80° C., and said heat source includes the low-temperature heat exchanger.

Claim 14

A power plant comprising: a combustion engine including a cooling system, a supercharger for receiving and compressing a flow of air and providing a flow of compressed air to the combustion engine, a high-temperature heat exchanger connected to receive high-temperature thermal energy from the compressed air leaving the supercharger, and a feed air heater for warming the flow of air entering the supercharger using low-temperature thermal energy from a heat source of considerably lower temperature than the temperature at which energy is received by the high-temperature heat exchanger from the compressed air leaving the supercharger, whereby the thermal energy is used for boosting the temperature of the compressed air leaving the supercharger to a temperature above 230° C. and a greater total quantity of thermal energy is recoverable from operation of the engine, and wherein said heat source includes the cooling system of the engine.

Claim 15

A power plant comprising: a combustion engine including a cooling system, a supercharger for receiving and compressing a flow of air and providing a flow of compressed air to the combustion engine, a high-temperature heat exchanger connected to receive high-temperature thermal energy from the compressed air leaving the supercharger, and a feed air heater for warming the flow of air entering the supercharger using low-temperature thermal energy from a heat source of considerably lower temperature than the temperature at which energy is received by the high-temperature heat exchanger from the compressed air leaving the supercharger, whereby the thermal energy is used for boosting the temperature of the compressed air leaving the supercharger to a temperature above 230° C. and a greater total quantity of thermal energy is recoverable from operation of the engine, and wherein said heat source includes the cooling system of the engine.

Claim 16

A power plant according to claim 12, wherein the high-temperature heat exchanger recovers high temperature thermal energy from the compressed air including a temperature range around 240° C. for utility use, the power plant further comprises a low-temperature heat exchanger downstream of the high-temperature heat exchanger for recovering residual low-temperature thermal energy from the compressed air including a temperature range from about 50° C. to about 80° C., and said heat source includes the low-temperature heat exchanger.

Claim 17

A power plant comprising: a combustion engine, a supercharger for receiving and compressing a flow of air and providing a flow of compressed air to the combustion engine, a high-temperature heat exchanger connected to receive high-temperature thermal energy from the compressed air leaving the supercharger, and a feed air heater for warming the flow of air entering the supercharger using low-temperature thermal energy from a heat source of considerably lower temperature than the temperature at which energy is received by the high-temperature heat exchanger from the compressed air leaving the supercharger, whereby the thermal energy is used for boosting the temperature of the compressed air leaving the supercharger to a temperature above 230° C. and a greater total quantity of thermal energy is recoverable from operation of the engine, and wherein said heat source is composed of a plurality of separate sources of low-temperature thermal energy.

Claim 18

A power plant comprising: a combustion engine, a supercharger for receiving and compressing a flow of air and providing a flow of compressed air to the combustion engine, a high-temperature heat exchanger connected to receive high-temperature thermal energy from the compressed air leaving the supercharger, and a feed air heater for warming the flow of air entering the supercharger using low-temperature thermal energy from a heat source of considerably lower temperature than the temperature at which energy is received by the high-temperature heat exchanger from the compressed air leaving the supercharger, whereby the thermal energy is used for boosting the temperature of the compressed air leaving the supercharger to a temperature above 230° C. and a greater total quantity of thermal energy is recoverable from operation of the engine, and wherein said heat source is composed of a plurality of separate sources of low-temperature thermal energy.

Claim 19

A power plant according to claim 14, wherein the high-temperature heat exchanger recovers high temperature thermal energy from the compressed air including a temperature range around 240° C. for utility use, the power plant further comprises a low-temperature heat exchanger downstream of the high-temperature heat exchanger for recovering residual low-temperature thermal energy from the compressed air including a temperature range from about 50° C. to about 80° C., and said heat source includes the low-temperature heat exchanger.