US6845618B2
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Rankine cycle device of internal combustion engine
Assignee: Honda Motor Co Ltd
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Filing: 2001-10-05
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Granted: 2005-01-25
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Expires: 2021-10-05
Abstract
Abstract In a Rankine cycle system for an internal combustion engine, including an evaporator ( 3 ) for generating a vapor, an expander ( 4 ) for converting a heat energy of the vapor into a mechanical energy, a condenser ( 5 ) for cooling the vapor discharged from the expander ( 4 ) to restore it into water, a tank ( 6 ) for storage of the water from the condenser ( 5 ), and supply pumps ( 7, 8 ) for supplying the water in said tank ( 6 ) to the evaporator ( 3 ) in a pressurizing manner, the water in the tank ( 6 ) is supplied via a water jacket ( 105 ) of the internal combustion engine ( 1 ) to a dispensing valve ( 106 ) by the lower-pressure pump ( 7 ). A portion of the water dispensed by the dispensing valve ( 106 ) is further pressurized and supplied to the evaporator ( 3 ) by the higher-pressure pump ( 8 ), and another portion of the water dispensed by the dispensing valve ( 106 ) is discharged to the tank ( 6 ) after dissipating its heat in an auxiliary ( 110 ) such as a heater for heating a vehicle compartment and the like. Thus, it is possible to sufficiently cool heated portions of the internal combustion engine ( 1 ) by the water which is a liquid-phase working medium, while maintaining the performance of the Rankine cycle system, thereby aiming at the disuse of a radiator.
Inventors
- 👤 Hiroyuki Niikura
- 👤 Hiroyoshi Taniguchi
- 👤 Makoto Uda
- 👤 Kiyoshi Katahira
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-03 13:33
CPC Classifications
F; F01; F01N; F01N5/00; F01N5/02; F01K; F01K23/00; F01K23/02; F01K23/06; F01K23/10; F01K23/065; F01K23/106; F02; F02G; F02G5/00; F02G5/02; F02G5/04; Y; Y02; Y02T; Y02T10/00; Y02T10/10; Y02T10/12
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 7
Claim 1
Independent Claim
530 words
A Rankine cycle system for an internal combustion engine, including an evaporator ( 3 ) for heating a liquid-phase working medium by a waste heat from an internal combustion engine ( 1 ) to generate a gas-phase working medium, an expander ( 4 ) for converting a heat energy of the gas-phase working medium discharged from said evaporator ( 3 ) into a mechanical energy, a condenser ( 5 ) for cooling the gas-phase working medium discharged from said expander ( 4 ) to restore the gas-phase working medium into the liquid-phase working medium, a tank ( 6 ) for storage of the liquid-phase working medium discharged from said condenser ( 5 ), and pumps ( 7 , 8 ) for supplying the liquid-phase working medium in said tank ( 6 ) to said evaporator ( 3 ), characterized in that said pumps ( 7 , 8 ) area lower-pressure pump ( 7 ) and a higher-pressure pump ( 8 ), said lower-pressure pump ( 7 ) having the liquid-phase working medium in said tank ( 6 ) pass through a cooling means ( 105 ) for the internal combustion engine ( 1 ), thereby heating and supplying the liquid-phase working medium to a dispensing valve ( 106 ), a portion of the liquid-phase working medium dispensed by said dispensing valve ( 106 ) being pressurized by said higher-pressure pump ( 8 ) and supplied to said evaporator ( 3 ), another portion of the liquid-phase working medium dispensed by said dispensing valve ( 106 ) being discharged to said tank ( 6 ) after characterized in that said pumps ( 7 , 8 ) are a lower-pressure pump ( 7 ) and a higher-pressure pump ( 8 ), said lower-pressure pump ( 7 ) having the liquid-phase working medium in said tank ( 6 ) pass through a cooling means ( 105 ) for the internal combustion engine ( 1 ), thereby heating and supplying the liquid-phase working medium to a dispensing valve ( 106 ), a portion of the liquid-phase working medium dispensed by said dispensing valve ( 106 ) being pressurized by said higher-pressure pump ( 8 ) and supplied to said evaporator ( 3 ), another portion of the liquid-phase working medium dispensed by said dispensing valve ( 106 ) being discharged to said tank ( 6 ) after characterized in that said pumps ( 7 , 8 ) are a lower-pressure pump ( 7 ) and a higher-pressure pump ( 8 ), said lower-pressure pump ( 7 ) having the liquid-phase working medium in said tank ( 6 ) pass through a cooling means ( 105 ) for the internal combustion engine ( 1 ), thereby beating and supplying the liquid-phase working medium to a dispensing valve ( 106 ), a portion of the liquid-phase working medium dispensed by said dispensing valve ( 106 ) being pressurized by said higher-pressure pump ( 8 ) and supplied to said evaporator ( 3 ), another portion of the liquid-phase working medium dispensed by said dispensing valve ( 106 ) being discharged to said tank ( 6 ) after dissipating its heat in an auxiliary ( 110 ).
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
530 words
A Rankine cycle system for an internal combustion engine, including an evaporator ( 3 ) for heating a liquid-phase working medium by a waste heat from an internal combustion engine ( 1 ) to generate a gas-phase working medium, an expander ( 4 ) for converting a heat energy of the gas-phase working medium discharged from said evaporator ( 3 ) into a mechanical energy, a condenser ( 5 ) for cooling the gas-phase working medium discharged from said expander ( 4 ) to restore the gas-phase working medium into the liquid-phase working medium, a tank ( 6 ) for storage of the liquid-phase working medium discharged from said condenser ( 5 ), and pumps ( 7 , 8 ) for supplying the liquid-phase working medium in said tank ( 6 ) to said evaporator ( 3 ), characterized in that said pumps ( 7 , 8 ) area lower-pressure pump ( 7 ) and a higher-pressure pump ( 8 ), said lower-pressure pump ( 7 ) having the liquid-phase working medium in said tank ( 6 ) pass through a cooling means ( 105 ) for the internal combustion engine ( 1 ), thereby heating and supplying the liquid-phase working medium to a dispensing valve ( 106 ), a portion of the liquid-phase working medium dispensed by said dispensing valve ( 106 ) being pressurized by said higher-pressure pump ( 8 ) and supplied to said evaporator ( 3 ), another portion of the liquid-phase working medium dispensed by said dispensing valve ( 106 ) being discharged to said tank ( 6 ) after characterized in that said pumps ( 7 , 8 ) are a lower-pressure pump ( 7 ) and a higher-pressure pump ( 8 ), said lower-pressure pump ( 7 ) having the liquid-phase working medium in said tank ( 6 ) pass through a cooling means ( 105 ) for the internal combustion engine ( 1 ), thereby heating and supplying the liquid-phase working medium to a dispensing valve ( 106 ), a portion of the liquid-phase working medium dispensed by said dispensing valve ( 106 ) being pressurized by said higher-pressure pump ( 8 ) and supplied to said evaporator ( 3 ), another portion of the liquid-phase working medium dispensed by said dispensing valve ( 106 ) being discharged to said tank ( 6 ) after characterized in that said pumps ( 7 , 8 ) are a lower-pressure pump ( 7 ) and a higher-pressure pump ( 8 ), said lower-pressure pump ( 7 ) having the liquid-phase working medium in said tank ( 6 ) pass through a cooling means ( 105 ) for the internal combustion engine ( 1 ), thereby beating and supplying the liquid-phase working medium to a dispensing valve ( 106 ), a portion of the liquid-phase working medium dispensed by said dispensing valve ( 106 ) being pressurized by said higher-pressure pump ( 8 ) and supplied to said evaporator ( 3 ), another portion of the liquid-phase working medium dispensed by said dispensing valve ( 106 ) being discharged to said tank ( 6 ) after dissipating its heat in an auxiliary ( 110 ).
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
23 words
A Rankine cycle system for an internal combustion engine according to claim 1 , wherein water is used as the liquid-phase working medium.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
43 words
A Rankine cycle system for an internal combustion engine according to claim 1 , wherein a portion of the heated liquid-phase working medium dispensed from said dispensing valve ( 106 ) is used as a lubricating medium for said expander ( 4 ).
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
39 words
A Rankine cycle system for an internal combustion engine according to claim 3 , wherein the portion of the liquid-phase working medium supplied as the lubricating medium is supplied to an expansion stroke of said expander ( 4 ).
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
61 words
A Rankine cycle system for an internal combustion engine according to claim 1 , wherein the liquid-phase working medium exiting from said lower-pressure pump ( 7 ) is preheated in a heat exchanger ( 102 ) mounted in an exhaust pipe ( 101 ) in the internal combustion engine ( 1 ) and supplied to said cooling means ( 105 ).
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
61 words
A Rankine cycle system for an internal combustion engine according to claim 5 , wherein a portion of the heated liquid-phase working medium dispensed from said dispensing valve ( 106 ) is passed through a reducing valve ( 107 ) to be converted into a gas-phase working medium, which is supplied to an expansion stroke of the expander ( 4 ).
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2008-01-25 | 2008-07-26 | 2009-01-25 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2012-01-25 | 2012-07-26 | 2013-01-25 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2016-01-25 | 2016-07-26 | 2017-01-25 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |