US20070056287A1 - Splitter valve in a heat regenerative engine - Google Patents
Splitter valve in a heat regenerative engine Download PDFInfo
- Publication number
- US20070056287A1 US20070056287A1 US11/509,202 US50920206A US2007056287A1 US 20070056287 A1 US20070056287 A1 US 20070056287A1 US 50920206 A US50920206 A US 50920206A US 2007056287 A1 US2007056287 A1 US 2007056287A1
- Authority
- US
- United States
- Prior art keywords
- steam
- flow
- multiple branch
- branch lines
- outlets
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
- Abandoned
Links
- 230000001172 regenerating effect Effects 0.000 title abstract description 4
- 239000012530 fluid Substances 0.000 claims abstract description 13
- 239000007788 liquid Substances 0.000 claims description 9
- XLYOFNOQVPJJNP-UHFFFAOYSA-N water Substances O XLYOFNOQVPJJNP-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 abstract description 18
- 239000000314 lubricant Substances 0.000 abstract description 2
- 238000002485 combustion reaction Methods 0.000 description 20
- 239000003570 air Substances 0.000 description 13
- 239000000446 fuel Substances 0.000 description 7
- 229910052751 metal Inorganic materials 0.000 description 5
- 239000002184 metal Substances 0.000 description 5
- 239000000567 combustion gas Substances 0.000 description 4
- 239000007789 gas Substances 0.000 description 4
- 238000010438 heat treatment Methods 0.000 description 3
- 238000001816 cooling Methods 0.000 description 2
- 238000010586 diagram Methods 0.000 description 2
- 230000001737 promoting effect Effects 0.000 description 2
- RYGMFSIKBFXOCR-UHFFFAOYSA-N Copper Chemical compound [Cu] RYGMFSIKBFXOCR-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 description 1
- 229910052782 aluminium Inorganic materials 0.000 description 1
- XAGFODPZIPBFFR-UHFFFAOYSA-N aluminium Chemical compound [Al] XAGFODPZIPBFFR-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 description 1
- 239000012080 ambient air Substances 0.000 description 1
- 230000000712 assembly Effects 0.000 description 1
- 238000000429 assembly Methods 0.000 description 1
- 230000000740 bleeding effect Effects 0.000 description 1
- 230000000052 comparative effect Effects 0.000 description 1
- 229910052802 copper Inorganic materials 0.000 description 1
- 239000010949 copper Substances 0.000 description 1
- 230000003247 decreasing effect Effects 0.000 description 1
- 238000003306 harvesting Methods 0.000 description 1
- 238000009413 insulation Methods 0.000 description 1
- 238000000034 method Methods 0.000 description 1
- 238000013021 overheating Methods 0.000 description 1
- 239000002245 particle Substances 0.000 description 1
- 230000002035 prolonged effect Effects 0.000 description 1
- 238000009987 spinning Methods 0.000 description 1
- 229910001220 stainless steel Inorganic materials 0.000 description 1
- 239000010935 stainless steel Substances 0.000 description 1
- 230000003068 static effect Effects 0.000 description 1
Images
Classifications
-
- F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
- F01—MACHINES OR ENGINES IN GENERAL; ENGINE PLANTS IN GENERAL; STEAM ENGINES
- F01K—STEAM ENGINE PLANTS; STEAM ACCUMULATORS; ENGINE PLANTS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; ENGINES USING SPECIAL WORKING FLUIDS OR CYCLES
- F01K11/00—Plants characterised by the engines being structurally combined with boilers or condensers
Definitions
- This invention relates to directing flow of fluid and steam from a single line into multiple lines and, more particularly, to a splitter valve at the juncture of a feeder line and multiple branch lines for equalizing flow and pressure of fluid and steam among the multiple branch lines.
- a feeder tube i.e. feeder line
- branch tubes i.e. branch lines
- a combined cross-sectional area equal to the feeder tube would effectively and significantly increase the tube surface area within the same volume of space.
- the efficiency of heat transfer is greatly improved.
- the smaller tube diameter allows the tube to withstand higher pressures.
- valve device at the juncture of a single feeder line and multiple branch lines in a steam engine for equalizing flow and pressure of fluid and steam among the multiple branch lines.
- the present invention is directed to splitter valve for use in a heat regenerative engine that uses water as both the working fluid and the lubricant.
- water is pumped through a single line of a coil that wraps around a cylinder exhaust port, causing the water to be preheated by steam exhausted from the cylinder.
- the preheated water is then directed through multiple branch lines in a steam generator to produce high pressure super heated steam.
- the splitter valve is located at the juncture of the single line and multiple branch lines to equalize the flow among the multiple branch lines.
- a “Y” junction within the splitter valve minimizes turbulence as the flow of water and steam is directed into the multiple branch lines.
- Flow control restrictors in the splitter valve allow unimpeded flow of fluid towards the steam generator through each of the branch lines, while allowing any incremental over-pressure in any one branch line to “bleed” back to a branch line(s) bearing a lesser amount of pressure, thereby equalizing flow through the multiple branch lines.
- FIG. 1 is a general diagram illustrating air flow through the engine
- FIG. 2 is a general diagram illustrating water and steam flow through the engine
- FIG. 3 is a side elevational view, shown in cross-section, illustrating the principal components of the engine
- FIG. 4 is a top plan view, in partial cross-section, taken along the plane of the line 4 - 4 in FIG. 3 ;
- FIG. 5 is a top plan view of the splitter valve of the present invention.
- FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view of the splitter valve taken along line 6 - 6 in FIG. 5 and illustrating a flow control valve within the splitter valve.
- the present invention is directed to a splitter valve 26 for use in a steam engine 10 .
- the engine 10 includes a steam generator 20 , a condenser 30 and a main engine section 50 comprising cylinders 52 , valves 53 , pistons 54 , push-rods 74 , crank cam 61 and a crankshaft 60 extending axially through a center of the engine section.
- ambient air is introduced into the condenser 30 by intake blowers 38 .
- the air temperature is increased in two phases before entering a cyclone furnace 22 (referred to hereafter as “combustion chamber”).
- the condenser 30 is a flat plate dynamic condenser with a stacked arrangement of flat plates 31 surrounding an inner core. This structural design of the dynamic condenser 30 allows for multiple passes of steam to enhance the condensing function.
- air enters the condenser 30 from the blowers 38 and is circulated over the condenser plates 31 to cool the outer surfaces of the plates and condense the exhaust steam circulating within the plates. More particularly, vapor exiting the exhaust ports of the cylinders 52 passes over the pre-heating coils surrounding the cylinders.
- the vapor drops into the core of the condenser where centrifugal force from rotation of the crankshaft drives the vapor into the inner cavities of the condenser plates 31 .
- the condensed liquid drops through collection shafts and into the sump 34 at the base of the condenser.
- a high pressure pump 90 returns the liquid from the condenser sump 34 to the coils in the combustion chamber, completing the fluid cycle of the engine.
- the stacked arrangement of the condenser plates 31 presents a large surface area for maximizing heat transfer within a relatively compact volume.
- the centrifugal force of the crankshaft impeller that repeatedly drives the condensing vapor into the cooling plates 31 combined with the stacked plate design, provides a multi-pass system that is far more effective than conventional condensers of single-pass design.
- the engine shrouding 12 is an insulated cover that encloses the combustion chamber and piston assembly.
- the shroud 12 incorporates air transfer ducts 32 that channel air from the condenser 30 , where it has been preheated, to the intake portion of air-to-air heat exchangers 42 , where the air is further heated. Exiting the heat exchangers 42 , this heated intake air enters the atomizer/igniter assemblies in the burner 40 where it is combusted in the combustion chamber.
- the shroud also includes return ducts that capture the combustion exhaust gases at the top center of the combustion chamber, and leads these gases back through the exhaust portion of the air-to-air heat exchangers 42 .
- the engine shrouding adds to the efficiency and compactness of the engine by conserving heat with its insulation, providing necessary ductwork for the airflow of the engine, and incorporating heat exchangers that harvest exhaust has heat.
- Water in its delivery path from the condenser sump pump 90 to the combustion chamber 22 is pumped through one or more main steam supply lines 21 for each cylinder.
- the main steam line 21 passes through a pre-heating coil 23 that is wound around each cylinder skirt adjacent to that cylinder's exhaust ports (see FIG. 2 ).
- the vapor exiting the exhaust ports of cylinders 52 gives up heat to this coil, which raises the temperature of the water being directed through the coil 23 toward the combustion chamber 22 .
- the exhaust vapor begins the process of cooling on its path through these coils preparatory to entering the condenser.
- the positioning of these coils 23 adjacent to the cylinder exhaust ports scavenges heat that would otherwise be lost to the system, thereby contributing to the overall efficiency of the engine.
- the air is directed through heat exchangers 42 where the air is heated prior to entering the steam generator 20 (see FIGS. 2 and 3 ).
- the preheated air is mixed with fuel from a fuel atomizer 41 (See FIG. 4 ).
- An igniter 43 burns the atomized fuel in a centrifuge, causing the heavy fuel elements to move towards the outer sides of the combustion chamber 22 where they are consumed.
- the combustion chamber 22 is arranged in the form of a cylinder which encloses a circularly wound coil of densely bundled tubes 24 (see FIG. 3 ) forming a portion of the steam supply lines leading to the respective cylinders.
- the bundled tubes 24 are heated by the burning fuel of the combustion nozzle burner assembly 40 comprising the air blowers 38 , fuel atomizer 41 , and the igniter 43 (see FIG. 4 ).
- the burners 40 are mounted on opposed sides of the circular combustion chamber wall and are aligned to direct their flames in a spiral direction. By spinning the flame front around the combustion chamber, the coil of tubes 24 is repetitively ‘washed’ by the heat of this combustion gas which circulates in a motion to the center of the tube bundle 24 . Temperatures in the tube bundle 24 are maintained at approximately 1,200 degrees Fahrenheit.
- the tube bundle 24 carries the steam and is exposed to the high temperatures of combustion, where the steam is superheated and maintained at a pressure of approximately 3,200 psi.
- the hot gas exits through an aperture located at the top center of the round roof of the cylindrical combustion chamber.
- the centrifugal motion of the combustion gases causes the heavier, unburned particles suspended in the gases to accumulate on the outer wall of the combustion chamber where they are incinerated, contributing to a cleaner exhaust.
- This cyclonic circulation of combustion gases within the combustion chamber creates higher efficiency in the engine.
- multiple passes of the coil of tubes 24 allows for promoting greater heat saturation relative to the amount of fuel expended.
- the shape of the circularly wound bundle of tubes permits greater lengths of tube to be enclosed within a combustion chamber of limited dimensions than within that of a conventional boiler.
- a greater tube surface area is exposed to the combustion gases, promoting greater heat transfer so that the fluid can be heated to higher temperatures and pressures which further improves the efficiency of the engine.
- the splitter valve 26 located at the juncture of the single line 21 to the multiple lines 28 (see FIG. 3 ), equalizes the flow between the branch lines (see FIGS. 3, 15 and 6 ).
- the splitter valve includes a main body 100 with an inlet 102 for connection to the single feeder line 21 and a plurality of outlets 104 for connection to each of the branch lines 28 .
- a juncture 29 within the splitter valve 26 minimizes turbulence by forming not a right angle ‘T’ intersection, but a ‘Y’ intersection with a narrow apex 106 .
- Flow control valves or restrictors include ball check valves 27 between the juncture 29 and outlets 104 that allow unimpeded flow of fluid towards the steam generator 20 through each of the branch lines 28 .
- the ball check valves 27 prevent back-flow into the feeder line 21 . Instead, any incremental over-pressure in one line is caused to ‘bleed’ back to an over pressure valve (pressure regulator) 46 to prevent over-pressuring the system.
Landscapes
- Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
- Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
- Combustion & Propulsion (AREA)
- Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
- General Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
- Engine Equipment That Uses Special Cycles (AREA)
- Heat-Exchange Devices With Radiators And Conduit Assemblies (AREA)
Priority Applications (2)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| US11/509,202 US20070056287A1 (en) | 2005-09-13 | 2006-08-24 | Splitter valve in a heat regenerative engine |
| PCT/US2007/016149 WO2008010998A2 (fr) | 2006-07-19 | 2007-07-17 | Vanne de séparation dans un moteur thermique à régénération |
Applications Claiming Priority (3)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| US11/225,422 US7080512B2 (en) | 2004-09-14 | 2005-09-13 | Heat regenerative engine |
| US11/489,335 US7856822B2 (en) | 2004-09-14 | 2006-07-19 | Heat regenerative engine |
| US11/509,202 US20070056287A1 (en) | 2005-09-13 | 2006-08-24 | Splitter valve in a heat regenerative engine |
Related Parent Applications (1)
| Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| US11/489,335 Division US7856822B2 (en) | 2004-09-14 | 2006-07-19 | Heat regenerative engine |
Publications (1)
| Publication Number | Publication Date |
|---|---|
| US20070056287A1 true US20070056287A1 (en) | 2007-03-15 |
Family
ID=38957308
Family Applications (1)
| Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| US11/509,202 Abandoned US20070056287A1 (en) | 2005-09-13 | 2006-08-24 | Splitter valve in a heat regenerative engine |
Country Status (2)
| Country | Link |
|---|---|
| US (1) | US20070056287A1 (fr) |
| WO (1) | WO2008010998A2 (fr) |
Cited By (3)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| US20110000407A1 (en) * | 2009-07-01 | 2011-01-06 | Terry Edgar Bassett | Waste Oil Electrical Generation Systems |
| US20120060493A1 (en) * | 2008-09-11 | 2012-03-15 | Will Weldon Matthews | Hybrid combustion energy conversion engines |
| EP2846009A1 (fr) * | 2013-09-10 | 2015-03-11 | Panasonic Corporation | Unité de refroidissement d'air |
Families Citing this family (2)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| US9540960B2 (en) | 2012-03-29 | 2017-01-10 | Lenr Cars Sarl | Low energy nuclear thermoelectric system |
| US10475980B2 (en) | 2012-03-29 | 2019-11-12 | Lenr Cars Sa | Thermoelectric vehicle system |
Citations (6)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| US3881513A (en) * | 1974-01-25 | 1975-05-06 | Sun Oil Co Pennsylvania | Three-coordinate fluid manifold |
| US4301832A (en) * | 1980-05-19 | 1981-11-24 | Smith Dale R | Pressure converter valve |
| US4543990A (en) * | 1983-07-05 | 1985-10-01 | Aqua Control, Inc. | Irrigation valve |
| US4821625A (en) * | 1982-06-15 | 1989-04-18 | Jonas Sundberg | Valve device for controlling the delivery of pressurized liquid to two separate hydrostatic motors |
| US5413080A (en) * | 1993-04-08 | 1995-05-09 | Robert Bosch Gmbh | Fuel injection pump |
| US20050199293A1 (en) * | 2004-02-12 | 2005-09-15 | Fulcher Robert A. | Manifold for selectively dispersing multiple fluid streams |
-
2006
- 2006-08-24 US US11/509,202 patent/US20070056287A1/en not_active Abandoned
-
2007
- 2007-07-17 WO PCT/US2007/016149 patent/WO2008010998A2/fr not_active Ceased
Patent Citations (6)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| US3881513A (en) * | 1974-01-25 | 1975-05-06 | Sun Oil Co Pennsylvania | Three-coordinate fluid manifold |
| US4301832A (en) * | 1980-05-19 | 1981-11-24 | Smith Dale R | Pressure converter valve |
| US4821625A (en) * | 1982-06-15 | 1989-04-18 | Jonas Sundberg | Valve device for controlling the delivery of pressurized liquid to two separate hydrostatic motors |
| US4543990A (en) * | 1983-07-05 | 1985-10-01 | Aqua Control, Inc. | Irrigation valve |
| US5413080A (en) * | 1993-04-08 | 1995-05-09 | Robert Bosch Gmbh | Fuel injection pump |
| US20050199293A1 (en) * | 2004-02-12 | 2005-09-15 | Fulcher Robert A. | Manifold for selectively dispersing multiple fluid streams |
Cited By (9)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| US20120060493A1 (en) * | 2008-09-11 | 2012-03-15 | Will Weldon Matthews | Hybrid combustion energy conversion engines |
| US8661816B2 (en) * | 2008-09-11 | 2014-03-04 | Will Weldon Mathews | Hybrid combustion energy conversion engines |
| US20110000407A1 (en) * | 2009-07-01 | 2011-01-06 | Terry Edgar Bassett | Waste Oil Electrical Generation Systems |
| US8344528B2 (en) | 2009-07-01 | 2013-01-01 | Terry Edgar Bassett | Waste oil electrical generation systems |
| EP2846009A1 (fr) * | 2013-09-10 | 2015-03-11 | Panasonic Corporation | Unité de refroidissement d'air |
| CN104420903A (zh) * | 2013-09-10 | 2015-03-18 | 松下电器产业株式会社 | 空冷单元 |
| US9726432B2 (en) | 2013-09-10 | 2017-08-08 | Panasonic Intellectual Property Management Co., Ltd. | Air cooling unit |
| CN104420903B9 (zh) * | 2013-09-10 | 2017-12-29 | 松下知识产权经营株式会社 | 空冷单元 |
| US10161684B2 (en) | 2013-09-10 | 2018-12-25 | Panasonic Intellectual Property Management Co., Ltd. | Air cooling unit |
Also Published As
| Publication number | Publication date |
|---|---|
| WO2008010998A2 (fr) | 2008-01-24 |
| WO2008010998A3 (fr) | 2008-05-08 |
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Legal Events
| Date | Code | Title | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| AS | Assignment |
Owner name: CYCLONE TECHNOLOGIES LLLP, FLORIDA Free format text: ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST;ASSIGNOR:SCHOELL, HARRY;REEL/FRAME:018236/0357 Effective date: 20060522 |
|
| AS | Assignment |
Owner name: CYCLONE POWER TECHNOLOGIES, INC., FLORIDA Free format text: ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST;ASSIGNOR:CYCLONE TECHNOLOGIES, LLP;REEL/FRAME:019558/0741 Effective date: 20070712 |
|
| STCB | Information on status: application discontinuation |
Free format text: ABANDONED -- FAILURE TO RESPOND TO AN OFFICE ACTION |