DE102011117356A1 - Motor coupling unit e.g. reciprocating piston machine connected with internal combustion engine, has coupling unit that couples torque transmission unit to motor, such that vapor pressure of process fluid of expander is vaporized - Google Patents

Abstract

The motor coupling unit (1) has a compressor (14) for providing compressed air, a torque transmission unit (8) for driving the compressor, and a coupling unit (6) for torque-transmitting coupling of torque transmission unit to motor, such that vapor pressure of a process fluid of operated expander (12) is vaporized by the waste heat (34) for driving the torque transmission unit. The compressor is provided with compression stroke piston (28) for generating compressed air and/or the expander is provided with expansion cylinder (22) for expansion of the process fluid. Independent claims are included for the following: (1) an expander; and (2) a method of transmitting power between internal combustion engine of vehicle and motor coupling unit.

Description

The invention relates to an engine coupling unit, in particular reciprocating engine, for torque-transmitting connection with an engine, in particular an internal combustion engine, a vehicle, in particular a motor vehicle, according to the preamble of claim 1. Furthermore, the invention relates to a part, namely an expander, this motor coupling unit. Furthermore, the invention relates to a vehicle with the motor coupling unit and a method performed by means of the motor coupling unit.

Vehicles have various facilities, for example. Braking devices, steering assistance devices, suspension devices or comfort devices, such as a seat suspension, which are operated by compressed air. To provide the compressed air, such vehicles have at least one compressor.

Next, vehicles, in particular motor vehicles, usually an internal combustion engine, wherein fuel is burned and used to a part for generating a torque to the engine, by means of which the motor vehicle is driven. However, a large part of the energy contained in the fuel is also converted into heat, with hot exhaust gases escape unused.

To use part of the energy contained in the form of heat in the exhaust gases, it is known to install a so-called. Rankine process in the vehicle, wherein process fluid is pumped through an evaporator, absorbs heat from the exhaust gas in the evaporator and expanded in an expander , The expander supports the engine of the vehicle or provides power via a torque. The cooled process fluid is subsequently condensed or liquefied by means of a condenser and returned to the medium tank.

In vehicles without such an expander, the compressor is usually coupled by means of a gear as coupling means to transmit torque to the engine so that the engine drives the compressor.

In other known vehicles which have an expander, this expander is instead of the compressor by means of this gear torque-transmitting coupled to the engine. The compressor is installed in this case elsewhere in the vehicle and must be powered by a separate engine, for example. An electric motor.

The expander and the compressor with the separate engine require, together installed in a vehicle, a high installation cost, significantly increase the overall weight of the vehicle and lead to high vehicle costs.

The invention has for its object to provide a system for using waste heat from exhaust gases with low weight, low space requirement, low number of components and low system complexity in a vehicle with a compressor.

The invention achieves this object with an engine coupling unit according to claim 1, with an expander of this engine coupling unit according to claim 7, with a vehicle according to claim 8 and with a method according to claim 10.

The motor coupling unit is provided and designed for torque-transmitting connection with an engine of a vehicle. The engine coupling unit is in particular a reciprocating piston engine, the engine in particular an internal combustion engine and the vehicle, in particular a motor vehicle.

The engine coupling unit has a coupling means for torque-transmitting coupling of the engine coupling unit, in particular a torque transmission device of this engine coupling unit, with the engine. The coupling means is in particular a gear. This gear engages in another gear of the motor with which it forms a gear coupling together.

Furthermore, the engine coupling unit has a compressor for supplying compressed air and an expander operated by means of the vapor pressure of a process fluid vaporized by waste heat. The expander is designed to drive the torque transmission device. The torque transmitting device is designed for driving through the expander and for driving the compressor. The compressor is designed to be driven by the torque transmission device.

In particular, the expander is a so-called Rankine expander for performing a Rankine process, wherein waste heat from exhaust gases of the engine is converted into a torque that can be used to assist the engine.

The process fluid used to operate the expander is a liquid that has a lower evaporation temperature than water. For example. the process fluid is an organic liquid, wherein by means of the expander a so-called. Organic Rankine process is performed.

Optionally, either the compressor is direct and the expander is indirectly coupled through the compressor to the coupling means and the engine. Or the expander is direct and the compressor indirectly coupled via the expander with the coupling means and the engine. In particular, either power is transmitted via a torque from the expander through the compressor to the engine or the engine through the expander to the compressor or the expander on the one hand to the engine and on the other hand to the compressor or on the one hand from the engine and on the other hand from the expander to the compressor.

Preferably, in the event that the compressor receives more power than the expander provides, the compressor is directly coupled via the coupling means and the expander is indirectly coupled via the compressor to the coupling means and the motor. In contrast, if the expander provides more power than the compressor receives, preferably the expander is coupled directly to the engine via the coupling means, whereas the compressor is indirectly coupled to the engine via the expander and the coupling means. The machine, namely the compressor or expander, which has the higher rated torque is thus flanged directly to the engine, with a mechanical stress of the motor coupling unit is minimized in this way.

The invention uses the same coupling means for both output and torque from the engine, namely when the motor coupling unit collects more power than it provides overall, as well as for coupling power into the motor, namely, conversely, when the motor coupling unit provides more power overall as takes up. The compressor and the expander are together a compact unit that is installed on the vehicle. In particular, no additional electric motor for driving the compressor must be provided.

According to an advantageous embodiment, the engine coupling unit is a reciprocating engine. In this case, the compressor has at least one Kompressionshubkolben for compressed air generation. Alternatively or additionally, the expander has at least one expansion stroke piston for expansion of the process fluid. Preferably, the engine coupling unit is a reciprocating engine having both the compression stroke piston and the expansion stroke piston. Overall, the motor coupling unit is thus designed as a multi-cylinder reciprocating engine having at least two reciprocating pistons and also at least two cylinders in which the reciprocating pistons are arranged to be movable. By means of the reciprocating piston an effective conversion of torque for compressed air generation or of the vapor pressure of the process fluid in torque is possible. Alternatively, the expander converts the vapor pressure of the process fluid into a torque in another way, for example by means of a turbine.

According to an advantageous embodiment, the engine coupling unit has a common crankcase, in which both the compressor and the expander are arranged. In this case, the torque transmission device is a common crankshaft connected in a torque-transmitting manner to the coupling means for transmitting power by means of a torque from this common crankshaft to the compressor and from the expander to this common crankshaft. There is thus a power output from the expander via the common crankshaft to the compressor and possibly to the engine. A power consumption by the compressor is also via the common crankshaft, which power is provided by the expander and possibly the engine. The engine coupling unit with common crankcase and common crankshaft requires only a small number of components and is therefore inexpensive to manufacture and low maintenance.

According to an alternative embodiment, the compressor has a compressor crankcase, whereas the expander has a separate expander crankcase. Further, according to this embodiment, the compressor has a compressor crankshaft connected torque-transmitting to the coupling means for transmitting power by means of a torque to the compressor. The expander accordingly has an expander crankshaft connected to the coupling means for transmitting torque by means of a torque from the expander.

Further, the motor coupling unit according to this embodiment has crankshaft coupling means for torque-transmitting coupling of the compressor crankshaft and the expander crankshaft with each other. The compressor crankshaft, the expander crankshaft and the crankshaft coupling means are part of the torque transfer device. Further, the motor coupling unit has housing connecting means for connecting the compressor crankcase and the expander crankcase with each other.

The housing connecting means are, for example, a screw, the compressor and expander thus screwed together. The crankshaft coupling means are, for example, a so-called Oldham coupling or so-called splined toothing. The expander thus provides power via a torque of the expander crankshaft, which via the crankshaft coupling means for Compressor crankshaft and thus transmitted to the compressor. When the expander provides more power than is picked up by the compressor, some of the power is provided to the motor via the coupling means. On the other hand, if the compressor consumes more power than provided by the expander, power is extracted from the engine via the coupling means.

The structural separation of the compressor and the expander in the common motor coupling unit allows a flexible combination of a compressor with an expander for a particular vehicle during manufacture. For example. Both the compressor and the expander are each made with a cylinder and according to another embodiment with two cylinders, so that, depending on the purpose, for example, a one-cylinder expander can be combined with a one-cylinder or with a two-cylinder compressor engine coupling unit. Overall, thus flexible combinations of a compressor and an expander are possible with each other.

For a low material load is preferably in turn the unit having the higher nominal torque, arranged directly on the engine or connected to the coupling means. The weaker-torque device is correspondingly arranged on the side facing away from the coupling means or motor side of the motor coupling unit.

According to one embodiment, the compressor and the expander have a common cylinder head. According to an alternative embodiment, separate cylinder heads are provided for the compressor and the expander. In the cylinder head or in the cylinder heads air, the process fluid and cooling water are guided. The air is used to generate compressed air by the compressor. The process fluid is used to drive the expander. The cooling water is used to cool the compressor and / or the expander and possibly to cool the process fluid after leaving the expander. To guide the air, the process fluid and the cooling water separated from each other corresponding holes in the cylinder head or in the cylinder heads are provided. Alternatively or additionally, the cylinder head is cast to guide these media accordingly.

Regardless of whether the motor coupling unit has a common housing or separate housings for the compressor and the expander, the motor coupling unit is preferably designed for attachment to a common mounting flange of the vehicle. In particular, the engine coupling unit can be attached to the mounting flange of the vehicle, which is regularly provided for receiving a compressor without expander.

According to a preferred embodiment, the motor coupling unit has a fluid pump or feed pump for conveying the process fluid from a media tank to an evaporator evaporating the process fluid. The fluid pump according to this embodiment is integrated in the expander, in particular in the common crankcase or in the expander crankcase. Furthermore, the fluid pump can be driven by means of the torque transmission device, in particular by means of the common crankshaft or by means of the expander crankshaft.

In this way, the expander can be made as a compact unit including the fluid pump and installed in the vehicle. The fluid pump is integrated at a point where the pumped process fluid is needed. In addition, the necessary torque for the drive can be provided in the expander. The motor coupling unit according to this embodiment is thus space-saving and inexpensive to produce.

Although according to an alternative embodiment, the engine coupling unit also has the fluid pump, however, the fluid pump is flanged to the compressor or expander, in particular to the common crankcase or to the compressor crankcase or expander crankcase. In particular, the fluid pump is flanged on the side of the motor coupling unit, which faces away from the coupling means, as on this side facing away from the coupling means, the required space is available and the fluid pump compared to the power of the compressor and the power output of the expander absorbs only comparatively little power.

The expander of the engine coupling unit is provided and designed for torque-transmitting connection with the compressor of this engine coupling unit to a unit as a whole on the mounting flange of the vehicle, in particular motor vehicle, mountable and coupled by the coupling means torque transmitting with the engine of the vehicle assembly. In this case, the expander has expander-side connecting means, in particular crankshaft coupling means or parts thereof, for this connection.

The compressor of the engine coupling unit is provided and designed for torque-transmitting connection with the expander of this motor coupling unit to a mountable as a whole on the mounting flange of the vehicle and torque-transmitting through the coupling means with the engine of the vehicle assembly. In this case, the compressor has compressor-side connection means for this connection.

The vehicle according to the invention, in particular a motor vehicle, has an engine, in particular an internal combustion engine, as well as the engine coupling unit according to the invention connected in a torque-transmitting manner to the engine.

According to a preferred embodiment, the vehicle has the medium tank for storing the process fluid, the evaporator for evaporating the process fluid by the waste heat of exhaust gases passed by the engine, the fluid pump for conveying the process fluid from the media tank to the evaporator and, in particular, integrated into a vehicle cooling system of the vehicle, Capacitor, which is interposed between the expander and the media tank, for condensing the recirculated from the expander process fluid.

The inventive method is used for power transmission between an engine, in particular internal combustion engine, a vehicle, in particular a motor vehicle, and the engine coupling unit. In this case, the compressor absorbs power from the torque transmitting device and provides compressed air, whereas the expander, which is operated by means of the vapor pressure of the process fluid vaporized by waste heat, outputs power to the torque transmitting device. In particular, the compressor absorbs power delivered by the expander. In addition, there is a power transfer from the engine via the coupling means to the engine coupling unit or from the engine coupling unit via the coupling means to the engine when the engine coupling unit provides more or less power than itself, in particular by means of the compressor and possibly by means of the fluid pump or by means of other consumers needed ,

The feed pump preferably conveys the process fluid from the medium tank through the evaporator to the expander, the waste heat evaporating the process fluid from the exhaust gases passed in the evaporator. In an expansion cylinder of the expander, the vaporized process fluid expands and displaces an expansion stroke piston in the expansion cylinder, thereby causing the displacement of the expansion stroke piston caused thereby to be converted into torque transmitted to the torque transmission device and transmitted by the power. Subsequently, the process fluid condenses in the condenser and flows back into the medium tank. For condensation in the condenser coolant is passed to the process fluid.

According to a preferred embodiment, the fluid pump is transmitted by means of the torque transmission device, in particular via the common crankshaft of the engine coupling unit, by means of the power via a torque to the compressor and the expander, or via the expander crankshaft of the expander, is transferred by means of the power via a torque from the expander , powered. The fluid pump is flanged to the compressor or expander or integrated into the expander.

Further embodiments will become apparent from the claims and from the embodiments explained in more detail with reference to the drawing. In the drawing show:

1 an engine coupling unit according to a first embodiment of the invention, together with further components for the Rankine process;

2 an engine coupling unit according to a second embodiment of the invention;

3 an engine coupling unit according to a third embodiment of the invention;

4 a flow chart for transmitted power and

5 a block diagram illustrating basic process steps, especially in the Rankine process.

1 shows a designed as a two-cylinder reciprocating engine clutch unit 1 together with other components 2 for the implementation of the so-called Rankine process by means of waste heat from exhaust gas 4 from an internal combustion engine of the engine coupling unit 1 having vehicle in a simplified schematic representation.

The engine coupling unit 1 can by means of a coupling device designed as a gear 6 be coupled with the internal combustion engine. In particular, by the coupling agent 6 and one in the coupling agent 6 engaging further gear of the motor given a gear coupling. The combustion engine or with the coupling agent 6 coupled engine preferably drives the vehicle or vehicle axles of the vehicle and may additionally the coupling means 6 and one with the coupling agent 6 connected torque transmitting device 8th the motor coupling unit 1 drive. Conversely, via the coupling agent 6 the engine can be assisted in driving the vehicle. By means of a torque can thus power from the engine via the coupling agent 6 to the engine coupling unit 1 or to the torque transmission device 8th or vice versa from the motor coupling unit 1 or of the torque transmission device 8th via the coupling agent 6 be transferred to the engine. The coupling agent 6 is coupled by means of gear coupling with the engine torque transmitting and fixed with the torque transmission device 8th or with a common crankshaft 10 connected and thus also with this torque transmission device 8th or common crankshaft 10 coupled torque transmitting.

The engine coupling unit 1 has a designed as a so-called. Rankine expander expander 12 , a compressor 14 and a fluid pump 16 on, with parts of the engine coupling unit 1 that the compressor 14 are assigned left and parts to the compressor 14 are assigned to the right of a dashed line s1 are shown. The fluid pump 16 is shown to the right of a dashed line s2.

The engine coupling unit 1 has a common crankcase 18 and a common cylinder head 20 on top of the joint crankcase 18 top closes and various connections, in particular for air, cooling water and process fluid for the Rankine process, provides. The common crankcase 18 as well as the common cylinder head 20 are thus partially the expander 12 , partly the compressor 14 and partially the fluid pump 16 assigned. An assignment of parts of the common cylinder head 20 to the fluid pump 16 may alternatively be omitted. Further, instead of the common cylinder head 20 also separate cylinder heads for the expander 12 and the compressor 14 be provided.

The engine coupling unit 1 has an expansion cylinder 22 and a compression cylinder 24 on. In the expansion cylinder 22 is an expansion stroke piston 26 and in the compression cylinder 24 a compression stroke piston 28 slidably mounted and by means of a Expanderpleuelstange 30 or compressor connecting rod 32 with the common crankshaft 10 connected. In the expansion cylinder 22 expanding process fluid 34 drives the expansion stroke piston 26 on, with the displacement of the expansion stroke piston 26 by means of the Expanderpleuelstange 30 in a rotary motion of the common crankshaft 10 and thus the coupling agent 6 is implemented. The expander 12 is thus torque transmitting with the coupling agent 6 coupled and outputs by means of torque power to the torque transmitting device 8th or to the coupling agent 6 from.

The compressor 14 vice versa takes power from the torque transmitting device 8th or from the coupling agent 6 on, the rotational movement of the common crankshaft 10 or the coupling agent 6 by means of the compressor connecting rod 32 in a displacement of the compression stroke piston 28 in the compression cylinder 24 is implemented and wherein in the compression stroke piston 28 Compressed air and thus by means of the compressor 14 Compressed air is provided.

The fluid pump 16 also absorbs power by means of the torque of the coupling means 6 or the torque transmission device 8th or the common crankshaft 10 provided.

In the common cylinder head 20 especially in a compressor 14 associated part of the common cylinder head 20 , are an air inlet 36 and a compressed air outlet 38 intended. The air inlet 36 is preferably connected to an air filter, not shown, is sucked through the air. Via the compressed air outlet 38 is the means of the compressor 14 produced compressed air to various compressed air devices of the vehicle provided, for example. Air spring devices or braking devices.

Furthermore, the common cylinder head 20 in particular in the compressor 14 associated part, a first coolant inlet 40 and a first coolant outlet 42 for cooling the compressor 14 on. The compressor 14 is by means of the first coolant inlet 40 and the first coolant outlet 42 involved in a cooling circuit of the vehicle.

Next points the common cylinder head 20 especially in an expander 12 associated part, a first process fluid input 44 and a first process fluid exit 46 on, with the expander 12 over the first process fluid inlet 44 and the first process fluid exit 46 with the other components 2 connected to the implementation of the Rankine process and thus involved in the Rankine process.

To the other components 2 To carry out the Rankine process include an evaporator 48 , a capacitor 50 and a media tank 52 , The process fluid is preferably an organic liquid having a lower evaporation temperature than water. Alternatively, the process fluid 34 also be a synthetic liquid, which is preferably optimized for the Rankine process.

The process fluid 34 is by means of the fluid pump 16 or by means of a pressure build-up means 53 the fluid pump 16 from the media tank 52 promoted and through the evaporator 48 over the first process fluid inlet 44 as saturated steam to the expander 12 guided. The liquid from the media tank 52 pumped process fluid evaporates in the evaporator 48 by removing the warm exhaust gas 4 in the evaporator 48 a portion of its heat energy to evaporate the process fluid 34 to this process fluid 34 gives off and cooled in contrast as exhaust 4 the evaporator 48 leaves again. In the expander 12 the process fluid expands 34 and drives the Expansionshubkolben 26 and thus the torque transmitting device 8th or the coupling agent 6 at. The following is the process fluid 34 through the first process fluid outlet 46 and through the capacitor 50 to the media tank 52 recycled, with the process fluid in the condenser 50 is condensed or liquefied again. For this is the capacitor 50 via a second coolant inlet 54 and a second coolant outlet 56 involved in the cooling circuit of the vehicle, wherein cooling liquid of the cooling circuit in the condenser 50 Heat from the process fluid 34 receives.

2 and 3 show by way of example a second motor coupling unit 1' and a third motor coupling unit 1'' according to two further embodiments of the invention. The same reference numerals designate the same or functionally identical or similar components. Furthermore, the motor coupling units are also 1' and 1'' involved in the Rankine process, with the other components 2 to carry out the Rankine process 1 while in the 2 and 3 not shown, but nevertheless present on the vehicle and with the engine coupling unit 1' respectively. 1'' are connected. Finally, it should be noted that the motor coupling units exemplified 1 . 1' . 1'' according to the 1 . 2 and 3 merely show some possible embodiments of the invention, wherein the skilled person by combining features of the embodiments, by extension of these embodiments and by exchange of means by the same or similar acting means further embodiments even opens up.

2 shows the motor coupling unit 1 , which in turn is designed as a reciprocating engine, but with an expander 12 and the fluid pump 16 associated expander crankcase 58 and a correspondingly associated expander cylinder head 60 structurally separate from a compressor crankcase 62 and a compressor cylinder head 64 that a compressor 14 ' are assigned, are arranged.

Accordingly, a torque transmission device 8th' compared to the first embodiment of 1 not by a common crankshaft 10 formed, but has a in the expander crankcase 58 mounted expander crankshaft 66 and one in the compressor crankcase 62 mounted compressor crankshaft 68 on. The expander crankshaft 66 and the compressor crankshaft 68 are by means of crankshaft coupling means 70 torque transmitting interconnected, wherein the crankshaft coupling means 70 the torque transmitted by spline. In particular, a first inner gear engages 72 in a first outer gear 74 one, with the gears 72 and 74 are shown spaced apart from each other in the figure for illustrative purposes only. The crankshaft coupling means 70 Namely include an otherwise not representable connecting rod 76 in the first inner gear 72 and the first outer gear 74 or in the compressor crankshaft 68 and the expander crankshaft 66 engages and the compressor crankshaft 68 and the expander crankshaft 66 thereby aligns axially with each other. If, according to an alternative embodiment, an offset of the expander crankshaft 66 to the compressor crankshaft 68 is desired, the crankshaft coupling means 70 For example, be designed as so-called. Oldham coupling.

Furthermore, the engine coupling unit 1' Housing connection means 78 , in particular screws, through which the compressor crankcase 62 and the expander crankcase 58 are connected or screwed together.

The compressor crankcase 62 and the expander crankcase 58 are merely for the purpose of a clear representation of the crankshaft coupling means 70 , in particular the connecting rod 76 , and the housing connecting means or screws 78 spaced apart from each other. Preferably, the compressor crankcase boundaries 62 and the expander crankcase 58 at least partially directly to each other or are separated only by a seal, not shown, in particular a sealing ring. At least the first inner gear must 72 in the first outer gear 74 intervention.

The compressor 14 points opposite to the compressor 14 of the first embodiment according to 1 next to the compression cylinder 24 with the compression stroke piston 28 yet another compression cylinder 80 with another compression stroke piston 82 on top of another compressor connecting rod 84 by means of the compressor crankshaft 68 is driven. Further, the compressor 14 ' in the engine coupling unit 1' the coupling agent 6 facing, whereas the expander 12 ' with the fluid pump 16 opposite the coupling agent 6 and opposite the engine to the compressor 14 ' arranged downstream, since the compressor 14 ' over a higher rated torque than the expander 12 ' with the fluid pump 16 has and in this way the material load on the motor coupling unit 1' can be kept low.

As an alternative to the exemplary embodiment shown, connections can be made for the integration of the fluid pump 16 in the Rankine process also over the expander cylinder head 60 be guided. According to a further development, some or all of the other components can also be used 2 to perform the Rankine process in the expander 12 ' be integrated, with individual or all inputs and outputs for the process fluid 34 may be omitted, but possibly inputs and outputs for the exhaust gas 4 respectively. 4 ' and possibly additionally provided for integration into the cooling circuit.

From the expander crankcase 58 protrudes with the expander crankshaft 66 connected further inner gear 86 out, which as part of a further coupling means, the coupling of another component, for example. Another compressor allows. The other inner gear 86 Alternatively, however, can also be omitted or only in case of need with the expander crankshaft 66 be connected.

3 shows the motor coupling unit 1'' with an expander 12 '' , a compressor flanged to it 14 '' and one to the compressor 14 '' flanged fluid pump 16 , In contrast to the second embodiment according to 2 points the expander 12 '' the motor coupling unit 1'' according to 3 a higher rated torque than the compressor 14 '' and is therefore intended for direct flanging to the engine of the vehicle. The coupling agent or gear 6 is therefore directly with an expander crankshaft 66 connected. About a torque, the expander 12 '' therefore via the coupling agent 6 Deliver power to the engine. In addition to the expansion cylinder 22 and the expansion stroke piston 26 points the expander 12 '' another expansion cylinder 88 with another expansion stroke piston 90 on, by means of another Expanderpleuelstange 92 with the expander crankshaft 66 ' connected is.

The expansion stroke pistons 26 and 90 are thus including the expander crankshaft 66 ' in a two-cylinder expander crankcase 58 ' arranged. On the expander crankcase 58 ' is an expander cylinder head 60 ' with the first process fluid inlet 44 and the first process fluid exit 46 arranged.

The air inlet 36 , the compressed air outlet 38 , the first coolant inlet 40 and the first coolant outlet 42 are on a compressor cylinder head 64 ' of the compressor 14 '' arranged. A compressor crankcase 62 ' of the compressor 14 '' is by means of the housing connection means 78 with the expander crankcase 58 ' connected.

The compressor 14 '' is indirectly via the expander 12 '' coupled with the engine. A torque-transmitting coupling of the expander crankshaft 66 ' with a compressor crankshaft 68 ' of the compressor 14 '' is again by means of the crankshaft coupling means 70 realized, being opposite 2 the first inner gear 72 the expander 12 '' assigned or with the expander 12 '' is connected and the first outer gear 74 the compressor 14 '' assigned or with the compressor crankshaft 68 ' connected is. A torque transmission device 8th'' the motor coupling unit 1'' has the expander crankshaft 66 ' , the compressor crankshaft 68 ' and the crankshaft coupling means 70 on.

The fluid pump 16 ' is by means of other housing connecting means or screws 94 on the compressor crankcase 62 ' attached. A torque transmitting coupling of the compressor crankshaft 68 ' with a fluid pump rotation axis 96 for driving the pressure build-up means 53 is about another coupling agent 98 given, this further coupling agent 98 the other inner gear 86 , another outer gear 100 and another connecting rod 102 having.

4 shows by way of example a flowchart for illustrating the power flow in an arrangement with the motor coupling unit 1 , However, the flowchart also applies to any other motor coupling unit according to the invention, for example, the motor coupling units 1 and 1'' ,

The engine coupling unit 1 is about her coupling agent 6 with a motor 104 coupled or coupled. In the case of coupling is both a power output of the engine 104 via a torque to the motor coupling unit 1 and vice versa, a power output of the motor coupling unit 1 via a torque to the engine 104 possible, resulting in a first double arrow 106 is indicated. The coupling agent 6 is in turn with the torque transmitting device 8th coupled or connected, so that, by a second double arrow 108 indicated by a torque the power from the engine 104 via the coupling agent 6 on to the torque transmission device 8th or vice versa of the torque transmitting device 8th via the coupling agent 6 to the engine 104 is transmitted.

The expander 12 drives the torque transmission device 8th and thus transmits according to a first directional arrow 110 Power to the torque transfer device 8th , From the torque transmission device 8th turn will turn on power according to a second directional arrow 112 to the compressor 14 and according to a third directional arrow 114 to the fluid pump 16 issued. When the power output from the expander 12 to the torque transmitting device 8th greater than the power consumption of the compressor 14 and the fluid pump 16 from the torque transmitting device 8th , Total power will be through the coupling agent 6 to the engine 104 issued. Despite the compressor operation, the engine coupling unit 1 thus the engine 104 due to the use of the waste heat of the exhaust gas 4 support.

If, on the other hand, the compressor 14 and the fluid pump 16 together take more power than the expander 12 is provided, the engine gives 104 Although power over the coupling agent 6 to the motor coupling unit 1 from. However, this power output is from the engine 104 due to the support of the expander 12 less than the compressor alone 14 necessary. In particular, that is via the expanding process fluid 34 provided power many times higher than that of the fluid pump 16 Power required for the print job, so that the Rankine process that of the engine 104 reduced power to be provided.

5 shows in a block diagram essential process steps for the Rankine process using the example of the motor coupling unit 1 according to 1 , The Rankine process is a continuous cycle that is centrally controlled by a controller. His description is exemplary with a step 116 started, according to which the fluid pump 16 the process fluid 34 from the media tank 52 with pressure in the evaporator 48 inflated. In the evaporator 48 becomes the process fluid 34 by means of heat of the exhaust gas 4 Energy supplied, so that the process fluid 34 according to a step 118 evaporated. The evaporated process fluid 34 becomes according to a step 120 the expander 12 fed.

In one step 122 move that in the expansion cylinder 22 expanding process fluid 34 the expansion piston 26 and thus gives according to step 124 Power via a torque to the torque transmitting device 8th or to the coupling agent 6 from. Together with the step 124 are in a process block 123 simultaneous steps 126 . 128 and 130 arranged. According to the step 126 there is a power output from the torque transmitting device 8th or from the coupling agent 6 to the compressor 14 , A power output from the torque transmitting device 8th or from the coupling agent 6 to the fluid pump 16 takes place according to the step 128 , If the power transfer according to the step 124 not just by the power transfer according to steps 126 and 128 is compensated, there is also a power transfer between the engine 104 and the motor coupling unit 1 according to the step 130 ,

On the step 122 follows a step in the Rankine process 132 according to which the vaporized and expanded process fluid 34 in the condenser 50 to which it is recycled condenses. Finally, the condensed process fluid flows 34 according to a step 134 back to the media tank 52 which in turn according to the step 116 can be pumped out. This closes the circle.

The invention makes it possible to use waste gas waste gas using existing engine interfaces and components, for example a compressor of the vehicle. Only a few modifications to the internal combustion engine are required. In addition, by integrating the expander with the compressor in the engine coupling unit, the vehicle weight is increased only slightly compared with a vehicle without an expander.

All mentioned in the foregoing description and in the claims features are used individually as well as in any combination with each other. The disclosure of the invention is therefore not limited to the described or claimed feature combinations. Rather, all feature combinations are to be regarded as disclosed.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

1, 1 ', 1' '

Motor coupling unit / reciprocating engine

2

other components for the implementation of the Rankine process

4, 4 '

exhaust

6

Coupling agent / Gear

8, 8 ', 8' '

Torque transfer device

10

common crankshaft

12, 12 ', 12' '

expander

14, 14 ', 14' '

compressor

16, 16 '

fluid pump

18

common crankcase

20

common cylinder head

22

expansion cylinder

24

compression cylinder

26

Expansionshubkolben

28

Kompressionshubkolben

30

Expanderpleuelstange

32

Kompressorpleuelstange

34

process fluid

36

air inlet

38

Compressed air outlet

40

first coolant inlet

42

first coolant outlet

44

first process fluid inlet

46

first process fluid outlet

48

Evaporator

50

capacitor

52

media tank

53

Pressure building means

54

second coolant inlet

56

second coolant outlet

58, 58 '

expander crankcase

60, 60 '

Expander cylinder head

62, 62 '

compressor crankcase

64, 64 '

Compressor cylinder head

66, 66 '

expander crankshaft

68, 68 '

compressor crankshaft

70

Crankshaft coupling agent

72

first inner gear

74

first outer gear

76

connecting rod

78

Housing connection means / screws

80

another compression cylinder

82

additional compression stroke piston

84

additional compressor connecting rod

86

another inner gear

88

another expansion cylinder

90

further expansion stroke piston

92

further expander connecting rod

94

further housing connection means

96

Fluid pump rotational axis

98

another coupling agent

100

another outer gear

102

another connecting rod

104

engine

106

first double arrow

108

second double arrow

110

first directional arrow

112

second directional arrow

114

third directional arrow

116

Pumping the process fluid in evaporator

118

Vaporizing the process fluid

120

Supplying the vaporized process fluid to expander

122

Moving the expansion stroke piston

123

power block

124

Power output to torque transmitting device or coupling means

126

Power output to compressor or power consumption by compressor

128

Power output to fluid pump or power consumption by fluid pump

130

Power transfer between motor and motor coupling unit

132

Condensing the process fluid in the condenser

134

Backflow of the process fluid into the media tank

Claims (12)

Motor coupling unit ( 1 . 1' . 1'' ), in particular reciprocating engine, for torque-transmitting connection with a motor ( 104 ), in particular internal combustion engine, of a vehicle, in particular a motor vehicle, wherein the engine coupling unit ( 1 . 1' . 1'' ) comprises: a compressor ( 14 . 14 ' . 14 '' ) for providing compressed air, a torque transmission device ( 8th . 8th' . 8th'' ) for driving the compressor and a coupling agent ( 6 ) for the torque-transmitting coupling of the torque transmission device ( 8th . 8th' . 8th'' ) with the engine ( 104 ), characterized by a by means of the vapor pressure of a process fluid vaporized by waste heat ( 34 ) operated expander ( 12 . 12 ' . 12 '' ) for driving the torque transmission device ( 8th . 8th' . 8th'' ). Motor coupling unit according to claim 1, characterized in that the compressor ( 14 . 14 ' . 14 '' ) at least one compression stroke piston ( 28 . 82 ) for generating compressed air and / or the expander ( 12 . 12 ' . 12 '' ) at least one expansion stroke piston ( 22 . 90 ) for the expansion of the process fluid ( 34 ) having. Engine coupling unit according to claim 1 or 2, characterized by a common crankcase ( 18 ), in which the compressor ( 14 ) and the expander ( 12 ), wherein the torque transmission device ( 8th ) a common crankshaft ( 10 ) is for transmitting power by means of a torque from the torque transmitting device ( 8th ) to the compressor ( 14 ) and the expander ( 12 ) to the torque transmission device ( 8th ). Motor coupling unit according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the compressor ( 14 ' . 14 '' ) a compressor crankcase ( 62 . 62 ' ) and a torque transmitting with the coupling agent ( 6 ) connected compressor crankshaft ( 68 . 68 ' ) of the torque transmission device ( 8th' . 8th'' ) for transmitting power by means of a torque from the torque transmission device ( 8th' . 8th' ) to the compressor ( 14 . 14 ' ), the expander ( 12 . 12 '' ) an expander crankcase ( 58 . 58 ' ) and a torque transmitting with the coupling agent ( 6 ) connected expander crankshaft ( 66 . 66 ' ) of the torque transmission device ( 8th' . 8th'' ) for transmitting power by means of a torque from the expander ( 12 ' . 12 '' ) to the torque transmission device ( 8th' . 8th'' ) and the engine coupling unit ( 1' . 1'' ) Housing connection means ( 78 ) for connecting the compressor crankcase ( 62 . 62 ' ) and the expander crankcase ( 58 . 58 ' ) with each other and Crankshaft coupling means ( 70 ) of the torque transmission device ( 8th' . 8th'' ) for torque-transmitting coupling of the compressor crankshaft ( 68 . 68 ' ) and the expander crankshaft ( 66 . 66 ' ) with each other. Motor coupling unit according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by a fluid pump ( 16 . 16 ' ) for conveying the process fluid ( 34 ) from a medium tank ( 52 ) to a process fluid ( 34 ) evaporating evaporator ( 48 ), wherein the fluid pump ( 16 . 16 ' ) in the expander ( 12 . 12 ' ) in particular in the common crankcase ( 18 ) or in the expander crankcase ( 58 ), and integrated by means of the torque transmission device ( 8th . 8th' . 8th'' ), in particular via the common crankshaft ( 10 ) or via the expander crankshaft ( 66 ), is drivable. Motor coupling unit according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by a fluid pump ( 16 ' ) for conveying the process fluid ( 34 ) from a medium tank ( 52 ) to a process fluid ( 34 ) vaporized evaporator ( 48 ), wherein the fluid pump ( 16 ' ) to the compressor ( 14 '' ) or expander ( 12 '' ), in particular to the common crankcase or to the compressor crankcase ( 14 '' ) or expander crankcase, flanged and by means of the torque transfer device ( 8th . 8th' . 8th'' ), in particular via the common crankshaft ( 10 ) or via the compressor crankshaft ( 68 ' ) and the expander crankshaft ( 66 ' ), is drivable. Expander of a motor coupling unit ( 1' . 1' ) according to one of claims 1, 2 and 4 to 6, in particular as far as not dependent on claim 3, for the torque-transmitting connection with a compressor ( 12 ' . 12 '' ) of this motor coupling unit ( 1' . 1' ) to a vehicle mountable as a whole on a mounting flange of the vehicle and by the coupling means ( 6 ) torque transmitting with the engine ( 104 ) of the vehicle coupled unit, wherein the expander ( 12 . 12 ' ) Expander-side connecting means, in particular crankshaft coupling means ( 70 ) or parts thereof, for this compound. Vehicle, in particular motor vehicle, with an engine ( 104 ), in particular internal combustion engine, characterized by a torque transmitting with the engine ( 104 ) connected motor coupling unit ( 1 . 1' . 1'' ) according to one of claims 1 to 6. Vehicle according to claim 8, characterized by a medium tank ( 52 ) for storing the process fluid ( 34 ), an evaporator ( 48 ) for vaporizing the process fluid ( 34 ) by waste heat passing exhaust gases ( 4 ) of the engine, a fluid pump ( 16 . 16 ' ) for conveying the process fluid ( 34 ) from the medium tank ( 52 ) to the evaporator ( 48 ) and a, in particular in a vehicle cooling system of the vehicle integrated, capacitor ( 50 ), the expander ( 12 . 12 ' . 12 '' ) and the media tank ( 52 ) is interposed to condense the out of the expander ( 12 . 12 ' . 12 '' ) recycled process fluid ( 34 ). Method for transmitting power between an engine ( 104 ), in particular an internal combustion engine, a vehicle and a motor coupling unit ( 1 . 1' . 1'' ) according to one of claims 1 to 6, wherein by means of the coupling agent ( 6 ) Power by means of a torque between the torque transmission device ( 8th . 8th' . 8th'' ) and the engine ( 104 ), the compressor ( 14 . 14 ' . 14 '' ) Power from the torque transmission device ( 8th . 8th' . 8th'' ) and supplies compressed air and the expander ( 12 . 12 ' . 12 '' ) by means of the vapor pressure of the process fluid vaporized by waste heat ( 34 ) and power to the torque transmitting device ( 8th . 8th' . 8th'' ). A method according to claim 10, characterized in that a fluid pump ( 16 . 16 ' ) the process fluid ( 34 ) from a medium tank ( 52 ) through an evaporator ( 48 ) to the expander ( 12 . 12 ' . 12 '' ), wherein the waste heat in the evaporator ( 48 ) passing exhaust gases ( 4 ) the process fluid ( 34 ) evaporates the evaporated process fluid ( 34 ) in an expansion cylinder ( 22 . 88 ) of the expander ( 12 . 12 ' . 12 ' ) expands and a Expanderhubkolben ( 26 . 90 ) in the expansion cylinder ( 22 . 28 ), wherein the displacement of the expansion cylinder ( 26 . 90 ), in particular by means of an Expanderpleuelstange ( 30 . 92 ) is converted into a torque by means of the power to the torque transmitting device ( 8th . 8th' . 8th' ), and the process fluid ( 34 ) subsequently in a condenser ( 50 ) and condensed into the medium tank ( 52 ) flows back. Method according to claim 11, characterized in that the fluid pump ( 16 . 16 ' ) by means of the torque transmission device ( 8th . 8th' . 8th'' ), in particular via the common crankshaft ( 10 ) of the engine coupling unit ( 1 ), by means of the power via a torque to the compressor ( 14 ) and the expander ( 12 ) or via the expander crankshaft ( 66 . 66 ' ) of the expander ( 12 ' . 12 ' ), by means of the power via a torque from the expander ( 12 ' . 12 '' ) is driven, wherein the fluid pump ( 16 . 16 ' ) to the compressor ( 14 '' ) or expander flanged or in the expander ( 12 . 12 ' ) is integrated.

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