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
  • F01K25/00—Plants or engines characterised by use of special working fluids, not otherwise provided for; Plants operating in closed cycles and not otherwise provided for
  • F01K25/02—Plants or engines characterised by use of special working fluids, not otherwise provided for; Plants operating in closed cycles and not otherwise provided for the fluid remaining in the liquid phase
• • 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
  • F01K27/00—Plants for converting heat or fluid energy into mechanical energy, not otherwise provided for
  • F01K27/005—Plants for converting heat or fluid energy into mechanical energy, not otherwise provided for by means of hydraulic motors

Definitions

• the present invention relates to an installation, as well as a method, for the conversion of heat into mechanical energy.
• Installations and methods which convert heat into mechanical energy are known in the present art.
• Such installations and methods are often used for generating electricity (whereby a generator is connected which converts the mechanical energy into electricity) in order to use thermal energy that would otherwise remain unused.
• thermal energy is often present in cooling water and waste gases.
• thermal energy is also present in ground-water.
• the use of solar radiation is also known. It is also known that stone, asphalt and other such materials have the properties to retain heat under the effects of solar radiation and solar heat Likewise, it is also known that this solar heat can be extracted from stone and asphalt, for example, by providing them with water-containing pipes that pass through them.
• This transfer medium can be a fluid which is circulated in a circuit by means of pumps. The liquid is then heated to a higher energy level with a higher pressure and temperature by means of available heat, lead through a converter in which the energy level drops, in particular the temperature and pressure, and then returned via a pump or compressor.
• This process is not efficient since the pump or compressor requires just as much or more energy to operate than the mechanical energy that is generated in the converter.
• the object of the present invention is to provide an installation and method for the conversion of heat into mechanical energy, using a transfer medium in the form of a fluid, with which such a process can be efficiently achieved.
• this object according to the invention can be achieved by providing an installation for the conversion of heat into mechanical energy, whereby the installation comprises:
• the inlet end section of the supply line is connected to the switching system for the receipt of fluid from the switching system; whereby the outlet end section of the supply line is connected to the converter for supplying the fluid to the converter; whereby the inlet end section of the discharge line is connected to the converter for discharging the fluid from the converter; whereby the outlet end section of the discharge line is connected to the switching system for supplying the fluid to the switching system; whereby the heat supply system is made connectable to each of the containers via the switching system for heating the fluid in said containers; whereby each container is made connectable via the switching system to the supply line for the supply of fluid to the converter and to the discharge line for receiving the fluid discharged from the converter; whereby the switching system is switchable between at least two switching positions; whereby the switching system is arranged so that, when switching from one switching position to another, it repeatedly connects other containers than those in the previous switching position to the supply line and/or discharge line; whereby, on the one hand, the switching system is further arranged in order to connect in
• the process that takes place in the installation is briefly as follows: at the high pressure side of the process there is a closed container filled with fluid. By heating this fluid in the closed container by means of available (residual) heat, the temperature and the pressure in that container increase. Here, a portion of the fluid in the container evaporates. The pressure and temperature in the container increase. This pressure will force fluid, in particular liquid-state fluid, from the container to the converter via a supply line. A fluid then arrives at the converter with a relatively high level of flow energy, with a relatively high temperature and pressure. This flow energy is then converted in the converter to mechanical energy, whereby the level of the flow energy (temperature and/or pressure) present in the fluid will drop.
• the fluid with the low energy level originating from the converter is then collected at the low pressure side in another container.
• the container at the high pressure side is empty, at least when the fluid contained therein drops to below the lower threshold, and/or when the container on the low pressure side is full, at least when the liquid level of the fluid contained therein exceeds an upper threshold, the container at the high pressure side or the container at the low pressure side can be exchanged, either by a full or an empty container respectively.
• this means the immediate exchange of the containers at the low and the high pressure side.
• the installation according to the invention is based on the principle that in the previously described circuit the pump or compressor used for pumping back the fluid from the low pressure side to the high pressure side is omitted and substituted by two or more closed containers which can be mutually interchanged in order to supply fluid at the high pressure side to the converter, or to collect fluid originating from the converter at the low pressure side.
• a container at the high pressure side is empty, this can then be exchanged with a filled container at the low pressure side.
• This therefore changes the continual circuit process, in which a pump or compressor is used, into an interrupted circuit process. Compared with a pump or a compressor, the exchange of the containers requires very little or no energy.
• the containers do not need to be physically moved, but can be connected at specific desired times by means of a switching system to the high pressure side or to the low pressure side of the process.
• a switching system to the high pressure side or to the low pressure side of the process.
• this evaporator comprises a heat-exchanger connected to the heat supply system. In this manner therefore, evaporation can be achieved using the same available heat source as that with which the container at the high pressure side is heated.
• the discharge line is provided with a cooler for cooling the fluid flowing through the discharge line.
• a cooler for cooling the fluid flowing through the discharge line.
• the saturated gaseous particles of the fluid are easily evaporated.
• the process can be controlled more effectively with the use of such a cooler.
• a further advantage of the invention is when the cooler is a heat-exchanger and when the cooler is arranged to supply the heat-exchanger with a cooling medium, the temperature of which is determined by the ambient temperature.
• the ambient temperature can be the temperature of the air, surface water, seawater, a rock formation, the ground etc. Therefore, in this way, the ambient temperature is used to cool.
• the ambient temperature is essentially a freely available medium which enables one to use essentially freely available cooling energy.
• each container can act cooperatively with a heater positioned in a space isolated in respect of, or at least for a substantial part of the internal volume of the respective container, from which heaters each respective container is connected to the switching system.
• each isolated space contains a relatively small amount of fluid, only a relatively small amount of which is required for the purpose of heating. This is beneficial in that a considerable expansion of gaseous fluid can be obtained with only a relatively small amount of energy. In this way, a liquid or gas can be supplied in an efficient manner to the converter.
• each heater can be positioned externally to the container and be connected to the container by means of connecting lines; however, it is also possible to isolate said space within the interior of the container in relation to the remaining space therein.
• each container can act cooperatively with a cooler, which is preferably present within the container.
• This cooler can be in continual operation, whereby said cooler can cool the gaseous phase directly, as soon, as the fluid level in the container is so low that the cooler is disengaged. In this way a rapid cooling of the gaseous phase is achieved, which is beneficial to a short cycle period. Subsequently, the respective cooler can then be quickly re-filled with liquid from another container as a result of the low pressure thus achieved.
• the invention relates further to an installation for the conversion of thermal energy into mechanical energy, whereby the installation comprises: - at least two closed containers for containing a fluid;
• This installation may be provided with a heat discharge system; whereby each container acts cooperatively with a cooler; whereby the heat discharge system is connected to each of the coolers of the containers for cooling the fluid in said containers.
• the converter comprises a turbine, in particular a liquid turbine. Gaseous and/or liquid flows with high efficiencies can be converted into mechanical energy by the use of a turbine.
• the converter comprises a flywheel. This enables the converter to compensate for any interruptions or irregularities in the supply of fluid.
• the invention relates to an assembly comprising an installation according to the invention, including an electricity generator, whereby the generator is coupled to the converter for generating electricity from the mechanical energy generated from the converter.
• the invention relates to the use of an installation according to the invention for the conversion of thermal energy into mechanical energy.
• the invention relates to the use of an assembly according to the invention for the conversion of thermal energy into electricity.
• the object of the invention is achieved by applying a method for the conversion of heat into mechanical energy, whereby the method is applied with the use of at least two containers, whereby the method comprises the following steps: a) the heating of a liquid-containing fluid present in a first said container, by means of a medium with a high temperature, in such a manner that a portion of the liquid is converted to a gaseous phase and the pressure in the container increases; b) the use of the increase in pressure in the first container in order to transfer the fluid, particularly a liquid-phase fluid, from the first container to a converter; c) the conversion in the converter of flow energy, present in the fluid supplied to the converter, into mechanical energy; d) the extraction of the energy-reduced fluid to a second said container; e) the collection in the second container of all the fluid extracted from the converter; f) the exchange of this first container with another container with a higher liquid level when the liquid level of the first container drops below a certain predetermined
• the fluid used in the installation and by the method according to the invention can essentially be any fluid which is evaporable from its liquid state.
• the liquid may be water, for example, hi particular, the fluid will be a fluid typically applied in cooling systems, such as R407C, Rl 34a, Freon and Freon-substitues etc.
• containers are highly suited to being constructed as containers in a modular fashion.
• containers would be, for example, freight containers and sea containers, such as those used in road transport, sea transport or for other means of transport over water.
• Figure 1 is a highly schematic representation of an installation according to the invention
• Figure 2 is also a schematic representation, in this case however, of an alternative embodiment of the lower section of the installation according to figure 1 indicated by parentheses II;
• Figure 3 shows a third embodiment.
• Figure 1 shows an installation 1 according to the invention.
• 2 indicates a converter for the conversion of flow energy into mechanical energy
• 3 indicates a generator 3 for generating electricity from the axle 16 driven by converter 2
• 4 indicates an optional cooling system which is optionally operable with the use of a heat- exchanger 5
• 6 indicates an optional evaporator to which the energy required for evaporation is optionally supplied by means of heat exchanger 7
• 8 indicates a switching system
• 9 and 11 indicate closed containers
• 10 and 12 indicate heat- exchangers.
• the switching system 8 here is shown schematically as a block that can be caused to move between two positions in accordance with the twin arrow 84, in which a multiple of connecting channels 85 are positioned, illustrated in inclined positions, which, depending on the position of the switching system 8 connect the lines 20, 30, 40 and 50, lying on the upper surface of the block, either with the lines 21, 31, 41, and 51 respectively, or with the lines 22, 32, 42 and 52 respectively.
• Line 20 is indicated together with the supply line and connects the switching system 8 with the Met 13 of the converter 2.
• This supply line 20 can optionally comprise an evaporator 6 in order to evaporate the liquid-state fluid flowing through the line 20.
• Line 30 is indicated as discharge line and connects the outlet 14 of the converter 2 with the switching system 8.
• This discharge line 30 may optionally comprise a cooler 4 for cooling the fluid flowing through the discharge line 30.
• the present invention uses at least 2 closed containers 9 and 11 , the example according to figure 1 showing exactly 2.
• the closed container 9 contains a fluid which is heated by means of a heat-exchanger 10.
• the pressure and temperature in the closed container 9 will rise as a result of this, for example, to 15 to 20 bar and 4O 0 C.
• the nonreturn valve 91 of the installation will open and force liquid-state fluid from the closed container 9 into the line 21.
• the switching system 8 connects line 21 with supply line 20 and in this manner enables the liquid-state fluid to be transferred to the turbine 2 via the evaporator 6.
• the flow energy present in the fluid is converted into mechanical energy, in the form of a rotating axle 16, after which the energy-reduced fluid, which, for example, still has a pressure of 5 bar and a temperature of 20 0 C 5 is discharged from the converter 2 via discharge line 30.
• Discharge line 30 is connected to a line 32 via switching system 8, from which the energy-reduced fluid is collected in the other closed container 11.
• the switching system 8 will be switched from the switching position shown in figure 1 to another switching position by sliding the block 8 to the left As soon as the block 8 is moved to the left, the line 22 which was closed off by the block 8 whilst in its initial position is connected to the supply line 20, the line 21 that was previously connected to supply line 20 is closed off, the line 32 that was previously connected with the discharge line 30 is closed off, and the line 31 that was previously closed off is connected to the discharge line 30.
• the switch system 8 can be switched back to the position shown in Figure 1. In principle, this continual switching of the switching system 8 can be infinitely repeated.
• the heat-exchangers 10 and 12 can be supplied with cooling water originating from, for example, an industrial process or an electric power station, or with groundwater, or otherwise with a warm fluid (such as a gas liquid, or gas/liquid mixture) which does not necessarily need to be water.
• the heat for supplying the heat-exchangers 10 and 12, for example, can also be obtained by laying a pipe system containing water within the asphalt, so that the water can absorb solar heat via the asphalt
• the heat supplied for heating the fluid in container 9 or 11 is supplied via line 38 which, as shown in figure 1, is connected via line 40 to the switching system 8.
• Line 40 can be connected via the switching system 8 either with line 41 or line 42.
• the switching position according to Fig. 1 is line 40 connected to line 41 in order to supply the heat-exchanger 10.
• the return flow from the heat-exchanger 10 is returned via line 51, via switching system 8, line 50 and line 48.
• the heat will supply heat-exchanger 12 via line 42 and the backflow will flow via line 52 to line 50 and line 48.
• the same heat flow 38 can also be used to supply the heat-exchanger 7 in the evaporator 6. This occurs via a branch line 39.
• the return flow from the heat-exchanger 7 is supplied via a line 49 back to line 48.
• Figure 2 shows a schematic view of an alternative lower section of the installation 1, other than that indicated in figure 1 by means of parentheses II.
• the switching system is indicated by 88, and in addition, the containers 110 and 101 are added, which, incidentally correspond to the containers 9 and 11.
• Container 100 is provided with lines 23, 33, 43 and 53 which correspond to the respective lines 21, 31, 41 and 51 of container 9 and the respective lines 22, 32, 42, and 52 of container 11.
• container 101 is provided with the respective lines 24, 34, 44 and 54.
• the liquid level in containers 100 and 101 is indicated by 85 and 86 respectively.
• the reference numerals used in figure 2 correspond to the reference numerals used in figure 1.
• the yield of mechanical energy or, possibly, electricity can be increased. Consequently, when the containers 9 and 11, for example, are in use for supplying the converter or for the return flow of fluid from the converter 2, the fluid in container 101, which is filled to a high level 86, can in the meantime be heated in order to bring this container 101 up to the pressure and temperature level of container 9 whilst, in the meantime, container 100 can be allowed to cool to the pressure and temperature level of container 11. Subsequently, when container 11 is full and container 9 is empty, the switching system 8 can continue switching in order to connect container 101 to the supply line 20 in order to supply converter 2 and container 100 to the discharge line 30 in order to return collected fluid. The process is then effectuated by means of the containers 100 and 101.
• container 11 can be heated and container 9 can be cooled.
• switching may continue in order to supply converter 2 from container 11 and to receive back the fluid in container 9, whilst, in the meantime, container 100 is heated and container 101 cools.
• container 11 empties and/or container 9 is filled, switching can be continued, and so forth.
• more than four containers can be used, for example, when the time required for the transfer of the content from the container at the high pressure side to the container at the low pressure side is shorter than the time required for heating the filled containers) to the desired heat level or cooling the empty containers). So, in this manner, an essentially continual process can be achieved by using an appropriate number of containers.
• external heat-exchangers or heaters 102 are applied at each container 9, 11 and incorporated within the housings 103.
• These housings 103 are each connected to a line 104 with the upper side of the containers 9, 11 and with a line 105 with the lower side of the containers 9, 11.
• the volume of the housings 103 is substantially smaller than the volume of the containers 9, 11.
• the heaters 102 which are supplied via the lines 105 with liquid-state fluid, only need to heat a small quantity of fluid in order to reach the gaseous phase, which is supplied to the respective containers 9, 11 via the lines 104.
• a heat pump 110 is provided, which is supplied via the line 111 with a portion of the electrical energy generated by generator 3.
• the heat pump enables the reclamation of heat which would otherwise be discharged from the installation and be lost.
• the heat pump 110 absorbs heat from the heat-exchanger 5 via line 109, and transfers the heat thus absorbed to the line 38. Cooling is then supplied to the heat- exchanger via line 108.
• the heat-exchangers 10, 12 or coolers may cool the container after the liquid has been forced out, as described hereinbefore, in order to obtain a low pressure in the interior of said container.
• these coolers 10, 12 are connected via the lines 106 to the line 109 and via the line 107 to the line 108.
• the coolers are therefore continually operative when the heat pump is in use. They cool the liquid in the containers 9, 11 and, as soon as the liquid level in the containers has dropped partially or entirely to below the level of the heat- exchangers 10, 12, they will immediately begin to cool the gas present above the liquid.
• External heat can be supplied via the heat-exchanger to the installation via the lines 38' and 48'. Also, even if the heat-exchanger is not in operation, external heat can be supplied to the installation via lines 38" and 48"; in connection with the exchange of operations with or without a exchanger, appropriate switching means (not shown) can be provided for using the respective lines 38' and 48' or 38" and 48".
• coolers 102 are cooled by the operation of the heat pump, this is not a requirement. Cooling by a different means may also ensure the desired cooling effect, such as cooling by means of a cold ambient environment

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• 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)
• Sorption Type Refrigeration Machines (AREA)

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• 2007
  • 2007-09-10 NL NL2000849A patent/NL2000849C2/nl not_active IP Right Cessation
• 2008
  • 2008-09-10 EP EP08830925A patent/EP2205835B1/fr not_active Not-in-force
  • 2008-09-10 US US12/739,231 patent/US20100263378A1/en not_active Abandoned
  • 2008-09-10 WO PCT/NL2008/050596 patent/WO2009035326A1/fr active Application Filing
  • 2008-09-10 AT AT08830925T patent/ATE535681T1/de active

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