GB2542810A

GB2542810A - Heat engine for a motor vehicle

Info

Publication number: GB2542810A
Application number: GB1517266.1A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Subrumanian Ganesan; Dunn Jonathan
Original assignee: Jaguar Land Rover Ltd
Current assignee: Jaguar Land Rover Ltd
Priority date: 2015-09-30
Filing date: 2015-09-30
Publication date: 2017-04-05
Anticipated expiration: 2035-09-30
Also published as: GB201517266D0; GB2542810B

Abstract

A heat engine, for a motor vehicle, for connection to an air intake apparatus of an internal combustion engine. The heat engine comprises: heat absorption heat exchange means 146 in thermal communication with a waste heat source of the vehicle, the heat absorption heat exchange means heating a working fluid passing there through; a working body 158 downstream of the heat absorption heat exchange means, the working body comprising pumping means, the working body generating work by expansion of working fluid to drive the pumping means, the pumping means pumping gaseous fluid to the air intake apparatus, wherein; the flow of gaseous fluid from the pumping means to the air intake apparatus promotes flow of gaseous fluid to a combustion chamber of the internal combustion engine. The pumping means may provide the gaseous fluid to the drive portion (turbine) 115D of a turbocharger 115 to cause the turbocharger to pump gaseous fluid to an air inlet of the air intake apparatus.

Description

HEAT ENGINE FOR A MOTOR VEHICLE

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present disclosure relates to heat engines for recovering energy from waste heat generated in motor vehicles. In particular but not exclusively, embodiments of the invention relate to a heat engine configured to pump engine intake air. Aspects of the invention relate to a heat engine, a heat engine in combination with engine air intake apparatus, a motor vehicle and a method.

BACKGROUND

It is known to employ heat engines in motor vehicles to recover energy from waste heat generated by a variety of sources such as engine exhaust systems. The waste heat is used to heat a working fluid such as steam in an evaporator. Compressed steam is allowed to expand in a turbine device. The turbine device may be mechanically connected to a crankshaft of the vehicle or to an electrical generator.

It is an aim of the present invention to provide an improved apparatus and method for utilising waste heat energy generated by a motor vehicle.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Aspects and embodiments of the present invention provide a heat engine, a heat engine in combination with engine air intake apparatus, a motor vehicle and a method. Embodiments of the invention may be understood with reference to the appended claims.

In accordance with an aspect of the invention for which protection is sought, there is provided apparatus comprising a heat engine for a motor vehicle in combination with air intake apparatus of an internal combustion engine, the heat engine comprising: heat absorption heat exchange means configured to be provided in thermal communication with a waste heat source of the vehicle, the heat absorption heat exchange means being arranged to allow heating by means of waste heat of a working fluid passing therethrough; a working body downstream of the heat absorption heat exchange means, the working body comprising a pumping means, the working body being configured to generate work by expansion of the working fluid to drive the pumping means, the pumping means being arranged to pump gaseous fluid to the air intake apparatus to promote flow of gaseous fluid through the intake apparatus.

In accordance with another aspect of the invention for which protection is sought, there is provided a heat engine for a motor vehicle in combination with air intake apparatus of an internal combustion engine, the heat engine comprising: heat absorption heat exchange means configured to be provided in thermal communication with a waste heat source of the vehicle, the heat absorption heat exchange means being arranged to allow heating by means of waste heat of a working fluid passing therethrough; a working body downstream of the heat absorption heat exchange means, the working body comprising a pumping means, the working body being configured to generate work by expansion of the working fluid to drive the pumping means, the pumping means being arranged to pump gaseous fluid to the air intake apparatus, the intake apparatus being configured such that the flow of gaseous fluid from the pumping means to the intake apparatus promotes flow of gaseous fluid to a combustion chamber of the internal combustion engine.

Embodiments of the present invention have the advantage that waste heat energy may be employed to promote flow of internal combustion engine intake gas such as air, a mixture of air and one or more other gaseous fluids, or a gaseous fluid other than air, through the air intake apparatus, reducing the amount of energy required to be drawn from an alternative energy source to promote intake gas flow. In certain embodiments, the air intake apparatus of the internal combustion engine may for example comprise a turbocharger device.

The means for promoting flow of gaseous fluids through the intake apparatus comprises a turbocharger device driven by exhaust gas flow. In some embodiments a turbine device is provided in a flowpath of exhaust gases from the internal combustion engine, the turbine device being configured to drive the turbocharger device to force intake gas into cylinders of the vehicle.

The turbocharger may in some embodiments not feed intake gas directly to the cylinders. Nevertheless, the turbocharger is configured to pump intake gas, at least some of which is ultimately fed into the cylinders.

The heat absorption heat exchange means may be provided by evaporator means arranged to cause evaporation of working fluid therein. Such an arrangement may be provided in the case that the heat engine operates according to an evaporation/condensation cycle, such as the Rankine cycle. In some embodiments, a non-evaporation/condensation cycle such as the Brayton cycle may be employed, the working fluid remaining in the gas phase, and therefore the heat absorption heat exchange means may not be referred to as evaporator means. It is to be understood that some heat absorption heat exchange means may be suitable for use in heat engines operating according to an evaporation/condensation cycle and heat engines operating according to a non-evaporation/condensation cycle.

The heat absorption heat exchange means may comprise a heat exchanger. The evaporator means may be provided by an evaporator.

The pumping means comprised by the working body may comprise a turbine gas pump. Alternatively or in addition the pumping means may comprise a piston gas pump instead of a turbine gas pump. That is, a reciprocating piston arrangement may be employed to pump gas rather than a turbine arrangement.

Optionally, at least a portion of the gaseous fluid pumped by the working body is arranged to be supplied to an air inlet of the air intake apparatus.

Optionally, the air intake apparatus comprises intake air pumping means for pumping air into one or more cylinders of the internal combustion engine.

Optionally, the intake air pumping means of the intake air apparatus comprises a turbocharger device.

Optionally, the working body pumping means is in fluid communication with a drive portion of the turbocharger device, the working body pumping means being configured to pump gaseous fluid, at least in part, to drive the drive portion of the turbocharger device to cause the turbocharger device to pump gaseous fluid to the air inlet of the air intake apparatus of the internal combustion engine.

The drive portion of the turbocharger device may be driven at least in part by another energy source in addition, such as a flow of internal combustion engine exhaust gases through the drive portion. The drive portion may comprise a drive turbine in some embodiments.

Furthermore, the amount of internal combustion engine exhaust gases driving the drive portion may be reduced in dependence on the amount of gas flow generated by the working body pumping means. Thus, as the amount of gas flow that the working body pumping means is capable of generating increases, for example as the amount of heat energy available to heat the working fluid in the heat absorption heat exchange means increases, so the amount of internal combustion engine exhaust gases that are employed to drive the turbine of the turbocharger device may be decreased. This has the advantage that a backpressure on internal combustion engine exhaust gases created when the exhaust gases are directed to the turbocharger device may be decreased, reducing the amount by which the efficiency of operation of the internal combustion engine is compromised in driving the turbocharger device.

The working body pumping means may deliver a supply of pumped gas to drive a drive portion of the turbocharger device and feed directly into the internal combustion engine air intake of the turbocharger device.

In some embodiments, the working body pumping means may pump a gas other than air to drive the drive means of the turbocharger device, such as nitrogen or any other gas. The gas may be pumped in a closed loop cycle, in some embodiments.

Optionally, the drive portion of the turbocharger device is arranged to be driven by internal combustion engine exhaust gases, in addition to gaseous fluid pumped by the working body.

Optionally, the working body pumping means is configured such that the gaseous fluid pumped thereby is air.

Optionally, the working fluid has a boiling point that is below a minimum temperature of operation of the heat engine.

This feature has the advantage that operation of the heat engine is less likely to be compromised by the presence of liquid working fluid and pockets of gas, such that the pockets of gas disrupt flow of working fluid in the heat engine.

Optionally, the working fluid has a boiling point that is substantially equal to or less than 0°C.

Optionally, the working fluid has a boiling point that is substantially equal to or less than -10°C.

Optionally, the working fluid has a boiling point that is substantially equal to or less than: a) -40°C; or-100°C.

Optionally, the working fluid consists essentially of helium.

Alternatively, the working fluid may consist substantially of at least one of: methane, ethane, propane, butane, isobutane, pentane, hexane, ethanol, an ethanol/water mixture and a refrigerant, such as R245fa, R11, and/or R236fa.

Other hydrocarbons may be used in addition to or in place of the aforementioned, in some embodiments.

The heat engine may comprise pumping means for pumping working fluid of the heat engine through the heat engine.

The heat engine may be provided in a substantially closed loop configuration, wherein working fluid passes in a substantially closed loop through the system.

Optionally, the heat engine may be configured to operate according to the Rankine cycle.

Thus, the heat engine may comprise a closed loop system, in some embodiments.

Other heat engine arrangements employing a bottoming cycle in which expansion of a compressed fluid takes place may be used, in some embodiments.

Alternatively, the heat engine may be configured to operate according to the Brayton cycle.

In accordance with a further aspect of the invention for which protection is sought, there is provided a motor vehicle comprising the aforementioned heat engine in combination with internal combustion engine air intake apparatus, the internal combustion engine air intake apparatus being comprised by an internal combustion engine of the vehicle and configured to deliver a flow of internal combustion engine intake gas to one or more cylinders of the internal combustion engine, the intake gas comprising air.

The intake gas may comprise a mixture of air and exhaust gases provided by an exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) system.

The motor vehicle may comprise a body and a powertrain comprising the internal combustion engine.

In accordance with a further aspect of the invention for which protection is sought, there is provided a heat engine for a motor vehicle in combination with an internal combustion engine air intake apparatus, the heat engine comprising: heat absorption heat exchange means configured to be provided in thermal communication with a waste heat source of the vehicle, the heat absorption heat exchange means being arranged to allow heating by means of waste heat of a working fluid passing therethrough; a working body arranged downstream of the heat absorption heat exchange means, the working body comprising pumping means, the working body being configured to generate work by expansion of the working fluid to drive the pumping means, the pumping means being arranged to pump gaseous fluid to the air intake apparatus, the intake apparatus being configured such that the flow of gaseous fluid from the pumping means to the intake apparatus is either: directed to a combustion chamber of the internal combustion engine; or directed to drive pumping means for pumping gaseous fluid to a combustion chamber of the internal combustion engine.

In accordance with a further aspect of the invention for which protection is sought, there is provided a method of operating a heat engine and air intake apparatus of an internal combustion engine of a motor vehicle, comprising: heating by means of heat from a waste heat source of the vehicle, a working fluid passing through a heat absorption heat exchange means of the heat engine; supplying the working fluid to a working body arranged downstream of the heat absorption heat exchange means, the working body being configured to generate work by expansion of the working fluid to drive pumping means of the working body; pumping by means of the pumping means, a gaseous fluid to the air intake apparatus to promote flow of gaseous fluid to a combustion chamber of the internal combustion engine.

In accordance with a further aspect of the invention for which protection is sought, there is provided a heat engine for a motor vehicle for connection to an air intake apparatus of an internal combustion engine. The heat engine comprising: heat absorption heat exchange means configured to be provided in thermal communication with a waste heat source of the vehicle, the heat absorption heat exchange means being arranged to allow heating by means of waste heat of a working fluid passing therethrough; a working body downstream of the heat absorption heat exchange means, the working body comprising pumping means, the working body being configured to generate work by expansion of the working fluid to drive the pumping means, the pumping means being arranged to pump gaseous fluid to the air intake apparatus, the intake apparatus being configured such that the flow of gaseous fluid from the pumping means to the intake apparatus promotes flow of gaseous fluid to a combustion chamber of the internal combustion engine.

The heat engine benefits from the same advantages as described previously in relation to the other aspects of the invention. Similarly, in certain embodiments the heat absorption heat exchange means and the pumping means may each relate to the apparatus described in relation to the preceding aspects of the invention.

Within the scope of this application it is expressly intended that the various aspects, embodiments, examples and alternatives set out in the preceding paragraphs, in the claims and/or in the following description and drawings, and in particular the individual features thereof, may be taken independently or in any combination. That is, all embodiments and/or features of any embodiment can be combined in any way and/or combination, unless such features are incompatible. The applicant reserves the right to change any originally filed claim or file any new claim accordingly, including the right to amend any originally filed claim to depend from and/or incorporate any feature of any other claim although not originally claimed in that manner.

For the avoidance of doubt, it is to be understood that features described with respect to one aspect and/or embodiment of the invention may be included within any other aspect and/or embodiment of the invention, alone or in appropriate combination with one or more other features.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

One or more embodiments of the invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: FIGURE 1 is a schematic illustration of a heat engine according to an embodiment of the present invention; FIGURE 2 is a schematic illustration of a motor vehicle comprising the heat engine of FIG. 1; FIGURE 3 is a schematic illustration of a heat engine according to a further embodiment of the present invention; and FIGURE 4 is an enlarged schematic illustration of a working body comprised in the heat engine of FIG. 3.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION FIG. 1 is a schematic illustration of a heat engine 150 according to an embodiment of the present invention. The heat engine 150 is installed in a vehicle 100 illustrated schematically in FIG. 2.

The heat engine 150 is configured to operate according to the Brayton Cycle (BC) in which a working fluid of the heat engine 150 remains in a gaseous phase throughout the cycle of operation of the heat engine 150. In the embodiment of FIG. 1, the working fluid is Helium in the gas phase, although other working fluids may be used in some embodiments, such as one or more other inert gases such as any one or more of: neon, argon, krypton, xenon and/or radon.

The working fluid is circulated within the heat engine 150 in a closed loop cycle by means of a compressor 154. The compressor 154 is located downstream of a heat rejection heat exchanger (airblast heat exchanger) 152 and upstream of a heat absorption heat exchanger 156. The heat rejection heat exchanger 152 is arranged to allow rejection of thermal energy carried by the working fluid to atmosphere by the flow of air thereover. As shown in FIG. 1, relatively low temperature air 152L is arranged to flow over the heat rejection heat exchanger 152, the low temperature air 152L becoming heated air 152H due to thermal transfer by the heat rejection heat exchanger 152. The heat absorption heat exchanger 156 is provided in thermal communication with a turbocharger device 115 forming part of an engine 110 of the vehicle 100, as shown in FIG. 2.

The turbocharger device 115 is arranged to deliver a flow of air to an air intake manifold 110IN of the engine 110, in order to increase a flow rate of air into the cylinders of the engine 110. A closed loop coolant circuit 156C circulates coolant in a substantially continuous loop through a coolant channel within the turbocharger device 125, and a corresponding coolant channel of the heat absorption heat exchanger 156 in a substantially continuous manner. Thermal energy carried by the coolant is thereby transferred from the turbocharger device 115 to the working fluid of the heat engine 150, by the heat absorption heat exchanger 156.

The heat absorption heat exchanger 156 is provided upstream of a working body 158 in the form of a turbine pump, that is arranged to convert energy carried by the working fluid into mechanical energy to pump a gas. A working fluid outlet of the working body 158 is coupled to an inlet of the heat rejection heat exchanger 152 to form a closed loop.

The working body 158 is configured to pump air from an air inlet 158IN thereof to an air outlet 1580UT thereof. The air outlet 1580UT is in fluid communication via a conduit 158C with a first drive gas inlet 115DIN1 of the turbocharger device 115. A second drive gas inlet 115DIN2 of the turbocharger device 115 is in fluid communication with an exhaust gas manifold 113 of the vehicle 100 and is arranged to receive a supply of exhaust gases emitted by cylinders of the engine 110. Gases fed into the drive gas inlets 115DIN1, 115DIN2 are arranged to drive a drive turbine 115D of the turbocharger device 115, which is in turn arranged to drive a compressor turbine 115P. The compressor turbine 115P is configured to draw atmospheric air therethrough via an atmospheric air inlet 115PIN, and to deliver a flow of compressed gas to cylinders of the engine 110 via compressor outlet 115POUT.

It is to be understood that mixing of exhaust gases and compressed air delivered through the first and second drive gas inlets 115DIN1, 115DIN2 of the turbocharger device 115 takes place prior to passage of the gases through the drive turbine 115D. This feature has the advantage that dilution of any relatively corrosive exhaust gases takes place before the drive turbine 115D is exposed to the gases. This is found to reduce the rate of deterioration of the drive turbine 115D, which typically operates at relatively high temperatures.

It is to be understood that when the engine 110 is initially started, with the turbocharger at ambient temperature, little or no pumping of gas by the working body 158 may occur. However, as the turbocharger device 115 warms, in use, an increasing amount of thermal energy is transferred to working fluid in the heat engine 150. The pressure of working fluid in the heat absorption heat exchanger 156 thereby increases, creating a larger pressure difference between the heat absorption heat exchanger 156, and heat rejection heat exchanger 152 across the working body 158. The working body 158 is able to deliver a greater flow rate of compressed gas to the first drive gas inlet 158DIN1 of the turbocharger 115 as the pressure difference thereacross increases and, in turn, the pumping rate of the working body 158 increases.

It is to be understood that a variety of working fluids may be employed in embodiments of the present invention such as water, ethanol, ethanol/water mixtures, or organic compound refrigerants such as R245fa, R236fa, methane, ethane, propane, butane, isobutane, pentane, hexane or a mixture of one or more thereof, and helium. A working fluid that is in the gaseous state at the lowest anticipated temperature to which the heat engine 150 may experience is advantageous in that the working fluid will substantially never be in a liquid state when operation thereof is commenced. Such embodiments may be considered to operate according to the Brayton Cycle or a variation thereof. If the working fluid remains in the gaseous state, the risk that blockages to flow of working fluid occur, for example due to the formation of air pockets in the system, such as in the case that the working fluid is water, may be reduced. It is to be understood that in some embodiments in which evaporation and condensation of working fluid take place, a reservoir may be provided downstream of the heat rejection heat exchanger 152 in which condensed working fluid may be collected. Some such embodiments may operate according to the Rankine Cycle (RC) as described below.

It is to be understood that, in embodiments in which condensation of working fluid is expected to occur, whether during operation of the heat engine or when the vehicle 100 is not running and parked, for example when parked under relatively cold ambient conditions, components of the heat engine should be located and conduits routed so as to reduce the risk that pockets of air or other gases become trapped in the system in such a manner as to cause system malfunction or degraded operation. This may be a considerable challenge given the substantial constraints that exist in respect of the packaging of automotive components.

In some embodiments, the working body 158 may comprise a piston-driven gas pump instead of a turbine driven gas pump. Furthermore, in some alternative embodiments one or more other waste heat sources may be employed to heat the working fluid, in addition to or instead of a turbocharger device. FIG. 3 is a schematic illustration of a heat engine 250 according to a further embodiment of the present invention, coupled to an engine 210 and a portion of an engine after-treatment apparatus 220. Features shared with those of the embodiment of FIG. 1 and FIG. 2 are shown with like reference signs, albeit incremented by 100.

Unlike the embodiment of FIG. 1, the embodiment of FIG. 3 is configured to operate according to the Rankine Cycle (RC) rather than the Brayton Cycle, since evaporation and condensation of the working fluid takes place in normal operation as described below. In the embodiment of FIG. 3, the working fluid is water-based although other working fluids may be useful in some embodiments. For example, the working fluid may be any one or more of: ethanol, an ethanol/water mixture, a refrigerant such as R245fa, R11, R236fa, or any other organic compounds such as isobutane, pentane, propane, hexane or a mixture of one or more chemical substances instead of water.

The heat engine 250 comprised in the embodiment of FIG. 3 has a condenser portion having a first heat rejection condenser 251 downstream of the working body 258, and a second heat rejection condenser 252 downstream of the first 251. The condenser portion is configured to cause gaseous working fluid, in the present embodiment any one or more of steam, ethanol, ethanol mixtures or any sort of refrigerant fluid that is rejected by the working body 258 to be condensed to liquid, in the present embodiment water.

The first heat rejection condenser 251 provides a first stage of cooling of gaseous working fluid that emerges from the working body 258, whilst the second condenser 252 provides a second stage of cooling. The first heat rejection condenser 251 is arranged to reject heat to liquid phase working fluid pumped from a fluid tank 253 by means of a pump 254. The second condenser 252 is in the form of a thermal radiator device and is arranged to be subjected to a flow of cool air 252L thereover. The second condenser 252 exchanges heat with the cool air 252L to generate warm air 252H, thereby causing cooling of the working fluid.

Fluid emerging from the second condenser 252 passes into a fluid tank 253 in which it may be held. A fluid pump 254 is configured to pump fluid from the fluid tank 253 back through the first condenser 251 to an evaporator 256. As the fluid passes back through the first condenser 251 it is provided in fluid isolation from, but thermal communication with, working fluid passing through the first condenser 251 from the working body 258 to the second condenser 252. The first condenser therefore allows a first stage of cooling of working fluid passing from the working body 258 to the second condenser 252, and a first stage of reheating of the working fluid passing from the fluid tank 253 to the evaporator 256.

The evaporator 256 has a heat exchange portion provided in thermal communication with engine exhaust gases passing through the engine after-treatment apparatus 220. The after-treatment apparatus 220 has a conduit through which engine exhaust gases flow, and is configured to allow thermal energy carried by the exhaust gases to be transferred to working fluid flowing through the evaporator 256, causing further heating of the working fluid. In normal use, with the heat engine 250 operating under steady state conditions, substantially all working fluid that emerges from the evaporator 256 will be in the gaseous phase and at relatively high pressure compared to that of working fluid passing through the condenser portion. In the embodiment of FIG. 3, the evaporator 256 is in thermal communication with exhaust gases downstream of a diesel particle filter (DPF) device 222 and selective catalytic reduction (SCR) device 224. This is so that the evaporator 256 does not draw heat from the exhaust gases in preference to the DPF device 222 and SCR device 224. Other locations of the evaporator 256 may be used in alternative embodiments.

In alternative embodiments, one or more other components may be comprised in the after-treatment apparatus 220, in addition to or in place of the aforementioned, such as a diesel oxidation catalyst (DOC) device. Embodiments of the invention may be useful in vehicles operating on alternative fuels such as petroleum spirits (petrol) and/or other fuels.

Working fluid passes from the evaporator 256 to the working body 258 where it expands before being exhausted to the first condenser 251.

The working body 258 is a piston-driven air pump device and is shown in enlarged view in FIG. 4. As shown in FIG. 4 the working body 258 has a cylindrical housing portion 258C having a cylindrical interior space 258C’. The housing portion 258C has a working fluid inlet 258WIN and a working fluid outlet 258WOUT at a first end thereof through which working fluid may be drawn into and expelled from a first volume 258V1 of the interior space 258C’.

The housing portion 258C also has an air inlet 258IN and an air outlet 2580UT at a second end thereof opposite the first, through which air to be pumped may be drawn into and expelled from a second volume 258V2 of the interior space 258C’. The first and second volumes 258V1, 258V2 are provided in fluid isolation from one another by means of a piston 258P. The piston is coupled to a flywheel 258 by means of a two-bar linkage 258L.

Each inlet 258IN, 258WIN and outlet 2580UT, 258WOUT of the working body 258 is provided with an electrically actuated valve element that may be opened and closed under the control of a controller 250C that also controls operation of an electrically powered working fluid pump 254.

In use, the controller 250C starts the pumping of the working fluid via pump 254, optionally once the temperature of the evaporator 256 has reached a predetermined value. The controller 250C then causes the valve at the working fluid inlet 258WIN and the valve at the air outlet 2580UT to open and closes the valves at the working fluid outlet 258WOUT and air inlet 258IN. This allows working fluid to enter the first volume 258V1, causing the piston 258P to move towards the second end of the housing portion 258C and expel air from the second volume 258V2 through the air outlet 2580UT. Once the piston 258P reaches its limit of travel towards the second end of the housing portion 258C, the valve at the working fluid inlet 258WIN and the valve at the air outlet 2580UT are closed and the valve at the working fluid outlet 258WOUT and the valve at the air inlet 258IN are opened. The piston 258P then travels back along the housing portion 258C towards the first end of the housing portion 258C, due to inertia of the flywheel 258, causing working fluid to be expelled from the first volume 258V1 through the working fluid outlet 258WOUT, and causing air to be drawn into the second volume 258V2 through the air inlet 258IN. Once the piston 258P reaches its limit of travel towards the first end, the controller 250C again opens the valve at the working fluid inlet 258WIN and the valve at the air outlet 2580UT, and closes the valve at the working fluid outlet 258WOUT and the valve at the air inlet 258IN. The pumping cycle then repeats.

The cycle of opening and closing the air inlets and outlets in the manner described above continues for as long as operation of the heat engine is desired.

In some embodiments, means for starting initial movement of the flywheel 258 upon starting the heat engine 250 from rest may be provided such as an electric motor or any other suitable means.

In the present embodiment, air pumped by the working body 258 is fed to an engine intake air inlet of a turbocharger device 215. The turbocharger device 215 has an intake turbine 215P that draws air through an intake air inlet 258IN of the device 215 and delivers a flow of compressed air out from an intake air outlet 2580UT of the device 215 to a charge air cooler (CAC) device 21OC. The CAC device 21OC is coupled in turn to an exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) mixer device 21OM. The mixer device 21OM mixes intake air output by the CAC device 21 OC with exhaust gases drawn from an engine exhaust gas manifold 210OUT, that have been cooled by an EGR cooler 21OE. The mixture of engine intake air and cooled exhaust gases is fed into an engine intake manifold 210IN, which in turn feeds the intake air to cylinders of the engine 210, where combustion of a fuel/air mixture takes place.

Exhaust gases from the exhaust manifold 210OUT that are not fed to the EGR cooler 21 OE pass through a drive portion of the turbocharger device 215, before entering the engine after-treatment apparatus 220. The drive portion has a drive turbine 215D that is mechanically coupled to the intake turbine 215P, causing high speed rotation of the intake turbine 215P to pump air to the CAC 21 OC, as described above.

As described above, the present embodiment has a fluid tank 253 in which condensed fluid is collected before being recirculated through the heat engine 250. In the present embodiment, the working fluid is water, optionally comprising one or more additives such as one or more corrosion inhibitors, one or more antifungal/antibacterial additives, one or more antifreeze components and any other suitable additives. Other working fluid may be useful in some embodiments such as organic-based working fluids such as pentane, hexane, or any other suitable working fluid.

Embodiments of the present invention have the advantage that waste heat generated by a vehicle during normal operation may be used to increase a flow rate of intake air flowing into an engine intake air manifold. The flow rate may be increased by driving a gas pump to pump gas, such as air, to drive a drive turbine or a turbocharger device. Alternatively or in addition, the flow rate may be increased by driving a gas pump to pump gas, such as air, directly into the engine air intake of the vehicle, such as directly into a turbocharger engine air intake. Embodiments of the present invention have the advantage that a source of pressurised drive gas to increase the flow rate of engine intake air may be provided that does not draw energy from a source that compromises vehicle operation, such as engine exhaust gases. The use of engine exhaust gases to drive a drive turbine of a turbocharger device has the disadvantage that a backpressure on engine exhaust gases is increased, reducing the efficiency of engine operation.

Throughout the description and claims of this specification, the words “comprise” and “contain” and variations of the words, for example “comprising” and “comprises”, means “including but not limited to”, and is not intended to (and does not) exclude other moieties, additives, components, integers or steps.

Throughout the description and claims of this specification, the singular encompasses the plural unless the context otherwise requires. In particular, where the indefinite article is used, the specification is to be understood as contemplating plurality as well as singularity, unless the context requires otherwise.

Features, integers, characteristics, compounds, chemical moieties or groups described in conjunction with a particular aspect, embodiment or example of the invention are to be understood to be applicable to any other aspect, embodiment or example described herein unless incompatible therewith.

Claims

CLAIMS:

1. Apparatus comprising a heat engine (150) for a motor vehicle (100) in combination with an air intake apparatus (115) of an internal combustion engine (110), the heat engine (150) comprising: heat absorption heat exchange means (156) configured to be provided in thermal communication with a waste heat source (115) of the vehicle, the heat absorption heat exchange means (156) being arranged to allow heating by means of waste heat of a working fluid passing therethrough; a working body (158) downstream of the heat absorption heat exchange means (156), the working body (158) comprising pumping means (158), the working body (158) being configured to generate work by expansion of the working fluid to drive the pumping means, the pumping means being arranged to pump gaseous fluid to the air intake apparatus (115), the intake apparatus (115) being configured such that the flow of gaseous fluid from the pumping means to the intake apparatus (115) promotes flow of gaseous fluid to a combustion chamber of the internal combustion engine (110).

2. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein at least a portion of the gaseous fluid pumped by the working body (158) is arranged to be supplied to an air inlet of the air intake apparatus (115).

3. Apparatus according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the air intake apparatus (115) comprises intake air pumping means (115) for pumping air into one or more cylinders of the internal combustion engine (110).

4. Apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the intake air pumping means (115) of the intake apparatus (115) comprises a turbocharger device (115).

5. Apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the working body pumping means (158) is in fluid communication with a drive portion (115D) of the turbocharger device (115), the working body pumping means (158) being configured to pump gaseous fluid at least in part to drive the drive portion (115D) of the turbocharger device (115) to cause the turbocharger device (115) to pump gaseous fluid to the air inlet of the air intake apparatus (115) of the internal combustion engine (110).

6. Apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the drive portion (115D) of the turbocharger device (115) is arranged to be driven by internal combustion engine exhaust gases in addition to gaseous fluid pumped by the working body (158).

7. Apparatus according to any preceding claim, wherein the working body pumping means (158) is configured such that the gaseous fluid pumped thereby is air.

8. Apparatus according to any preceding claim, wherein the working fluid has a boiling point that is below a minimum temperature of operation of the heat engine (150).

9. Apparatus according to any preceding claim, wherein the working fluid has a boiling point that is substantially equal to or less than 0°C.

10. Apparatus according to any preceding claim, wherein the working fluid has a boiling point that is substantially equal to or less than -10°C.

11. Apparatus according to any preceding claim, wherein the working fluid has a boiling point that is substantially equal to or less than one of: a) -40 °C; or b) -100°C.

12. Apparatus according to any preceding claim, wherein the working fluid consists essentially of helium.

13. Apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the working fluid consists substantially of at least one of: methane, ethane, propane, butane, isobutane, pentane, hexane, ethanol, an ethanol/water mixture and a refrigerant, such as R245fa, R11, and/or R236fa.

14. Apparatus according to any preceding claim, comprising a pumping means (154) for pumping the working fluid of the heat engine (150) through the heat engine (150).

15. Apparatus according to any preceding claim, wherein the heat engine (150) is provided in a substantially closed loop configuration wherein the working fluid passes in a substantially closed loop through the heat engine (150).

16. Apparatus according to any preceding claim, wherein the heat engine (150) is configured to operate according to the Rankine cycle.

17. Apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 15, wherein the heat engine (150) is configured to operate according to the Brayton cycle.

18. Apparatus comprising a heat engine (150) for a motor vehicle (100) for connection to an air intake apparatus (115) of an internal combustion engine (110), the heat engine (150) comprising: heat absorption heat exchange means (156) configured to be provided in thermal communication with a waste heat source (115) of the vehicle (100), the heat absorption heat exchange means (156) being arranged to allow heating by means of waste heat of a working fluid passing therethrough; a working body (158) downstream of the heat absorption heat exchange means (156), the working body (158) comprising pumping means (158), the working body (158) being configured to generate work by expansion of the working fluid to drive the pumping means (158), the pumping means (158) being arranged to pump gaseous fluid to the air intake apparatus (115), the intake apparatus (115) being configured such that the flow of gaseous fluid from the pumping means (158) to the intake apparatus (115) promotes flow of gaseous fluid to a combustion chamber of the internal combustion engine (110).

19. A motor vehicle comprising the apparatus of any preceding claim, the internal combustion engine gas intake apparatus (115) being comprised by an internal combustion engine (110) of the vehicle (100) and configured to deliver a flow of internal combustion engine intake gas to one or more cylinders of the internal combustion engine (110), the intake gas comprising air.

20. A motor vehicle (100) according to claim 19, comprising a body and a powertrain comprising the internal combustion engine (110).

21. A heat engine (150) for a motor vehicle (100) for connection to an air intake apparatus (115) of an internal combustion engine (110), the heat engine (150) comprising: heat absorption heat exchange means (156) configured to be provided in thermal communication with a waste heat source (115) of the vehicle (100), the heat absorption heat exchange means (156) being arranged to allow heating by means of waste heat of a working fluid passing therethrough; a working body (158) downstream of the heat absorption heat exchange means (156), the working body (158) comprising pumping means (158), the working body (158) being configured to generate work by expansion of the working fluid to drive the pumping means (158), the pumping means (158) being arranged to pump gaseous fluid to the air intake apparatus (115), the intake apparatus (115) being configured such that the flow of gaseous fluid from the pumping means (158) to the intake apparatus (115) promotes flow of gaseous fluid to a combustion chamber of the internal combustion engine (110).

22. A method of operating a heat engine (150) and air intake apparatus (115) of an internal combustion engine (110) of a motor vehicle (100), comprising: heating by means of heat from a waste heat source (115) of the vehicle (100) a working fluid passing through heat absorption heat exchange means (156) of the heat engine (150); supplying the working fluid to a working body (158) arranged downstream of the heat absorption heat exchange means (156), the working body (158) being configured to generate work by expansion of a working fluid, to drive a pumping means (158) of the working body (158); pumping by means of the pumping means (158) a gaseous fluid to the air intake apparatus (115) to promote flow of the gaseous fluid to a combustion chamber of the internal combustion engine (110).

23. A heat engine, vehicle, apparatus, or method substantially as hereinbefore described, and/or as illustrated in any one of FIG.’s 1 to 4.