OA11186A - Method and device for recovering the ambient thermal energy for a vehicle equipped with a fresh-air engine with additional compressed air injection. - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention concerns a method for recuperating ambient thermal energy for an engine or vehicles equipped with pollution-free motors functioning with injection of secondary compressed air in the combustion chamber (2) and having a reservoir for storing highly compressed air (23). The highly compressed air contained in the reservoir is, previous to its being injected into the chamber (2), expanded in a system with variable volume such as a piston-cylinder assembly (54, 55), producing a work which is used by mechanical means or the like. This expansion- to the injecting pressure- with work causes the air to cool to a very low temperature. This air is then propelled into a heat exchanger (41) where it is heated, thus increasing in pressure and/or in volume by recuperating a supply of thermal energy derived from the atmosphere. The invention is applicable to all engines equipped with compressed air injection and to the production of conditioned air in the vehicle.

Description

011186

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR RECOVERING THERMAL AMBIENT ENERGY FOR VEHICLE EQUIPPED WITH ENGINE DEPOLLUED TO INJECTION

The invention relates to land vehicles, and more particularly to those equipped with pollution control engines or cleaners with independent combustion chamber or not, operating with additional compressed air injection, and comprising a high pressure compressed air tank. The author has described in his published patent application WO 96/27737 an independent external combustion chamber engine exhaust method, operating according to a two-mode dual energy principle, using either a conventional fuel such as gasoline or gasoline on the road. (single-mode operation with air-fuel), ie, at low speed, in particular urban and suburban zones, an addition of compressed air into the combustion chamber (or any other non-polluting gas) to the exclusion of any other fuel, (single-mode operation with air, ie with the addition of compressed air). In its patent application FR 9607714, the author describes the installation of this type of engine in single-mode operation, with the addition of compressed air, on service vehicles, for example urban buses.

In this type of engine, in air-fuel mode, the fuel air mixture is sucked and compressed in an independent suction and compression chamber. Then this mixture is transferred, still under pressure, into an independent combustion chamber and volumeconstant to be ignited to increase the temperature and the pressure of said mixture. After opening a transfer connecting said combustion chamber or expansion chamber to a chamber of escape and escape this mixture will be expanded in the latter to produce a job.The relaxed gases are then vented to the atmosphere through a exhaust duct.

In operation with air plus additional compressed air which interests us more particularly in the context of the invention, at low power, the fuel injector is no longercommanded; in this case, it is introduced into the combustion chamber, substantially afteradmission in the latter of the compressed air - without fuel - from the chamber suction and compression, a small amount of additional compressed air from an external reservoir where the air is stored under high pressure, for example 200 bar, and at room temperature. This small amount of compressed air at room temperature will heat up in contact with the air mass at high temperature contained in the combustion chamber or expansion, will sedilate and increase the pressure in the chamber to allow to deliver when of a motor work.

This type of bi-mode or dual-energy engine (air and petrol or air and additional compressed air) can also be modified for a preferential use in the city for example on all vehicles and more particularly on urban buses or other service vehicles 2 011186 ( taxis dumpsters etc.), in single-mode additional air-compressed air, by "removal of all the elements of operation of the engine with the traditional fuel.

The engine operates only in single mode with the additional compressed air injection into the combustion chamber, which becomes an expansion chamber. In addition, the air sucked by the engine can be filtered and purified through one or more carbon filters or other mechanical process, chemical, molecular sieve, or other filters to achieve a motor cleaner. The use of the term "air" in this text refers to "any non-pollutant gas".

In this type of engine, the additional compressed air is injected into the combustion chamber or expansion chamber under a pressure of use determined according to the pressure in the chamber and substantially higher than the latter, to allow its transfer for example 30 bars. To do this, a conventional expansion valve is used which performs a work-free expansion which does not absorb heat, thus without lowering the temperature, thus making it possible to inject into the combustion or expansion chamber a relaxed air (at around 30 bars in our example) and at room temperature.

This additional compressed air injection method can also be used on conventional 2 or 4 stroke engines where said additional compressed air injection is carried out in the engine combustion chamber substantially at the high ignition dead point.

The method according to the invention proposes a solution which makes it possible to increase the amount of usable and available energy. It is characterized by the means used and more particularly by the fact that the compressed air contained in the storage tank under very high pressure, for example 200 bars, and at ambient temperature, for example 20 degrees, prior to its final use at a lower pressure, for example 30 bar, is expanded to a pressure close to that required for its end use, in a variable volume system, for example a piston in a cylinder, producing a work that can be recovered and used by any known means, mechanical, electrical, hydraulic or other. This expansion with work consequent cooling at very low temperature, for example less than 100 ° C, compressed airextended to a pressure close to that of use. This compressed air expanded at its pressure of use, and at very low temperature is then sent into a heat exchanger with the ambient air, will warm up to a temperature close to the ambient temperature, and will increase ainsisa pressure and / or its volume, by recovering thermal energy borrowed from the atmosphere.

The advantages of this method according to the invention are considerable, on the one hand it isproduced a work during the relaxation, which can be used either directly on the motor shaft, orindirectly, for example by driving electrical or other mechanical accessories and, on the other hand, a free thermal energy supply is recovered by using the temperature of the atmosphere which causes an increase in pressure and / or volume of the air and, consequently, increases the autonomy of the air. use. Those skilled in the art can calculate the amount of very high pressure air to provide a relaxation system with work, as well as the characteristics and volumes of the latter so as to obtain at the end of this relaxation with work the pressure end use chosen and the temperature as cold as possible and this, depending on the use of the engine. An electronic parameter management makes it possible to optimize at all times the quantities of compressed air used and recovered. Those skilled in the art can also calculate the design and characteristics of the heat exchanger which can use any known concepts in this field without to change the method of the invention.

It is also possible according to the method of the invention to partially or not use, and to heat up all or part of the air expanded and at low temperature, on the hot zones engine for example in the cooling system of the cylinders and / or breech or other.

According to another characteristic of the invention, the work performed by the trigger is used to provide pneumatic assistance to a system of overcompression of gases in the combustion or expansion chamber.

According to another characteristic of the invention, the expansion system with work can be used to produce electricity for example a mobile core in a winding, advantageously replacing the vehicle alternator

According to another characteristic of the method of the invention, the air-air exchanger can be refurbished to air condition the vehicle in summer, by blowing and distribution in the vehicle of the heating air which cools by crossing the radiator and yielding its calories look relaxed.

In addition, the particular features of use of the invention which have just been described above can be combined without changing the principle, for example the heating of the fresh air can be relaxed in two stages with a from the air and then the cooling or vice versa, just as it is possible to recover end of race electric energy and then end of the race of mechanical energy assistance.

It is also possible to perform the operation of relaxation with work in two or more operations such as, a trigger with work (used by any known means) to an intermediate pressure and then reheat in an air exchanger air, before a new relaxation with work (also used by any known means) and reheating. Other objects, advantages and features of the invention will appear on reading the description without limitation of several particular embodiments made with regard to the appended drawings where: - Figure 1 shows schematically, seen in cross section, a clean engine equipped with a pneumatic assist device to the control of a piston desurcompression. - Figure 2 shows the same device at the beginning of engine relaxation. - Figure 3 shows the same device at the end of engine relaxation. - Figure 4 shows a pneumatic device generating electrical energy. - Figure 5 shows a mixed pneumatic device generating electrical and mechanical energy. FIG. 6 diagrammatically shows, in cross-section, a device for recovering surrounding thermal energy directly used on the motor shaft. - Figure 7 schematically shows a device for using the exchangerpermettant air conditioning of the vehicle.

FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic cross-sectional view of a scrubber motor and its compressed air supply system, comprising a suction and compression chamber 1, a constant-volume combustion or expansion chamber 2 in which it is installed. additional air injector 22 supplied with compressed air stored in a very high pressure reservoir 23 and an expansion and exhaust chamber 4. The suction and compression chamber 1 is connected to the combustion or expansion chamber 2 by a pipe 5 whose opening and closing are controlled by a sealed flap 6. The combustion chamber or expansion 2 is connected to the expansion chamber and exhaust 4 by conduit or transfer 7 whose opening and closing are controlled by a sealed flap 8. The suction and compression chamber 1 is supplied with air through an intake duct 13 whose opening is controlled by a e valve 14 and, upstream of which is implanted a filter charbondépolluant 24.

The suction and compression chamber 1 functions as a piston decompressor assembly where a piston 9 sliding in a cylinder 10 is controlled by a connecting rod 11 and a crankshaft 12. The expansion and exhaust chamber 4 controls a conventional engine assembly. piston with a piston 15 sliding in a cylinder 16, which drives through a connecting rod 17 the rotation of a crankshaft 18. The exhaust air relaxed effected through an exhaust pipe 19 of which opening is controlled by aveape 20. The rotation of the crankshaft 12 of the suction and compression chamber 1 iscommitted through a mechanical connection 21 by the crankshaft engine 18 of the chamber détente and exhaust 4.

According to the invention, in the combustion chamber 2 is provided a compression volume consisting of a cylinder 25 in which moves a piston 26, whose displacements are controlled by a pressure lever 27 and 28. Between the pressure lever and its control cam 29 driven in rotation by the motor and phased with the latter, is positioned assistance device. This assistance device consists of a piston 30 sliding in a cylinder 31 closed on both sides, the piston 30 being connected by a rod 32 to a bearing 33 which is on the control cam 29 and on the other hand by a system of The piston 30 thus determines in the cylinder two sealed chambers 35 and 36, a relaxation and working chamber 35 on the lacame side 29, and a chamber of the same type. against pressure 36 on the side of the pressure lever. A high-pressure air intake duct 37 opens into the expansion and working chamber 35, the opening and closing of this duct is controlled by a solenoid valve 38. An exhaust duct 39 also opens into the chamber of relaxation and work 35, the opening and closing of this conduit being controlled by a solenoid valve 40. The exhaust duct 39 is connected on the other hand to a heat exchanger air air or radiator 41 itself connected byondonduit 42 to a constant pressure buffer capacity of almost constant use 43. The pressure chamber 36 is connected through a conduit 44 to the buffer capacity 43 which also feeds via a conduit 45 the additional air injector 22.

During operation of the engine in the additional air compressed air mode FIG. 1, the compression piston has just discharged compressed air at high temperature into the expansion chamber 2, while the supercharging piston 26 is at its bottom dead point. additional injector 22 is then switched to inject into the chamber a small amount of additional air at ambient temperature and at a pressure slightly greater than that prevailing in the expansion chamber 2. A first pressure increase is then noted in the expansion chamber 2 The solenoid valve 38 controlled by a computer opens to admit a small amount of air at very high pressure and at ambient temperature, from the storage tank 23 and then closes while simultaneously, the cam 29 begins to push the pistond'assistance 30. The very high pressure compressed air that has been admitted into the relaxation and working chamber 35 will regrow the assistance piston 30, which itself, via the rod and shaft 34 and the pressure lever 27, 28, push the supercharging piston back to its top dead position further increasing the pressure in the expansion chamber 2.

During the stroke of the assistance piston 30, the compressed air contained in the assistance chamber 35 will relax producing a work and undergo a significant drop in temperature, its pressure at the end of the stroke being substantially equal to the pressure of the In these operations, the engine piston 15 controlling the expansion chamber 4 has reached its top dead center, FIG. 2, and the sealed flap 8 is open to allow the expansion of the compressed air contained therein. in the expansion chamber 2 and produce the engine work. The cam 29 maintains during this expansion the supercharging piston 26 at its dead point high, and because of the pressure lever the forces due to the pressure of the chamber 2 are notretransmises to the cam 29 as well as the substantially equal pressures in the the assistance chamber 35 and the backpressure chamber 36 exert no torque on said cam.

The trigger providing the engine work in the expansion chamber and exhaust 4 being performed, Fig 3, the sealed flap 8 is closed. The cam 29, in its rotation, allows the displacement of the assistance piston to be resumed, the sealed flap 6 opens to allow the admission of a new charge in the combustion or expansion chamber 2, the solenoid valve 40 is opens; biased by the return spring 46 and by the pressure in the chamber 2the assistance piston 30 will return to its initial position in the air-air heat exchanger, or the radiator 41 the compressed air but relaxed and low temperature contained in the chambred 35. This air thus goes, thanks to the exchanger, to warm up to a temperature close to 6 011186 of the ambient and increase in volume by joining the buffer capacity 43 having recovered aquantity of non-negligible energy in the room. 'atmosphere.

According to a feature of the method of the invention the trigger with work can be used to provide electrical energy to the vehicle. An example of a device for implementing this method is drawn in FIG. 4, where a very similar device can be seen with the assistance device described above and having many points in common with the latter, consisting of a piston Sliding in a cylinder 31 closed on both sides. The piston 30 is integral with a rod 34 which carries a ferrite core 49 passing inside a winding 50, and whose end is connected to a return spring 46. The piston 30 thus determines in the cylindredeux chambers sealed 35 and 36, an expansion and working chamber 35, and a pressure chamber 36 on the side of the rod 34. A high pressure air inlet duct 37 opens into the expansion and working chamber 35, the opening and the closing of this conduit arecommitted by a solenoid valve 38. An exhaust duct 39 also opens into the relaxation and working chamber 35, the opening and closing of this duct being controlled by a solenoid valve 40. The exhaust duct 39 is connected on the other hand to a heat exchanger air air or radiator 41 itself connected by a conduit 42 to a buffer capacity with constant pressure of almost constant use 43. The chamber against pressure 36 es t connected through a conduit 44 to the buffer capacity 43 which also feeds via a conduit 45 the additional air injector 22.

During operation of the engine in compressed air mode, according to the method of the invention, and depending on the consumption of compressed air by the additional air injector 22, the solenoid valve 38 is opened and then closed again to admit a charge of compressed air very high pressure in the chamber 35. Solicited by the pressure difference between the chambers 35 and 36, the piston 30 moves by compressing the spring 46 by driving through its rod 34 the movement of the ferrite core 49 in the winding 50, thus producing an electric current. The relaxation with the work of the high-pressure compressed air charge at room temperature produces a lowering of the temperature. When the equilibrium of pressure or rather of effort is reached between the chambers, the solenoid valve 40 is opened and pushed by the return spring 46, the piston 30 and the deferrite core 49 return to their initial position driving back into the chamber. air exchanger, or the radiator 41, compressed air but relaxed and very low temperature contained in the pressure chamber and déétente 35. This air is thus, thanks to the exchanger, to heat up to a temperature close del ' ambient and increase in volume by joining the buffer capacity 43 having recovered a quantity of significant energy in the atmosphere.

According to another characteristic of the invention, the two devices described above can also be advantageously combined, in fact the pressure is maximum at the very beginning of the stroke of the piston 30, whereas the force required to operate the pressure lever is less important. . This device, thus combined, is described in FIG. 5 where it can be seen between the assistance system and the pressure lever as described in FIGS. 1 to 3, implanted on the control rod 34 with a ferrite core 49. sliding in a winding of copper wire 50, similar to those described in FIG. 4. During operation it thus becomes possible to be able to recover electrical energy at the beginning of the race in windings 50 provided for this purpose, then to operate thereafter according to the mode described in Figures 1 to 3.

According to one of the preferred features of the invention, another device for applying and implementing the method of the invention is shown in FIG. 6 where the product produces a work which can be directly used on the motor shaft, where a assembly crelle53 and working piston 54, is coupled directly to the drive shaft 18. This piston 54 slides in a blind cylinder 55 and determines a working chamber 35 in which opens a parta high pressure air intake duct 37 whose opening and closing are controlled by a solenoid valve 38, and on the other hand an exhaust duct 39 connected to the air or radiator heat exchanger 41 itself connected by a duct 42 to a final pressure buffer capacity almost constant use 43. During operation when the working piston 54 is at its dead point high, the solenoid valve 38 is opened and closed again to admit a ch air argepresspresspress very high pressure which will relax by pushing the piston 54 to its down dead point and drive through the connecting rod 53 the crankshaft engine 18. In the course ofdemontemontée piston 54, the solenoid valve Exhaust 40 is then opened and compressed air butextracted and at a very low temperature contained in the working chamber is discharged into the air exchanger or radiator 4L This air will thus heat up to a temperature close to ambientand increase volume by joining the buffer capacity 43 having recovered a significant amount of energy in the atmosphere.

FIG. 7 shows, in perspective, an air-to-air heat exchanger 41 as described in the preceding figures, equipped according to the device for carrying out the process of the invention described hereinafter, for air conditioning the vehicle with a conduit of FIG. When air is introduced to a very low temperature 39 and a starting pipe after reheating of the air 42 for its end use, the air of the atmosphere intended to heat it is collected through a pipe 55 and blown through the radiator by a fan 56. By yielding its calories to the compressed air contained in the radiator, the air of the atmosphere cools down and is collected in a duct 56 or a movable flap 57 allows to direct all or part of its opening, towards the cabin of the vehicle to ensure the air conditioning. The regulation of the refrigerated air flow can be carried out according to any known means in cdomaine such as mask on the radiator, shutters, addition of hot air etc ... without changing the principle of this feature of the invention. This device can be used in combination with the other devices described above without changing the principle of the invention that has just been described.

Claims (11)

8 011186 Claims 1, - Method for recovering surrounding thermal energy for engines or vehicles equipped with pollution-abatement or depolluting engines operating with additional air injection into the combustion or expansion chamber and having a high pressure compressed air storage tankcharacterized in that the compressed air contained in the high-pressure storage tank is, before its final use at lower pressure, expanded to a pressure close to that required for its end use, in a variable volume system, for example a piston in a cylinder, producing a work which has the effect of cooling at low temperature compressed air thus relaxed and in that this compressed air and expanded at its operating pressure is sent in a heat exchanger, to heat up, and thus increase its pressure and / or its volume by recovery of a thermal energy supply. 2, - A method according to claim 1 characterized in ee compressed air compressed at low temperature is sent into a heat exchanger with ambient air at ambient temperature, to heat up to a temperature substantially equal to saidaximant temperature and, thus increase its pressure and / or volume by recovering a supply of thermal energy from the atmosphere. 3, - Method according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that all or part of the air relaxed at very low temperature is warmed on the hot zones of the engine thus serving as a complement to the cooling system of the latter, in combination or not with its passage in the heat exchanger. 4, - Application of the method according to claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the work produced during the expansion in the variable volume system is recovered and used by mechanical, electrical, pneumatic or hydraulic in addition to power to the engine. 5, - Application of the method according to claim 2 characterized in that the ambient air quitraverse air-air exchanger and which is cooled is used to provide air conditioning of the vehicle. 6, - Device for the application of the method of the invention according to claim 4, characterized in that the variable volume system consists of a piston (30), provided with control rods and / or motion transmission ( 32, 34), sliding in a cylinder (31) closed on both sides and thus determining in said cylinder on one side an expansion and working chamber (35) into which a high-pressure air inlet duct (37) opens (37). ) whose opening and closing are controlled by a solenoid valve (38) to allow admission of a compressed air high pressure which will relax by pushing the piston, producing a job and cooling at low temperature, and an exhaust duct (39), the opening and closing of which are controlled by a solenoid valve (40) allowing the return of the piston (30) to propel the compressed compressed air at low temperature in the heat exchanger e (41) where it is heated up to a temperature close to ambient, thereby increasing in volume, to then be directed at the radiator outlet to a quasi constant pressure capacity (43) which is itself connected on the one hand to the additional compressed air injector (22), and secondly to the counterpressure chamber (36) for regulating the end-of-expansion pressure and balancing the pressures on either side of the latter so that said piston can be pushed back to its starting point by a spring (46). 7, - Device for the application according to claim 4 characterized in that the trigger systemproducing a work allows to provide assistance to the control of a pressure piston (26) sliding in a cylinder (25) opening into the chamber combustion or expansion (2) for performing an overcompression of the air contained in the combustion chamberor that the phasage is provided by a cam (29), while the expansion of the air load'compressedhigh pressure admitted in the working and relaxing chamber (35) pushes the piston (30) which via its control rod (34) acts on a pressure lever (27,28) which pushes the supercharging piston (26) increasing thus the pressure in the combustion or expansion chamber (2), and consequently the performance of the engine. 8, - Device for the application according to claim 4 characterized in that the détenteproducerproducing a work is used to provide electrical energy, the control rod (34) étantéquipée a ferrite core (49) circulating in a winding (50), the assembly being recalled by a spring (46). 9, - Device according to claims 7 and 8, characterized in that the expansion system producing a work is used in a mixed manner to produce electricity via a ferrite drowning and a winding (49) and than to effect an overpressure of the air contained in the combustion or expansion chamber (2) as described in claim 6. 10, - Device for the application and implementation of the method according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the high pressure compressed air contained in the storage tank (23) is expanded in a volume system variable consisting of a piston (54) connected via a connecting rod (53) to the crankshaft (18) and sliding in a blind cylinder (55) determining above said piston a working chamber into which a conduit dddu high pressure air intake (37), the opening and closing of which are controlled by a solenoid valve (38) to allow admission of a load of high pressure compressed air which will expand by pushing back the piston (54), producing a work directly recovered on the rocker (18) and cooling at a very low temperature, and an exhaust duct (39) whose opening and closing are controlled by a solenoid valve (40) allowing the return of the piston (54) to its top dead center to discharge the compressed compressed air at low temperature into the heat exchanger (41) where it will heat up to a temperature close to ambient, thereby increasing in volume , to be then directed at the output of the radiator to a quasi constant pressure capacity (43) itself connected to the additional compressed air injector (22). 11, - Device for the application according to claim 5 characterized in that the ambient air ischannelized and blown by a fan (56) through a collector (55) to cool by yielding its 011186 calories to compressed air which passes through the radiator and then led through a duct (56) in the passenger compartment of the vehicle to ensure air conditioning while a movable flap (57) allows to allocose the amount of fresh air admitted and to ensure the regulation of said air conditioning .