CA1048795A - Auxiliary power system and apparatus - Google Patents
Auxiliary power system and apparatusInfo
- Publication number
- CA1048795A CA1048795A CA78295789A CA295789A CA1048795A CA 1048795 A CA1048795 A CA 1048795A CA 78295789 A CA78295789 A CA 78295789A CA 295789 A CA295789 A CA 295789A CA 1048795 A CA1048795 A CA 1048795A
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- Prior art keywords
- vapor
- engine
- valve
- power
- fluid
- Prior art date
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- Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
- Y02—TECHNOLOGIES OR APPLICATIONS FOR MITIGATION OR ADAPTATION AGAINST CLIMATE CHANGE
- Y02T—CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO TRANSPORTATION
- Y02T10/00—Road transport of goods or passengers
- Y02T10/10—Internal combustion engine [ICE] based vehicles
- Y02T10/12—Improving ICE efficiencies
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- Output Control And Ontrol Of Special Type Engine (AREA)
- Magnetically Actuated Valves (AREA)
Abstract
AUXILIARY POWER SYSTEM AND APPARATUS
Abstract of the Disclosure An auxiliary power system for an internal combustion engine. The system employs a vapor or hot gas engine coupled to an internal combustion engine by means of an overrunning clutch assembly. The internal combustion engine, operated conventionally, generates heat in its cooling and exhaust systems as well as in accessory equipment. The heat generated in the internal combustion engine and its accessories is used for generating vapor in one or more heat exchangers, the vapor preferably being from a liquid with a boiling point well below that of water. The generated vapor is used to drive a vapor engine. Temperature-sensitive means is employed to measure the heat generated in one or more parts of the system for controlling a linear solenoid valve. for automatically control-ling the internal combustion engine temperatures and thereby the amount of vapor generated. A vacuum-controlled throttle valve is also employed in conjunction with the solenoid-operated valve for automatically controlling the input of vapor to the vapor engine for controlling its idle speed and for providing maximum acceleration as needed. Safety valve means and vapor condensing means are provided at the output of the heat exchangers and steam engine to condense the generated vapor for recirculation in the system.
Abstract of the Disclosure An auxiliary power system for an internal combustion engine. The system employs a vapor or hot gas engine coupled to an internal combustion engine by means of an overrunning clutch assembly. The internal combustion engine, operated conventionally, generates heat in its cooling and exhaust systems as well as in accessory equipment. The heat generated in the internal combustion engine and its accessories is used for generating vapor in one or more heat exchangers, the vapor preferably being from a liquid with a boiling point well below that of water. The generated vapor is used to drive a vapor engine. Temperature-sensitive means is employed to measure the heat generated in one or more parts of the system for controlling a linear solenoid valve. for automatically control-ling the internal combustion engine temperatures and thereby the amount of vapor generated. A vacuum-controlled throttle valve is also employed in conjunction with the solenoid-operated valve for automatically controlling the input of vapor to the vapor engine for controlling its idle speed and for providing maximum acceleration as needed. Safety valve means and vapor condensing means are provided at the output of the heat exchangers and steam engine to condense the generated vapor for recirculation in the system.
Description
4 ~048795 s 6 This application is a di~isional of copending application Serial 7 No. 239,682 filed November 14, 1975.
8 The prescnt invention is related in general ~o 9 aux.iliary power systems and in particular to an auxiliary power sys~em employin~ a vapor engine ~or assisting in driving 11 a primary engine, such as an inteL-nal combustion engine and 12 the li~e, using available heat, typically generated by the 13 primary cngine -15 Internal combustion engines are probably the largest ;~
16 single user of petroleum and its produc~s. I~iainly, these 17 engines are used in automobiles and trucks, although many ~ -18 in stationary form are used in industry. Po~er plant engineers 19 have long been a~are that the internal combustion engine is relatively inefficient compared to o~her po~er sources such 21 as electric motors. Moreover, presently the overall e~ficiency 22 Of automobile and truck engines is being decreased even more 23 by requirements for emission controls in order to protect the 24 environment. It is common, for example, for present automobile engines to operate at an overall efficiency o~ approximately 26 15 percent, and in many cases even lo~er.
~7 28 Textbooks concerned with today's internal combustion zg en~ines indicate th~t out o~ the total po~er available in the ~uel consumed, approximately 30 percent of ~he energy (~ross) ' _.... ...
,. , ............. r 10~795 1 ~ctu~lly pro~uces po-~er, a~ro~im~tely 30 l~erc~ oes ~ut
8 The prescnt invention is related in general ~o 9 aux.iliary power systems and in particular to an auxiliary power sys~em employin~ a vapor engine ~or assisting in driving 11 a primary engine, such as an inteL-nal combustion engine and 12 the li~e, using available heat, typically generated by the 13 primary cngine -15 Internal combustion engines are probably the largest ;~
16 single user of petroleum and its produc~s. I~iainly, these 17 engines are used in automobiles and trucks, although many ~ -18 in stationary form are used in industry. Po~er plant engineers 19 have long been a~are that the internal combustion engine is relatively inefficient compared to o~her po~er sources such 21 as electric motors. Moreover, presently the overall e~ficiency 22 Of automobile and truck engines is being decreased even more 23 by requirements for emission controls in order to protect the 24 environment. It is common, for example, for present automobile engines to operate at an overall efficiency o~ approximately 26 15 percent, and in many cases even lo~er.
~7 28 Textbooks concerned with today's internal combustion zg en~ines indicate th~t out o~ the total po~er available in the ~uel consumed, approximately 30 percent of ~he energy (~ross) ' _.... ...
,. , ............. r 10~795 1 ~ctu~lly pro~uces po-~er, a~ro~im~tely 30 l~erc~ oes ~ut
2 thc exhaust pipe in the ~olm o~ w~s~e lle~t, and approxim~tely
3 another 30 perc~nt is lost throu~h tlle radiator an~ the
4 coolin~ system in the form of waste heat. About 10 percent is used for en~ine accessories such as thc fan, al~crna~or, 6 transmission, etc. Of the 30 percent of the heat energ~ that 7 produces power, actually, only about half reaches tlle road, in 8 cases whcre the engine is driving a car or truck. Bccause g literally millions of automobiles and trucks in use in the world at the present time consume hundreds of millions of 11 gallons of gasoline and diesel fuel annually, obviously, an 12 ~mprovement in the overall efficiency of the internal combustion 13 engine is very meaningful.
Heretofore, a number of proposals have been made for 16 increasing the efficiency of an internal combustion engine 17 using steam power generated from the heat of the internal com-18 bustion engine. In a number of such proposals, a piston driven 19 by steam is connected directly to the same crankshaft as the pistons in the internal combustion cylinders. This type.of 21 arrangement is complex, costly to m~nufacture and is itself 22 inefficient in that it presents an additional load on the 23 internal combustion engine due to friction when insufficient 24 ste~m is generated to drive the steam pistons or is valved -from the steam cylinders as during idling. Also, the arrange-26 ment is not readily adaptable to ex.isting internal combustion 27 engines. Further, the use of steam must rely principally on 28 the hcat in the exhaust system and largely neglects the heat 29 lost in the radiator system.
r ., ~, . . .
10~795 1 In ~noLher prior l;no~n prol~osal, .~ separ~te steam 2 engine is ~cscribed as ~eing couplcd, ~s by a universal jointed 3 shaft, to thc crAnlcsl-aft o~ an interllal com~ustion en~ine.
4 Gaugcs and thc lilcc arc provided for mcasuring thc steam pressurc and watcr tcmperature an~ manual valving means are 6 providc~ for controlling thc ste~m ~low to thc steam engine.
7 Safe~y valve means are also provided for venting steam to thc 8 atmosphere when excessive steam prcssure dcvelops in thc system.
~ '.
While more easily adaptable to existing internal 11 combustion engines than the previously described prior kno~m 12 arrangements, the latter system also suf~ers from certain 13 undesirable inefficiencies. The use of a universal jointed 14 shaft and the like for coupling the steam engine directly to the crankshaft of the internal combustion engine, for example, 16 will alæo result in loading do~n the internal combustion engine 17 at times when the steam engine is developing insufficient output 18 power to drive the in~ern21 combustion engine. The use of -19 gauges and manual steam control valves provides for further inefficiencies in that they require the attention of the 21 operator which is dis~racting particularly when the system is 22 employed to power a motor vehicle. The nature of the safety 23 ~alve means employed in this arrangement is also undesirable 24 in that it is necessary to replenish the water lost during blow-ff. Clearly, therefore, a fully automatic closed auxiliary 26 system which is relatively inexpensive, and readily adaptable 27 to existing internal combustion engines, is preferable.
9s In view of the foregoing, an important ob~ect of the present invention is to provide, in addition to the primary engine, an auxiliary power system which substantially avoids the previously described disadvantages of prior known auxiliary power systems.
The invention provides apparatus for providing mechanical power from normally wasted heat energy, comprising:
primary power-generating means for generating primary power, power-consumimg means driven by said power-generating means for employing said primary power to do useful work and producing waste heat, fluid having a boiling point well below that of water, heat exchange means connected to said power-consuming means for heating said fluid from a liquid state to a vapor by employing said waste heat, vapor-operated engine means for generating power from the energy supplied by said vapor, control means for automatically controlling the flow of said fluid to said heat exchange means in accordance with the temperature of said waste heat, including temperature-sentitive means for providing an output signal as a function to temperature, and valve means connected to said temperature-sensitive means for controlling said fluid flow as a function of said output signal.
From another aspect, the invention provides apparatus for providing mechanical power from normally wasted heat energy, comprising: primary engine means for generating primary power and heat not used for said primary power, fluid having a boiling point well below that of water, heat exchange means connected to said enBine for heating said fluid from a liquid state to a vapor by employing heat normally wasted by said primary engine means, auxiliary vapor-operated engine means for generating po~er fro~ the energr supplied by said vapor, and control means for automatically controlling the flow of said fluid to said heat exchange means in accordance wit~ the temperature of said _ 4 _ primary engine, including temperature sensitive- means for providing an output signal as a function to temperature, and valve means connected to said temperature-sensitive means for controlling said fluid flow as a function of said output signal.
The vapor-operated engine is preferably coupled to the crankshaft or other suitable component of the primary engine, preferably an internal combustion engine, by means ; of an overrunning clutch assembly or the like.
;
. .
104~7~
1 Po~ler for drivin~ the vapor en~ine is provided by 2 vapor ~enerated in ~ novcl he~ exchan~;c sys~cm. If the in~ernal 3 com~ustion ell~ine is liquid coo]e~, one heat cxchallgcr may be 4 coupled to the liqui~ coolin~ system, wlile anothcr may ~e coupled to th~ exhaust system. Still others may, if desired, 6 be couplcd to one or more of thc accessories, such as an air 7 conditionin~ system, ~ransmission, or an a~ter-coolcr in a 8 diesel truck, and the like. Alternatively, the liquid cooling 9 system may be coupled to the exhaust system and then to heat exchange ~ith the fluid from which the vapor is derived.
1~ The heat exchange system is, in some way, coupled 13 to a reservoir of fluid having a relatively low boiling point 14 in comparison to the temperature of the heat sources. Because the system is preferably closed to the atmosphere, the fluid 16 employed for vaporizing in the heat exchangers ~lso preferably 17 has a high degree of lubricity for lubricating the moving i8 parts of the system. Fluids having one or more of these ~A l9 characteristics include methanol and FP~ON mixed with a lubricant; however, others may also be used.
22 For maximizing the efficiency of the internal 23 combustion engine, the engine should bc operated at relatively 24 high predetermined temperatures. At the same time, considera-25- tion must be given to the temperature of the other heat 26 sources, such as the exhaust system, transmission, etc., in 27 order to prevent their destruction due to excessive temperatures.
28 l~ithin these operational limitations, the vapor engine of 29 t~c prescnt invention is operatcd so as to output maximum power to tl~c intern~l combustion engine for provi~ing maximum 31 overall sys~em efficiency.
~ ~c~" fc s ~ Jc ~k - 6 -. .
79S1 In tl~c systen~ Or the present inven~ioll, ma~imum 2 powcr output o~ ~he v;ll~or en~ine is aclli~ved an(l the neccssary 3 opcr.ltional temperature requircmellts and limlta~i.ons of the 4 in~rnal combus~ion cn~ine ~re satisfied ~y ~hc provision of a novel valvin~ mcans for autom~tic~lly controllin~ thc flow 6 of ~luid throu~h the hcat cxchan~cr. Couplec~ to the fluid 7 reservoir in a fluid recirculation path for recirculating the 8 fluid through the reservoir is a solenoid controllcd valve g with linear output characteristics.
.. ~
11 Control of the solenoid valve is provided by one or 12 more temperature-sensitive elements. In a system employing a liquid cooled internal combustion éngine, one o~ the elements 14 may be used to detect the temperature of the coolant. Another element may be used for detecting the temperature of the fluid 16 in the heat exchanger coupled to the exhaust system. Still 17 others may be employed to monitor either the temperature of the 18 cooling liquids, if any, used to cool accessories, or the 19 temperature of the fluid to be vaporized in the heat exchanger coupled thereto. In each case, the tempera~ure-sensi.tive 21 elements produce an output signal proportional to the temperature 22 detected. An a~plifier is preferably provided to amplify the 23 output signal and provide an amplified output si~nal for 24 driving the solenoid controlled valve.
26 A feature of the solenoid valve itself is a novel 27 flared armature which provides for control of the position of 28 the armaturc as a linear function of the output of the 29 amplifier. This is in contrast to the normal snap action of solenoid valves.
11~)4~7~S
1 In the pref~rred opera~io~ hc solelloid colltrolled 2 valvc is normally open so a.~ to recircula~e ~luid through ~he 3 rescrvoir and, ~h~rcby, provide for fast warm-up o~ thc intcnlal 4 combustion en~ine. As thc tcmperature of ~hc intcrnal çombus-tion cn~ine rises, the valve closes. Closing of the valve 6 decreases the flow of rccircul~tin~ ~luid and incrcascs thc 7 back pressure. A pressure relie~ valve is provided ~or con-8 trolling the fluid flow through the heat cxchangers and opens g when the back pressure in the recirculation path reaches a predetcrmined magnitude. By means of the solenoid controlled 11 valve and the pressure relief valve, an amount of vapor is 12 generated which is proportional to the operatin~ te~peratures 13 of the internal combustion engine. ~hen, for example, in a 14 motor vehicle, a hill or steep grade is encountered, t~e 1~ temperature will rise causing a corresponding incre~se in the 16 fluid flow through the heat exchangers and a corresponding 17 increase in the power output of the vapor engine. At tne sa~e 18 time, the incre~sed fluid flow helps ~o maintain the temperatures 19 of the inter~al combustion engine within their operational limitations. The converse operation of the valves occurs 21 when the power requirements on the ,vehicle decrease. Thus, 22 auxiliary power is provided as and when needed.
24 If, after a period of operation, a vehicle is suddenly brought to a stop, such as at a stop sign, there will 26 be a head of vapor existing at the input of the vapor engine.
27 To prevent the head of vapor from driving the vapor engine 28 under such or similar circumstances, therc is preferably 29 provided a vacuum or mechanically controlled throttle valve assembly at the inpu~ of the vapor engine. If vacuum controlled, 31 the throttle val~c asseml~ly i5 coupled to the in~akc manifold 1~4~79S
1 of tllc in~crn.~l com~us~ioll engine ,~nd is a~p~cd ~o ol)cn a~d 2 closc autom~tic~llly as thc vacuum in the manifold ~alls and 3 riscs wi~h ~he d~prcssion and rclca~e of tllc accelcra~or To complete the closcd system, ~here is further 6 provided at the output o~ thc vapor engine and hea~ e~chan~,crs, 7 a safety valve, a condcnser, and a pump, for condcnsing the 8 vapor and automatically replenishing the fluid reservoir.
Other objects, advantages, and features of the 11 invention will appear from the following description of some 12 preferred embodiments.
Description of the Drawin~s 17 In the drawings:
19 Fig. l is a schematic diagram of a system providing a combination of an auxiliary power system with an internal 21 combustion engine in accordance with the principles of the 22 invention.
24 Fig. 2 is a view in cross-section of a novel linear s~lenoid valve used in the system of Fig. l.
27 Fig. 3 is a circuit diagram of a dc amplifier for 28 use in ~he system of Fig. 1 for driving the solcnoid valve of 29 ~ig. 2.
1~4b~795 1 Fi~. 4 is a brol;en-a~ay perspec~ive ViCt~ 0~ a hea~
2 cxcl-~nger used in the systcm o~ Fig 1.
4 Fig. 5 is a schematic vicw o~ a modi~ied ~orm o~
powcr systcm also embodying the principles of the invention and 6 emplo~in~ a somewhat different heat e~cllange systcm.
8 Fig. 6 is a view in section of a modified orm o~ the 9 solenoid valve forming part of the invcntion.
11 Fig. 7 is a view in section of another modified 12 forTn of the solenold valve.
14 Fig. 8 is a circuit diagram of a modified form of the electrical system connecting the solenoid valve to the 16 temperature detector 18 Fig. 9 is a view in section of a vacuum responsive 19 throttle device useful in the invention.
22 Description of some Preferred Embodiments 24 e system of Fig. 1:
Fig. 1 shows a storage tank or reservoir 1 for 26 containing an adequate supply of a fluid having a relatively ~7 low boiling point, preferably well below that of water, such 28 as methanol or one having, in addition, a d~gree of lubricity, 29 such as FREO~.~ mixed with a compatible lubricant. Either iluid or similar ~luids may be used. The system is closed 1~4~79S
l to t11e aLmo~iph~re; so ~luic1s having ~he lubricity ch~rac-2 teris~ics of ~REON mixed witl1 a lu~ricant arc pre~erred for 3 intcrnal lubrication o~ the moving parts and reducing ~low 4 friction.
6 At one end of t1~e reservoir or storage ~anlc may be 7 an inlet port 2; at the other end may be another inlet port 3 8 and an outlet port 4. In fluid conm1unication with the ports 3 g and 4 and coupled in series by a plurality of pi.pes, are a pump
Heretofore, a number of proposals have been made for 16 increasing the efficiency of an internal combustion engine 17 using steam power generated from the heat of the internal com-18 bustion engine. In a number of such proposals, a piston driven 19 by steam is connected directly to the same crankshaft as the pistons in the internal combustion cylinders. This type.of 21 arrangement is complex, costly to m~nufacture and is itself 22 inefficient in that it presents an additional load on the 23 internal combustion engine due to friction when insufficient 24 ste~m is generated to drive the steam pistons or is valved -from the steam cylinders as during idling. Also, the arrange-26 ment is not readily adaptable to ex.isting internal combustion 27 engines. Further, the use of steam must rely principally on 28 the hcat in the exhaust system and largely neglects the heat 29 lost in the radiator system.
r ., ~, . . .
10~795 1 In ~noLher prior l;no~n prol~osal, .~ separ~te steam 2 engine is ~cscribed as ~eing couplcd, ~s by a universal jointed 3 shaft, to thc crAnlcsl-aft o~ an interllal com~ustion en~ine.
4 Gaugcs and thc lilcc arc provided for mcasuring thc steam pressurc and watcr tcmperature an~ manual valving means are 6 providc~ for controlling thc ste~m ~low to thc steam engine.
7 Safe~y valve means are also provided for venting steam to thc 8 atmosphere when excessive steam prcssure dcvelops in thc system.
~ '.
While more easily adaptable to existing internal 11 combustion engines than the previously described prior kno~m 12 arrangements, the latter system also suf~ers from certain 13 undesirable inefficiencies. The use of a universal jointed 14 shaft and the like for coupling the steam engine directly to the crankshaft of the internal combustion engine, for example, 16 will alæo result in loading do~n the internal combustion engine 17 at times when the steam engine is developing insufficient output 18 power to drive the in~ern21 combustion engine. The use of -19 gauges and manual steam control valves provides for further inefficiencies in that they require the attention of the 21 operator which is dis~racting particularly when the system is 22 employed to power a motor vehicle. The nature of the safety 23 ~alve means employed in this arrangement is also undesirable 24 in that it is necessary to replenish the water lost during blow-ff. Clearly, therefore, a fully automatic closed auxiliary 26 system which is relatively inexpensive, and readily adaptable 27 to existing internal combustion engines, is preferable.
9s In view of the foregoing, an important ob~ect of the present invention is to provide, in addition to the primary engine, an auxiliary power system which substantially avoids the previously described disadvantages of prior known auxiliary power systems.
The invention provides apparatus for providing mechanical power from normally wasted heat energy, comprising:
primary power-generating means for generating primary power, power-consumimg means driven by said power-generating means for employing said primary power to do useful work and producing waste heat, fluid having a boiling point well below that of water, heat exchange means connected to said power-consuming means for heating said fluid from a liquid state to a vapor by employing said waste heat, vapor-operated engine means for generating power from the energy supplied by said vapor, control means for automatically controlling the flow of said fluid to said heat exchange means in accordance with the temperature of said waste heat, including temperature-sentitive means for providing an output signal as a function to temperature, and valve means connected to said temperature-sensitive means for controlling said fluid flow as a function of said output signal.
From another aspect, the invention provides apparatus for providing mechanical power from normally wasted heat energy, comprising: primary engine means for generating primary power and heat not used for said primary power, fluid having a boiling point well below that of water, heat exchange means connected to said enBine for heating said fluid from a liquid state to a vapor by employing heat normally wasted by said primary engine means, auxiliary vapor-operated engine means for generating po~er fro~ the energr supplied by said vapor, and control means for automatically controlling the flow of said fluid to said heat exchange means in accordance wit~ the temperature of said _ 4 _ primary engine, including temperature sensitive- means for providing an output signal as a function to temperature, and valve means connected to said temperature-sensitive means for controlling said fluid flow as a function of said output signal.
The vapor-operated engine is preferably coupled to the crankshaft or other suitable component of the primary engine, preferably an internal combustion engine, by means ; of an overrunning clutch assembly or the like.
;
. .
104~7~
1 Po~ler for drivin~ the vapor en~ine is provided by 2 vapor ~enerated in ~ novcl he~ exchan~;c sys~cm. If the in~ernal 3 com~ustion ell~ine is liquid coo]e~, one heat cxchallgcr may be 4 coupled to the liqui~ coolin~ system, wlile anothcr may ~e coupled to th~ exhaust system. Still others may, if desired, 6 be couplcd to one or more of thc accessories, such as an air 7 conditionin~ system, ~ransmission, or an a~ter-coolcr in a 8 diesel truck, and the like. Alternatively, the liquid cooling 9 system may be coupled to the exhaust system and then to heat exchange ~ith the fluid from which the vapor is derived.
1~ The heat exchange system is, in some way, coupled 13 to a reservoir of fluid having a relatively low boiling point 14 in comparison to the temperature of the heat sources. Because the system is preferably closed to the atmosphere, the fluid 16 employed for vaporizing in the heat exchangers ~lso preferably 17 has a high degree of lubricity for lubricating the moving i8 parts of the system. Fluids having one or more of these ~A l9 characteristics include methanol and FP~ON mixed with a lubricant; however, others may also be used.
22 For maximizing the efficiency of the internal 23 combustion engine, the engine should bc operated at relatively 24 high predetermined temperatures. At the same time, considera-25- tion must be given to the temperature of the other heat 26 sources, such as the exhaust system, transmission, etc., in 27 order to prevent their destruction due to excessive temperatures.
28 l~ithin these operational limitations, the vapor engine of 29 t~c prescnt invention is operatcd so as to output maximum power to tl~c intern~l combustion engine for provi~ing maximum 31 overall sys~em efficiency.
~ ~c~" fc s ~ Jc ~k - 6 -. .
79S1 In tl~c systen~ Or the present inven~ioll, ma~imum 2 powcr output o~ ~he v;ll~or en~ine is aclli~ved an(l the neccssary 3 opcr.ltional temperature requircmellts and limlta~i.ons of the 4 in~rnal combus~ion cn~ine ~re satisfied ~y ~hc provision of a novel valvin~ mcans for autom~tic~lly controllin~ thc flow 6 of ~luid throu~h the hcat cxchan~cr. Couplec~ to the fluid 7 reservoir in a fluid recirculation path for recirculating the 8 fluid through the reservoir is a solenoid controllcd valve g with linear output characteristics.
.. ~
11 Control of the solenoid valve is provided by one or 12 more temperature-sensitive elements. In a system employing a liquid cooled internal combustion éngine, one o~ the elements 14 may be used to detect the temperature of the coolant. Another element may be used for detecting the temperature of the fluid 16 in the heat exchanger coupled to the exhaust system. Still 17 others may be employed to monitor either the temperature of the 18 cooling liquids, if any, used to cool accessories, or the 19 temperature of the fluid to be vaporized in the heat exchanger coupled thereto. In each case, the tempera~ure-sensi.tive 21 elements produce an output signal proportional to the temperature 22 detected. An a~plifier is preferably provided to amplify the 23 output signal and provide an amplified output si~nal for 24 driving the solenoid controlled valve.
26 A feature of the solenoid valve itself is a novel 27 flared armature which provides for control of the position of 28 the armaturc as a linear function of the output of the 29 amplifier. This is in contrast to the normal snap action of solenoid valves.
11~)4~7~S
1 In the pref~rred opera~io~ hc solelloid colltrolled 2 valvc is normally open so a.~ to recircula~e ~luid through ~he 3 rescrvoir and, ~h~rcby, provide for fast warm-up o~ thc intcnlal 4 combustion en~ine. As thc tcmperature of ~hc intcrnal çombus-tion cn~ine rises, the valve closes. Closing of the valve 6 decreases the flow of rccircul~tin~ ~luid and incrcascs thc 7 back pressure. A pressure relie~ valve is provided ~or con-8 trolling the fluid flow through the heat cxchangers and opens g when the back pressure in the recirculation path reaches a predetcrmined magnitude. By means of the solenoid controlled 11 valve and the pressure relief valve, an amount of vapor is 12 generated which is proportional to the operatin~ te~peratures 13 of the internal combustion engine. ~hen, for example, in a 14 motor vehicle, a hill or steep grade is encountered, t~e 1~ temperature will rise causing a corresponding incre~se in the 16 fluid flow through the heat exchangers and a corresponding 17 increase in the power output of the vapor engine. At tne sa~e 18 time, the incre~sed fluid flow helps ~o maintain the temperatures 19 of the inter~al combustion engine within their operational limitations. The converse operation of the valves occurs 21 when the power requirements on the ,vehicle decrease. Thus, 22 auxiliary power is provided as and when needed.
24 If, after a period of operation, a vehicle is suddenly brought to a stop, such as at a stop sign, there will 26 be a head of vapor existing at the input of the vapor engine.
27 To prevent the head of vapor from driving the vapor engine 28 under such or similar circumstances, therc is preferably 29 provided a vacuum or mechanically controlled throttle valve assembly at the inpu~ of the vapor engine. If vacuum controlled, 31 the throttle val~c asseml~ly i5 coupled to the in~akc manifold 1~4~79S
1 of tllc in~crn.~l com~us~ioll engine ,~nd is a~p~cd ~o ol)cn a~d 2 closc autom~tic~llly as thc vacuum in the manifold ~alls and 3 riscs wi~h ~he d~prcssion and rclca~e of tllc accelcra~or To complete the closcd system, ~here is further 6 provided at the output o~ thc vapor engine and hea~ e~chan~,crs, 7 a safety valve, a condcnser, and a pump, for condcnsing the 8 vapor and automatically replenishing the fluid reservoir.
Other objects, advantages, and features of the 11 invention will appear from the following description of some 12 preferred embodiments.
Description of the Drawin~s 17 In the drawings:
19 Fig. l is a schematic diagram of a system providing a combination of an auxiliary power system with an internal 21 combustion engine in accordance with the principles of the 22 invention.
24 Fig. 2 is a view in cross-section of a novel linear s~lenoid valve used in the system of Fig. l.
27 Fig. 3 is a circuit diagram of a dc amplifier for 28 use in ~he system of Fig. 1 for driving the solcnoid valve of 29 ~ig. 2.
1~4b~795 1 Fi~. 4 is a brol;en-a~ay perspec~ive ViCt~ 0~ a hea~
2 cxcl-~nger used in the systcm o~ Fig 1.
4 Fig. 5 is a schematic vicw o~ a modi~ied ~orm o~
powcr systcm also embodying the principles of the invention and 6 emplo~in~ a somewhat different heat e~cllange systcm.
8 Fig. 6 is a view in section of a modified orm o~ the 9 solenoid valve forming part of the invcntion.
11 Fig. 7 is a view in section of another modified 12 forTn of the solenold valve.
14 Fig. 8 is a circuit diagram of a modified form of the electrical system connecting the solenoid valve to the 16 temperature detector 18 Fig. 9 is a view in section of a vacuum responsive 19 throttle device useful in the invention.
22 Description of some Preferred Embodiments 24 e system of Fig. 1:
Fig. 1 shows a storage tank or reservoir 1 for 26 containing an adequate supply of a fluid having a relatively ~7 low boiling point, preferably well below that of water, such 28 as methanol or one having, in addition, a d~gree of lubricity, 29 such as FREO~.~ mixed with a compatible lubricant. Either iluid or similar ~luids may be used. The system is closed 1~4~79S
l to t11e aLmo~iph~re; so ~luic1s having ~he lubricity ch~rac-2 teris~ics of ~REON mixed witl1 a lu~ricant arc pre~erred for 3 intcrnal lubrication o~ the moving parts and reducing ~low 4 friction.
6 At one end of t1~e reservoir or storage ~anlc may be 7 an inlet port 2; at the other end may be another inlet port 3 8 and an outlet port 4. In fluid conm1unication with the ports 3 g and 4 and coupled in series by a plurality of pi.pes, are a pump
5, a ilter 6, and a linear solenoid valve assembly 7; these 11 form a fluid recirculation path, as sho~n by arrows, for 12 recirculating fluid through the reservoir l. The pump S may ~3 be any of several commercially available pumps ~hich is 14 compatible with the fluid used and sufficient for prov;ding a positive pressure in the system. The filter 6 may be any of 16 several co~nercially available filters which is compatible 17 with the fluid used and adequate to provide the necessary 18 filtering. On the other hand, the linear solenoid valve 7 is 19 specially designed and so made as to produce a uniform amount zo of force throughout the length of its stroke for a given input 21 current or applied voltage and to vary the force in accordance 22 with the ~oltage variations for controlling fluid flow in the 23 recirculation path and the fluid pressure and volume of fluid 24 flow throughout the system as a linear function of temperature in the system. This valve 7 will be described in more detail 26 below with respect to Figs. 2 and 3.
28 In between the filter 6 and the solenoid valve 7, 29 and in fluid co~nunication therewith by means of a pipe 8, is a pressure relief valve 9. The valve 9 may be Qne of several - 1~4 ~7~ ~
1 co~nerclally ~vail~lc pressure relie~ valves and is adiusted 2 to open at a prcde~ermlned pressure ~or thc pass~ge o~ ~luid 3 from ~hc rcservoir 1 throu~h thc valvc 9 and th~n tl-r~u~h a 4 pair of heat cxchan~ers 20 alld 21 via a pipe 22, wllicll is joined to a pair of parallcl pipcs 23 and 24, rcspectivcly. The
28 In between the filter 6 and the solenoid valve 7, 29 and in fluid co~nunication therewith by means of a pipe 8, is a pressure relief valve 9. The valve 9 may be Qne of several - 1~4 ~7~ ~
1 co~nerclally ~vail~lc pressure relie~ valves and is adiusted 2 to open at a prcde~ermlned pressure ~or thc pass~ge o~ ~luid 3 from ~hc rcservoir 1 throu~h thc valvc 9 and th~n tl-r~u~h a 4 pair of heat cxchan~ers 20 alld 21 via a pipe 22, wllicll is joined to a pair of parallcl pipcs 23 and 24, rcspectivcly. The
6 pressure at ~hich thc valve 9 opcns is slip,htly abovc thc
7 prcssure nor~ally in the recirculation path when the valvc 7
8 is wide open. This insures that no fluid will flo~ from the g reservoir 1 through the heat exchangers 20 and 21 until the valve 7 begins to close, thus insuring rapid warm-up of the 11 pri~ary engine 30.
13 The heat necessary for boiling and vaporizing the 14 fluid received from the reservoir 1 in the heat exchan~ers 20 and 21 is preferably provided by an internal combustion 16 engine 30. The engine 30, sho~m simp].y as a block in Fig. l, 17 may be any of several types of internal combustion engines 18 including those.commonly designated as gasoline, turbine, and l9 diesel engines. Moreover, certain types of external combustion engines, such as a primary steam engine, may also be adap~ed 21 for use with the auxili2ry power system of the present invention.
22 The principal factor determining whethcr or not a given engine 23 may be suitable depends on whether or not it or the accessories 24 which it drives generates or otherwise exhausts heat which can be used to generate vapor that can provide auxiliary power to ~6 drive the engine.
28 While recognizing that certain internal col~bustion 29 engines are air cooled, as distinguished from liquid cooled, the present invention is dcscribed ~ith respect to its use with 31 a liquid-cooled cngine, it being undcrstood that its use witll an 1~4~'7~5 1 ~ir-cool~d cn~inc ~o~ld princip311y in~olvc thc onlission o~ ~he 2 hcat cxc1-angcr 21 and associatcd piping. In ccrtain a~plic~tions 3 both air an~ liquid-coolcd cngincs m~y be uscd to drive 4 acccssorics such ~s air-conditionin~ systems, transmissions, after-coolers, e~c., each of which ~cnera~es hcat. If suf~i-6 cient, the heat generated by opcration of such devices and the ; 7 like (not sho~) may also be coupled to one or more heat 8 exchangers for the generation of vapor, as more fully described g below with respect to the heat exchangers 20 and 21.
11 As in all liquid-cooled internal combustion engines, 12 the engine 30 is provided with an internal chamber (not sho~m) 13 through which is circulated a liquid coolant, suc~ as water, 14 a mixture of water and anti-freeze, or pure anti-freeze. In the system of the present invention pure anti-freeze is ;16 preferably employed to obtain the highest boiling point possible 17 in comparison to the boiling point of the fluid in the reservoir 18 1. A maximum boiling point differential is desirable for 19 obtaining maximum heat transfer in the heat exchanger 21.
Normally, the coolant is circulated through the internal chamber 21 about the engine cylinders and an external radiator. Such a 22 radiator, being one form of hea~ exchanger, cools the circu-23 lating liquid by transferring heat therefrom to air passing 24 through the radiator. With the apparatus o~ the present inven-tion, however, the conventional radiator is preferably omitted, 26 and a pair of pipes 31 and 32 is provided for circulating the 27 liquid from the intcrnal liquid chamber in the engine 30 through 28 the heat exchanger 21. Similarly, the hot gases from the 29 engine 30 arc exhausted from and routed through the heat e~changcr 20 by mcans of a pipe 33. In each case 104~79S
1 th~ l)uat fro~n tllc liquid in tlle pil~e 31 al~ tl~e he.lt fr~m th~
2 exl-.~ust gascs in tllc pipc 33 arc transerred to tlle fluid from 3 the rescrvoir l and causc thc fluid coming from the rescrvoir 1 4 as a li~uid to boil and vaporize in the rcspcctive hcat cxcllanger~ while at the samc ~ime providing the neccssary 6 cooling of the cngine parts. Th~ specific construction and 7 operation of a preferrcd type of heat exchanger will be 8 described more fully hereinaftcr with respect to Fig. 4.
Coupled to the outputs from whi-ch the vapor issues 11 from the heat exchangers 20 and 21 is a pair of pipes 40 and 41.
12 The pipes 40 and 41 are coupled in paraIlel to a pair of pipes 13 42 and 43. The pipe 42 is coupled to the in~ut of ~ vapor 1~ engine 50. The pipe 43 is coupled to a safety valve 51. The lS vapor engine 50 may be any of several types of so-called steam 16 engines, but is preferably a type co~monly known as a rotary 17 vane type vapor (or steam) engine. The valve 51 may be any of 18 several commercially available pressure-activa~ed valves 19 adjusted to open at a predetermined steam pressure.
21 The vapor engine 50 is coupled to the crankshaft or 22 other suitable component of the eng~ne 30 by means of an 23 overrunning clutch assembly 52. The overrunning clutch assembly 24 52 typically comprises a mechanical coupling between the engines 30 and 50 enabling the transfer of power from the engine S0 to 26 the engine 30, but it does no-t transfer power in the reverse 27 direction from the engine 30 to the engine 50. Thus, the engine 28 30 is never loadcd down by having to drive engine 50 when, on 29 certain occasions, as when the engine 30 is cold, the en~ine 50 has insufficicnt stcam for driving the engine 30.
1 Coul)le~ ~o ~l~e in~)ut o~ the ~uxiliary en~ine 50 at 2 thc cnd o tl~c pipe 41 is a m~cllallically or vacuum opcrated 3 throttlc valvc asseml)ly 60. Thc assc~bly 60 comprises a 4 throttle v~lve 61 ~nd a thro~tle cot-trol 62. The Lllrottlc valve 61 comprises a thro~tle pla~c (not ShOWIl) for operlin~
6 and closing the pipc 41 in a conventional manncr - i.e., 7 in much the same manner as the throttle pla~c in the carburetor 8 of a conventional internal combustion engine. The throttle g control 62 is mechanically coupled to the throttle plate in the valve 61 and to either the carburetor throttle plate or 11 the intake manifold of the engine 30, as illustrated by the 12 dashed lines. ~le control 62 is fixed in such a manner as to 13 open the throttle plate in the valve 61 simultaneously with 1~ the opening of the throttle plate in the carburetor. Indeed, it is preferable that the throttle plate in the valve 61 open 16 ~ully upon any opening of the carburetor throttle plate, in 17 order to provide maximum au~iliary power for acceleration.
18 As is well known, the opening of the throttle plate in the 19 carburetor is accompanied by a reduction of vacuum in the intake manifold. If a vacuum rather than a mechanical control 21 is preferred, this reduction in vacuum may be used to operate 22 the control 62. When so employed, a cylinder and piston respon-23 sive to changes in the intake manifold pressure are used.
24 The piston and cylinder are coupled by a mechanical linkage to the throttle plate and will open the throttle plate of the 26 valve 61 when the vacuum drops in the intake manifold in a 27 conventional manner. A type of vacuum operated piston is shown 28 in Fig. 9.
.~
104~795 1 ~ cylin~rical l~ousin~, 45 incorl~oral:in~ a ch~mb~r 46 2 havin~ a port 47 is conl~ecLed by ~t~ llg 48 to the in~akQ
3 mal~ifold of ~he en~ine 30. In ~he housin~ ~5 is a piston 54 4 having a piston rod 55 sccnred to a throttl~ linliage 56~ and the opposite end of thc cylinder housing 45 is secured to a 6 throttle linkage 57. A coil spring 58 in the chambcr biases 7 the piston 54, namely to thc left in Fig. 9, thc e~ect of thc 8 spring 58 being to lengthen the throttle linkage 56, 57. Thc g throttle 61 for the vapor engile is wide open when the piston 54 is forced all the way~to the left in Fig. 9 by the spacer 11 58. The piston 54 is moved to the right in Fig. 9 by increasing 1~ vacuum in the intake manifold of the engine 30, thereby closin~
13 the throttle 61 and controlling the idling speed of the vapor 14 engine 50. .
16 Coupled to the exhaust port of steam engine 50 and 17 the down-streamend of valve ~1 is a pair of pipes 63 and 64.
18 The pipes 63 and 64 are connected in series with a condenser 19 65 and a pump 66 of conventional construction to the inlet port 2 of the reservoir 1 by means of a pair of pipes 67 and 21 68, thus completing the plumbing for the circulation of the 22 fluid in the reservoir 1 throughout the system.
24 Thc solenoid valve of Fi~. 2:
It is important for the efficient operation of the 26 system of the present invention that changcs in the volume and 27 pressure of the fluid flowing from the reservoir 1 be a linear 28 function of the temperature of the system. In a conventional 29 solcnoid, the force on the solcnoid armature for a given .
: ~ . r ~04~3795 1 currcnt is a ~uoction of tl-c posi~ion of the ~rmature in.
2 tllC sOl~llOid. ~S a conscqucnce, the prcssurc and volumc of a 3 fluid flo-~ing ~hrou~ll a valvc controlled by a convcntional 4 solcnoid, or in~eed any device controllcd by mcans of a convcntional solcnoid, cannot be controllcd normally as a 6 linear function of the currcnt or voltagc applied to ~he 7 Solcnoid~
g Fig. 2 shows in cross-section an embodiment of the novel linear solenoid con~rol valve 7 of the present invention 11 which is coupled to the reservoir 1. The valve 7 has a solenoid 1~ portion 70 and a valve portion 71. In the solenoid portion 70 13 is a hollo~ core coil 72 of wire ~ound on an aluminum spool 73 14 inside a steel housing 74. Inside ~he spool 73 is a plastic sleeve or bearing 75 for slidably receiving a steel armature 76.
l7 The armatuxe 76 is provided at one end wi~h a spherical 18 radius 77, from which extends a generally conically-shaped 19 main body portion 78. The apex of the body portion 78 is pivotably connected by means of a hinge pin 79 to one end of 21 an elongated lever member 80 for coupling the armature 76 to 22 a stainless steel valve rod or member 81 in the valve portion 70.
24 The valve portion 70 comprises a valve housing 85 having an inlet port 86 fitted with a valve seat 89 and an 26 outlet port 87. The valve member 81 is slidably fitted in 27 housin~ 85 in a fluid-tight fashion by means of an 0-ring 88 28 or thc like and is pivotably connected at its exterior end by 29 means of a hinge pin 90 to an intermcdiate poin~ o~ mem~er 80.
Thc opposite end of the member 80 is pivo~ably connected by .
, 1~48795 1 meal-s of a l~in~e pin 91 to an exten~ed ~ortion 92 of tlle ho~sing 2 85. Thc n~ecllu~lic~l rel~tionsllip bet~cen tl-c ar~ature 76, the 3 member 80, the v.~lve m~mber 81 ~nd ~lle various hill~,e pin 4 conncctin~ points dcscribed is such that the valvc mem~er 81 is seated on the ~alve seat 89 ~ en the ar~ature 76 is dr~wn 6 into the core of solenoid portion 70. To overcome ~riction and 7 open tllc ~alve in the absence of fluid pressurc against the 8 valve member 81, a spring member 93 is coupled to the lever g member 80. Me~bcr 93 is shown as a compression spring but may, of course, be any type of means suita~le for or equivalent 11 to member 93 for opening the valve.
14 The amplifier of Fig. 3:
' 16 To operate the valve 7, the coil 72 is prefcrably 17 coupled, as seen in Fig. 1, to the output of a dr amplifier 18 100. The input of the amplifier 100 is coupled to a plurality 19 of temperature-sensitive elements 101 and 102, such as, for example, thermistors. The elcment 101 is located in the pipe 21 31 or in any other suitable location for measuring the temperature 22 f the liquid coolin~ system of the engine 30. The element 102 23 is located in the heat exchanger 20 or any other suitable 24 location for measuring the temperature of the fluid from the rcservoir 1 in the heat exchanger 20 or the temperature of the 26 vapor issuing therefrom. Both elcments 101 and 102 send out 27 a signal which is amplified by the amplifi.er 100 for driving 28 the solenoid valve 7. .
' ~o~79s ~ . 3 show.~ n suit~le scl-ema~ic di~gr~m o~ a 2 dc am~liLier 100 .~n~ its connection Lo the ~hermisLors 101 alld 3 102 and the v~lvc 7. As sllo-~n in F:ig. 3, tllere is provided 4 a pair o~ transis~ors Ql ~nd Q2. The base of Ql is coupled to ground throu~h a po~en~iomc~cr Rl, as of 100 ohr.ls, and to a 6 B+ supply, as of 12 volts, throu~h a resistor R2, as of 430 7 ohms. The cmitter of Ql is coupled to ground Lhrou~h thermistors 8 101 and 102, both of which are providcd ~ith a range of g variable resistance as a function of temperature of 20-1000 ohms. The collector of Ql is coupled to~the base of Q2. The 11 emitter of Q2 is coupled to the B~ supply. The collector of 12 Q2 is coupled to ground through the solenoid coil 72 and a 13 diode D.
16 The heat exchangers of Fig. 4:
18 . Fig. 4 shows in more detail the heat exchanger 20, 19 it being understood that the heat exchanger 21 and any other heat exchanger ~sed in the system may have substantially the 21 same construction. In the heat exc-nanger 20 there is provided 22 a housing 110 having a generally cylindrical interior wall Z3 surface 111 and a pair of dome-shaped end portions 112 and a4 113. Interior of housing 110 is a plurality of spaced plate members 114, 115, 116, 117 and 118 and a plurality of spaced 26 tubular members 119. The plate members 114 and 11~ are 27 positioned in the end portions 112 and 113 for forming a pair 28 of fluid-tight end chambers 120 and 121 having an inlet port ~9 122 and an outlet port 123, respectively, and an intcrior chamber 124 havin~ an inlct port 126 and an outlet port 125, 31 respectively. The plate members 115, 116 and 117 are positioned r ~48795 1 in the chalu~er 124 in between the plaLe members 114 zlnd 118.
2 l~ile each o~ pla~e mem~ers 114 and 11~ forms a fluid-ti~ t 3 seal with tl-e interior wall surfac~ 111, each of in~erior plate 4 m~mbers 115, 116 and 117is p~ovi~cd with a first periphcral S edge portion 130 which conforms to and is contiguous wi~h the 6 interior wall surface 111 and a second peripheral e~ge rortion 7 131 which is spaced from the surface 111 for providing a fluid 8 passageway bett~een the plate 115, 116 and 117 and the surface
13 The heat necessary for boiling and vaporizing the 14 fluid received from the reservoir 1 in the heat exchan~ers 20 and 21 is preferably provided by an internal combustion 16 engine 30. The engine 30, sho~m simp].y as a block in Fig. l, 17 may be any of several types of internal combustion engines 18 including those.commonly designated as gasoline, turbine, and l9 diesel engines. Moreover, certain types of external combustion engines, such as a primary steam engine, may also be adap~ed 21 for use with the auxili2ry power system of the present invention.
22 The principal factor determining whethcr or not a given engine 23 may be suitable depends on whether or not it or the accessories 24 which it drives generates or otherwise exhausts heat which can be used to generate vapor that can provide auxiliary power to ~6 drive the engine.
28 While recognizing that certain internal col~bustion 29 engines are air cooled, as distinguished from liquid cooled, the present invention is dcscribed ~ith respect to its use with 31 a liquid-cooled cngine, it being undcrstood that its use witll an 1~4~'7~5 1 ~ir-cool~d cn~inc ~o~ld princip311y in~olvc thc onlission o~ ~he 2 hcat cxc1-angcr 21 and associatcd piping. In ccrtain a~plic~tions 3 both air an~ liquid-coolcd cngincs m~y be uscd to drive 4 acccssorics such ~s air-conditionin~ systems, transmissions, after-coolers, e~c., each of which ~cnera~es hcat. If suf~i-6 cient, the heat generated by opcration of such devices and the ; 7 like (not sho~) may also be coupled to one or more heat 8 exchangers for the generation of vapor, as more fully described g below with respect to the heat exchangers 20 and 21.
11 As in all liquid-cooled internal combustion engines, 12 the engine 30 is provided with an internal chamber (not sho~m) 13 through which is circulated a liquid coolant, suc~ as water, 14 a mixture of water and anti-freeze, or pure anti-freeze. In the system of the present invention pure anti-freeze is ;16 preferably employed to obtain the highest boiling point possible 17 in comparison to the boiling point of the fluid in the reservoir 18 1. A maximum boiling point differential is desirable for 19 obtaining maximum heat transfer in the heat exchanger 21.
Normally, the coolant is circulated through the internal chamber 21 about the engine cylinders and an external radiator. Such a 22 radiator, being one form of hea~ exchanger, cools the circu-23 lating liquid by transferring heat therefrom to air passing 24 through the radiator. With the apparatus o~ the present inven-tion, however, the conventional radiator is preferably omitted, 26 and a pair of pipes 31 and 32 is provided for circulating the 27 liquid from the intcrnal liquid chamber in the engine 30 through 28 the heat exchanger 21. Similarly, the hot gases from the 29 engine 30 arc exhausted from and routed through the heat e~changcr 20 by mcans of a pipe 33. In each case 104~79S
1 th~ l)uat fro~n tllc liquid in tlle pil~e 31 al~ tl~e he.lt fr~m th~
2 exl-.~ust gascs in tllc pipc 33 arc transerred to tlle fluid from 3 the rescrvoir l and causc thc fluid coming from the rescrvoir 1 4 as a li~uid to boil and vaporize in the rcspcctive hcat cxcllanger~ while at the samc ~ime providing the neccssary 6 cooling of the cngine parts. Th~ specific construction and 7 operation of a preferrcd type of heat exchanger will be 8 described more fully hereinaftcr with respect to Fig. 4.
Coupled to the outputs from whi-ch the vapor issues 11 from the heat exchangers 20 and 21 is a pair of pipes 40 and 41.
12 The pipes 40 and 41 are coupled in paraIlel to a pair of pipes 13 42 and 43. The pipe 42 is coupled to the in~ut of ~ vapor 1~ engine 50. The pipe 43 is coupled to a safety valve 51. The lS vapor engine 50 may be any of several types of so-called steam 16 engines, but is preferably a type co~monly known as a rotary 17 vane type vapor (or steam) engine. The valve 51 may be any of 18 several commercially available pressure-activa~ed valves 19 adjusted to open at a predetermined steam pressure.
21 The vapor engine 50 is coupled to the crankshaft or 22 other suitable component of the eng~ne 30 by means of an 23 overrunning clutch assembly 52. The overrunning clutch assembly 24 52 typically comprises a mechanical coupling between the engines 30 and 50 enabling the transfer of power from the engine S0 to 26 the engine 30, but it does no-t transfer power in the reverse 27 direction from the engine 30 to the engine 50. Thus, the engine 28 30 is never loadcd down by having to drive engine 50 when, on 29 certain occasions, as when the engine 30 is cold, the en~ine 50 has insufficicnt stcam for driving the engine 30.
1 Coul)le~ ~o ~l~e in~)ut o~ the ~uxiliary en~ine 50 at 2 thc cnd o tl~c pipe 41 is a m~cllallically or vacuum opcrated 3 throttlc valvc asseml)ly 60. Thc assc~bly 60 comprises a 4 throttle v~lve 61 ~nd a thro~tle cot-trol 62. The Lllrottlc valve 61 comprises a thro~tle pla~c (not ShOWIl) for operlin~
6 and closing the pipc 41 in a conventional manncr - i.e., 7 in much the same manner as the throttle pla~c in the carburetor 8 of a conventional internal combustion engine. The throttle g control 62 is mechanically coupled to the throttle plate in the valve 61 and to either the carburetor throttle plate or 11 the intake manifold of the engine 30, as illustrated by the 12 dashed lines. ~le control 62 is fixed in such a manner as to 13 open the throttle plate in the valve 61 simultaneously with 1~ the opening of the throttle plate in the carburetor. Indeed, it is preferable that the throttle plate in the valve 61 open 16 ~ully upon any opening of the carburetor throttle plate, in 17 order to provide maximum au~iliary power for acceleration.
18 As is well known, the opening of the throttle plate in the 19 carburetor is accompanied by a reduction of vacuum in the intake manifold. If a vacuum rather than a mechanical control 21 is preferred, this reduction in vacuum may be used to operate 22 the control 62. When so employed, a cylinder and piston respon-23 sive to changes in the intake manifold pressure are used.
24 The piston and cylinder are coupled by a mechanical linkage to the throttle plate and will open the throttle plate of the 26 valve 61 when the vacuum drops in the intake manifold in a 27 conventional manner. A type of vacuum operated piston is shown 28 in Fig. 9.
.~
104~795 1 ~ cylin~rical l~ousin~, 45 incorl~oral:in~ a ch~mb~r 46 2 havin~ a port 47 is conl~ecLed by ~t~ llg 48 to the in~akQ
3 mal~ifold of ~he en~ine 30. In ~he housin~ ~5 is a piston 54 4 having a piston rod 55 sccnred to a throttl~ linliage 56~ and the opposite end of thc cylinder housing 45 is secured to a 6 throttle linkage 57. A coil spring 58 in the chambcr biases 7 the piston 54, namely to thc left in Fig. 9, thc e~ect of thc 8 spring 58 being to lengthen the throttle linkage 56, 57. Thc g throttle 61 for the vapor engile is wide open when the piston 54 is forced all the way~to the left in Fig. 9 by the spacer 11 58. The piston 54 is moved to the right in Fig. 9 by increasing 1~ vacuum in the intake manifold of the engine 30, thereby closin~
13 the throttle 61 and controlling the idling speed of the vapor 14 engine 50. .
16 Coupled to the exhaust port of steam engine 50 and 17 the down-streamend of valve ~1 is a pair of pipes 63 and 64.
18 The pipes 63 and 64 are connected in series with a condenser 19 65 and a pump 66 of conventional construction to the inlet port 2 of the reservoir 1 by means of a pair of pipes 67 and 21 68, thus completing the plumbing for the circulation of the 22 fluid in the reservoir 1 throughout the system.
24 Thc solenoid valve of Fi~. 2:
It is important for the efficient operation of the 26 system of the present invention that changcs in the volume and 27 pressure of the fluid flowing from the reservoir 1 be a linear 28 function of the temperature of the system. In a conventional 29 solcnoid, the force on the solcnoid armature for a given .
: ~ . r ~04~3795 1 currcnt is a ~uoction of tl-c posi~ion of the ~rmature in.
2 tllC sOl~llOid. ~S a conscqucnce, the prcssurc and volumc of a 3 fluid flo-~ing ~hrou~ll a valvc controlled by a convcntional 4 solcnoid, or in~eed any device controllcd by mcans of a convcntional solcnoid, cannot be controllcd normally as a 6 linear function of the currcnt or voltagc applied to ~he 7 Solcnoid~
g Fig. 2 shows in cross-section an embodiment of the novel linear solenoid con~rol valve 7 of the present invention 11 which is coupled to the reservoir 1. The valve 7 has a solenoid 1~ portion 70 and a valve portion 71. In the solenoid portion 70 13 is a hollo~ core coil 72 of wire ~ound on an aluminum spool 73 14 inside a steel housing 74. Inside ~he spool 73 is a plastic sleeve or bearing 75 for slidably receiving a steel armature 76.
l7 The armatuxe 76 is provided at one end wi~h a spherical 18 radius 77, from which extends a generally conically-shaped 19 main body portion 78. The apex of the body portion 78 is pivotably connected by means of a hinge pin 79 to one end of 21 an elongated lever member 80 for coupling the armature 76 to 22 a stainless steel valve rod or member 81 in the valve portion 70.
24 The valve portion 70 comprises a valve housing 85 having an inlet port 86 fitted with a valve seat 89 and an 26 outlet port 87. The valve member 81 is slidably fitted in 27 housin~ 85 in a fluid-tight fashion by means of an 0-ring 88 28 or thc like and is pivotably connected at its exterior end by 29 means of a hinge pin 90 to an intermcdiate poin~ o~ mem~er 80.
Thc opposite end of the member 80 is pivo~ably connected by .
, 1~48795 1 meal-s of a l~in~e pin 91 to an exten~ed ~ortion 92 of tlle ho~sing 2 85. Thc n~ecllu~lic~l rel~tionsllip bet~cen tl-c ar~ature 76, the 3 member 80, the v.~lve m~mber 81 ~nd ~lle various hill~,e pin 4 conncctin~ points dcscribed is such that the valvc mem~er 81 is seated on the ~alve seat 89 ~ en the ar~ature 76 is dr~wn 6 into the core of solenoid portion 70. To overcome ~riction and 7 open tllc ~alve in the absence of fluid pressurc against the 8 valve member 81, a spring member 93 is coupled to the lever g member 80. Me~bcr 93 is shown as a compression spring but may, of course, be any type of means suita~le for or equivalent 11 to member 93 for opening the valve.
14 The amplifier of Fig. 3:
' 16 To operate the valve 7, the coil 72 is prefcrably 17 coupled, as seen in Fig. 1, to the output of a dr amplifier 18 100. The input of the amplifier 100 is coupled to a plurality 19 of temperature-sensitive elements 101 and 102, such as, for example, thermistors. The elcment 101 is located in the pipe 21 31 or in any other suitable location for measuring the temperature 22 f the liquid coolin~ system of the engine 30. The element 102 23 is located in the heat exchanger 20 or any other suitable 24 location for measuring the temperature of the fluid from the rcservoir 1 in the heat exchanger 20 or the temperature of the 26 vapor issuing therefrom. Both elcments 101 and 102 send out 27 a signal which is amplified by the amplifi.er 100 for driving 28 the solenoid valve 7. .
' ~o~79s ~ . 3 show.~ n suit~le scl-ema~ic di~gr~m o~ a 2 dc am~liLier 100 .~n~ its connection Lo the ~hermisLors 101 alld 3 102 and the v~lvc 7. As sllo-~n in F:ig. 3, tllere is provided 4 a pair o~ transis~ors Ql ~nd Q2. The base of Ql is coupled to ground throu~h a po~en~iomc~cr Rl, as of 100 ohr.ls, and to a 6 B+ supply, as of 12 volts, throu~h a resistor R2, as of 430 7 ohms. The cmitter of Ql is coupled to ground Lhrou~h thermistors 8 101 and 102, both of which are providcd ~ith a range of g variable resistance as a function of temperature of 20-1000 ohms. The collector of Ql is coupled to~the base of Q2. The 11 emitter of Q2 is coupled to the B~ supply. The collector of 12 Q2 is coupled to ground through the solenoid coil 72 and a 13 diode D.
16 The heat exchangers of Fig. 4:
18 . Fig. 4 shows in more detail the heat exchanger 20, 19 it being understood that the heat exchanger 21 and any other heat exchanger ~sed in the system may have substantially the 21 same construction. In the heat exc-nanger 20 there is provided 22 a housing 110 having a generally cylindrical interior wall Z3 surface 111 and a pair of dome-shaped end portions 112 and a4 113. Interior of housing 110 is a plurality of spaced plate members 114, 115, 116, 117 and 118 and a plurality of spaced 26 tubular members 119. The plate members 114 and 11~ are 27 positioned in the end portions 112 and 113 for forming a pair 28 of fluid-tight end chambers 120 and 121 having an inlet port ~9 122 and an outlet port 123, respectively, and an intcrior chamber 124 havin~ an inlct port 126 and an outlet port 125, 31 respectively. The plate members 115, 116 and 117 are positioned r ~48795 1 in the chalu~er 124 in between the plaLe members 114 zlnd 118.
2 l~ile each o~ pla~e mem~ers 114 and 11~ forms a fluid-ti~ t 3 seal with tl-e interior wall surfac~ 111, each of in~erior plate 4 m~mbers 115, 116 and 117is p~ovi~cd with a first periphcral S edge portion 130 which conforms to and is contiguous wi~h the 6 interior wall surface 111 and a second peripheral e~ge rortion 7 131 which is spaced from the surface 111 for providing a fluid 8 passageway bett~een the plate 115, 116 and 117 and the surface
9 111. The plates 115, 116 and 117 are further positioned within the chamber 124 such that the fluid passageways formed by the 11 peripheral edges 131 and wall surface 111 are angularly 12 disposed relatively to each other so as to provide a circuitous 13 path for the fluid passing through the chamber 124 about the 14 tubular members 119 from right to left, as sho~m bJ the arrows in the chamber 124.
17 In considering the flow of liquids and gases in the 18 heat exchangers,. it is also believed important to note that the g direction of flow in the tubular members llg is counter to the flow in the chamber 124. Thus, as the fluid in the members 119 21 flows from left to right and is heated, it encounters ever-22 increasing temperatures from the hot liquids and gases in the 23 chamber 124, entering the input port 126 and flowing from right 24 to left. In this fashion maximum and more uniform ~hermal gradients are maintained throughout the length of the heat 26 exchanger and more efficient operation is achieved.
29 Operation of ~he device of Fi~s. 1-4:
In opcration, initially, the internal combustion 31 cngine 30, for purposes of dcscrip~ion, is considered to be r 1 cold. Civen this il~itial coluli~ion, ~hc valve 7 is bias~3 2 open by the spri.n~ me~n~er 93, thc valve 9 is closed, a~ld ~luid 3 is recircul~ted tllroug1l the reservoir 1 by means of the pump 4 5 for rapid w~rm-up.
6 As the engine 30 warms up, thc temperature of ~he 7 exhaust rises, as does the temperature of thc liquid ~rovidcd 8 for cooling the engine 30. As these temperatures continue g to rise, the valve 7 under the control of the thermistors 101 and 102 begins to close, causing a rise i~ the fluid prcssure 11 in the pipe 8. Due to the conical shape of the armature 76 12 in the valve 7, the force on the armature 76, is provided to 13 be a linear function of the applied voltage and independent 14 of the position of the armature 76 in the solenoid 7. Conse-quently, the travel of the armature 76 is substantially linear 16 with respect to the output of the amplificr 100. This linear 17 movement of the armature 76 is reflected in a corresponding 18 movement of the valve member 81 and thereby provides a linear 19 control of the fluid flow through ~he valve 7. As the pressure in the line 8 rises, the valve 9 opens and fluid from the ~1 reservoir 1 flows as a liquid to the input port 122 and then 22 through the tubular members 119 of the heat exchangers 20 and 23 21.
In the heat exchangers 20 and 21, the liquid (fluid) 26 from the reservoir is boiled and vaporized by the heat of the 27 gases and liquid, respectivcly, passing through the tubular 28 chamber 124. The resultin~ vapor is thereafter routed via the 29 outlet port 123 and the pipes 40 and 41 to the input port of ~he vapor cngine 50, through the throttle valve 61. If the ~0 4~7~ S
1 thro~tle of ~he en~ine 30 is opel~, the throttle valve 61 is 2 opcn, due to Llle operation of thc throttle con~rol 62, and 3 maxin~um po~cr is provided by the cn~,ine 50 ~o the cn~inc 30 4 via thc o~errunning clu~ch 52. If, on thc othcr hand, the en~inc 30 is idling, bo~h the throttlcs of the engines 30 6 and 50 are closed or nearly closed, so that vapor pressure 7 will build up. t~en, undcr thesc conditions,thc vapor pressure 8 reaches a predctermined magnit~ldc, the val~e 51 o~ens and the g vapor passes into the condenser 65, wherein it is condensed~
The rcsulting liquid from the condenser ~5 is thereafter 11 pumped by the pump 66 to replenish the reselvoir 1. If the 12 vapor engine 50 is operating, it is obvious that the vapor 13 engine exhaust will also pass to the reservoir 1 through the 14 condenser 65.
17 The system of Fi~. 5:
; 18 19 In so~e instances, it may be undesirable for the engine exhaust gas to be placed in heat exchange relation A 21 directly with the FREON or other such fluid, as sho~m in Fig. 1 22 at the heat exchanger 20. Undesirable hot spots may develop.
24 In the Fig. 5 system, the engine exhaust pipe 140 25 from the engine 30 goes through a heat exchanger 141 in heat- ~ -26 exchange relation with the already-heated liquid coolant coming 27 from the engine 30 via a pipe 142. The cooled exhaust gas is ~
28 thcn vented to atmosphere via t'ne pipe 143, whereas the ~ -29 further-heated coolant is carried by the pipe 142 to a second heat eYchanger 144. There the coolan~ gives up its heat to ~ e"~ fe 5 T1 a Ic /1~or~
.... ~ - _ ' ' ' . ,'' , , , 1~4~'~95 Al tll~ ~r~EON, w~ en~ers as a li~ i(l th~o~lp~ e 145 ~nd 2 le~ves as a vapor throl1~,h ~he pil~e 146. The engin~ oper~io 3 is o~hen~ise basically ~hat alre~ldy described.
Thc solenoid ~alve 150 of ~ir~. 6:
6 The solenoid valvc 7 may be rcpl~ced with the 7 basically similar valve 150 of Fig. 6. Again, a magnctic 8 nrmature 151 is shaped conic.ally ~i~h a hemispherical end 9 152 and is pivoted to a non-ma~nctic lever 153 for movement inside a core 154 having a spool 155 ~lith a wire winding 156 11 and a plastic bearing 157. The lever 15~ is pivoted at 158 12 to a stationary member 159, and a valve stem 160 is pivoted 13 to the lever 153. The stem 160 acts on a diaphragm 161 to 14 control the fluid flow between an inlet port 162 and an outlet - 15 port 163. Again, the outlet port 163 is cut off until a 16 desired temperature is reached in the engine coolant. To 17 prevent damage to the diaphragm 161 a non-magnetic stop 164, 18 which may be aluminum or plastic, is used to limit inward 19 movement of the armature 151.
21 The solenoid valve 170 of Fig. 7: .
~2 Another usablc valve 170 has an armature 171 like 23 that of Fig. 6 but with an extension that extends out through 24 a non-magnetic stop 176 and the solenoid's core 172 and directly engages a diaphragm 173 controlling ~he passage of 26 fluid from an inlet port 174 to an outlet port 175. A tension 27 spring 177 is secured to the small end 178 of the armature 171 28 and also to a non-magnetic support 179 which may be secured to 2~ the body 172. The operation is basically the same as that of I-hc valve 150.
?/~ de~fc s trd J~ r~
104~79S
1 l~ilc tl~c al-m~tur~s i51, 171, and 76 arc sllo~ as 2 round and conical, it is feasi~lc ~o en~ploy arn~atures th~t 3 arc pyrami~al or otherwisc t~pered. Tllc tapcr is the import~nt 4 thing. Thc cn~ sho~l as spherical can be othcn7ise sh~ped also, as by chamfering a prism.
7 The amplifier circuit of Fi~. 8:
8 An improved ampli~ier circuit is shown in Fig. 8. -9 Again transistors Ql (e.g., a 2N2219) and Q2 (e.g., a 2N6050) are used, connected as bêfore in general. Howe~er, the +12 11 volt bus is here connected to the collector of Ql and the 12 base of Q2 through a resistor R3 (e.g., ï600 ohms), and the 13 base of Ql is connected to a variable resistor R4 (e.g., of 14 2000 ohms). The resistor R4 is connected to ground via a resistor R5 (e.g., 5600 ohms) and, if desired, a variable, 16 manually controlled rneostat R6. The +12 volt bus is connec~ed 17 to the resistor ~4 via a resistor R7 (e;g., 3000 ohms) and a 18 resistor R8 (e.g., 3300 ohms).
A variable tap 180 of the rheostat R6 is connected 21 to a line 181 in parallel with the resistors R7, R4, R5 and 22 R6 and is grounded through a resistor R8 (e.g., 40 ohms).
23 The line 181 is connected between the resistor R6 and the 24 resistor R7 and includes two diodes D2 and D3 (like the diode D, these may be IN4003). The diodes D2 and D3 lengthen 26 the life of the transistors Ql and Q2; without these the 27 reverse current from thc solenoid 150 when the current is turned 28 off tends to burn out the transistors. Also, the amplification 29 factor is lar~cr than for the circuit of Fig. 3.
1(~4~795 l While ~escril~ed ~iLI~ re;~ect ~o n sp~cific em~o~ ellt 2 en~plo~ a cer~aill numl~er of nov~l comron~lts it is undcrstood 3 t~-at olle or more of the novel colnl~onents described may bc 4 r~placed b~ conventiotlal coln~ollellts witl~out departing from the spirit ~nd scope of the invention. It is also to be undcrstood 6 that various combinations of tl-c conventional components 7 descri~ed may also be used interchange3bly with othcr conven-8 tional components and that various other chan~es may be made in g materials and in arrangement of the parts. Accordingly the description of the preferred embodimellt provided herein is 11 intendcd only for purposes of illustration and should not be 12 interpreted as limiting the invention as hereinafter claimed.
16 :
_.. _. ." _ ,._,. _~ _, ., , . .. _ . .....
r
17 In considering the flow of liquids and gases in the 18 heat exchangers,. it is also believed important to note that the g direction of flow in the tubular members llg is counter to the flow in the chamber 124. Thus, as the fluid in the members 119 21 flows from left to right and is heated, it encounters ever-22 increasing temperatures from the hot liquids and gases in the 23 chamber 124, entering the input port 126 and flowing from right 24 to left. In this fashion maximum and more uniform ~hermal gradients are maintained throughout the length of the heat 26 exchanger and more efficient operation is achieved.
29 Operation of ~he device of Fi~s. 1-4:
In opcration, initially, the internal combustion 31 cngine 30, for purposes of dcscrip~ion, is considered to be r 1 cold. Civen this il~itial coluli~ion, ~hc valve 7 is bias~3 2 open by the spri.n~ me~n~er 93, thc valve 9 is closed, a~ld ~luid 3 is recircul~ted tllroug1l the reservoir 1 by means of the pump 4 5 for rapid w~rm-up.
6 As the engine 30 warms up, thc temperature of ~he 7 exhaust rises, as does the temperature of thc liquid ~rovidcd 8 for cooling the engine 30. As these temperatures continue g to rise, the valve 7 under the control of the thermistors 101 and 102 begins to close, causing a rise i~ the fluid prcssure 11 in the pipe 8. Due to the conical shape of the armature 76 12 in the valve 7, the force on the armature 76, is provided to 13 be a linear function of the applied voltage and independent 14 of the position of the armature 76 in the solenoid 7. Conse-quently, the travel of the armature 76 is substantially linear 16 with respect to the output of the amplificr 100. This linear 17 movement of the armature 76 is reflected in a corresponding 18 movement of the valve member 81 and thereby provides a linear 19 control of the fluid flow through ~he valve 7. As the pressure in the line 8 rises, the valve 9 opens and fluid from the ~1 reservoir 1 flows as a liquid to the input port 122 and then 22 through the tubular members 119 of the heat exchangers 20 and 23 21.
In the heat exchangers 20 and 21, the liquid (fluid) 26 from the reservoir is boiled and vaporized by the heat of the 27 gases and liquid, respectivcly, passing through the tubular 28 chamber 124. The resultin~ vapor is thereafter routed via the 29 outlet port 123 and the pipes 40 and 41 to the input port of ~he vapor cngine 50, through the throttle valve 61. If the ~0 4~7~ S
1 thro~tle of ~he en~ine 30 is opel~, the throttle valve 61 is 2 opcn, due to Llle operation of thc throttle con~rol 62, and 3 maxin~um po~cr is provided by the cn~,ine 50 ~o the cn~inc 30 4 via thc o~errunning clu~ch 52. If, on thc othcr hand, the en~inc 30 is idling, bo~h the throttlcs of the engines 30 6 and 50 are closed or nearly closed, so that vapor pressure 7 will build up. t~en, undcr thesc conditions,thc vapor pressure 8 reaches a predctermined magnit~ldc, the val~e 51 o~ens and the g vapor passes into the condenser 65, wherein it is condensed~
The rcsulting liquid from the condenser ~5 is thereafter 11 pumped by the pump 66 to replenish the reselvoir 1. If the 12 vapor engine 50 is operating, it is obvious that the vapor 13 engine exhaust will also pass to the reservoir 1 through the 14 condenser 65.
17 The system of Fi~. 5:
; 18 19 In so~e instances, it may be undesirable for the engine exhaust gas to be placed in heat exchange relation A 21 directly with the FREON or other such fluid, as sho~m in Fig. 1 22 at the heat exchanger 20. Undesirable hot spots may develop.
24 In the Fig. 5 system, the engine exhaust pipe 140 25 from the engine 30 goes through a heat exchanger 141 in heat- ~ -26 exchange relation with the already-heated liquid coolant coming 27 from the engine 30 via a pipe 142. The cooled exhaust gas is ~
28 thcn vented to atmosphere via t'ne pipe 143, whereas the ~ -29 further-heated coolant is carried by the pipe 142 to a second heat eYchanger 144. There the coolan~ gives up its heat to ~ e"~ fe 5 T1 a Ic /1~or~
.... ~ - _ ' ' ' . ,'' , , , 1~4~'~95 Al tll~ ~r~EON, w~ en~ers as a li~ i(l th~o~lp~ e 145 ~nd 2 le~ves as a vapor throl1~,h ~he pil~e 146. The engin~ oper~io 3 is o~hen~ise basically ~hat alre~ldy described.
Thc solenoid ~alve 150 of ~ir~. 6:
6 The solenoid valvc 7 may be rcpl~ced with the 7 basically similar valve 150 of Fig. 6. Again, a magnctic 8 nrmature 151 is shaped conic.ally ~i~h a hemispherical end 9 152 and is pivoted to a non-ma~nctic lever 153 for movement inside a core 154 having a spool 155 ~lith a wire winding 156 11 and a plastic bearing 157. The lever 15~ is pivoted at 158 12 to a stationary member 159, and a valve stem 160 is pivoted 13 to the lever 153. The stem 160 acts on a diaphragm 161 to 14 control the fluid flow between an inlet port 162 and an outlet - 15 port 163. Again, the outlet port 163 is cut off until a 16 desired temperature is reached in the engine coolant. To 17 prevent damage to the diaphragm 161 a non-magnetic stop 164, 18 which may be aluminum or plastic, is used to limit inward 19 movement of the armature 151.
21 The solenoid valve 170 of Fig. 7: .
~2 Another usablc valve 170 has an armature 171 like 23 that of Fig. 6 but with an extension that extends out through 24 a non-magnetic stop 176 and the solenoid's core 172 and directly engages a diaphragm 173 controlling ~he passage of 26 fluid from an inlet port 174 to an outlet port 175. A tension 27 spring 177 is secured to the small end 178 of the armature 171 28 and also to a non-magnetic support 179 which may be secured to 2~ the body 172. The operation is basically the same as that of I-hc valve 150.
?/~ de~fc s trd J~ r~
104~79S
1 l~ilc tl~c al-m~tur~s i51, 171, and 76 arc sllo~ as 2 round and conical, it is feasi~lc ~o en~ploy arn~atures th~t 3 arc pyrami~al or otherwisc t~pered. Tllc tapcr is the import~nt 4 thing. Thc cn~ sho~l as spherical can be othcn7ise sh~ped also, as by chamfering a prism.
7 The amplifier circuit of Fi~. 8:
8 An improved ampli~ier circuit is shown in Fig. 8. -9 Again transistors Ql (e.g., a 2N2219) and Q2 (e.g., a 2N6050) are used, connected as bêfore in general. Howe~er, the +12 11 volt bus is here connected to the collector of Ql and the 12 base of Q2 through a resistor R3 (e.g., ï600 ohms), and the 13 base of Ql is connected to a variable resistor R4 (e.g., of 14 2000 ohms). The resistor R4 is connected to ground via a resistor R5 (e.g., 5600 ohms) and, if desired, a variable, 16 manually controlled rneostat R6. The +12 volt bus is connec~ed 17 to the resistor ~4 via a resistor R7 (e;g., 3000 ohms) and a 18 resistor R8 (e.g., 3300 ohms).
A variable tap 180 of the rheostat R6 is connected 21 to a line 181 in parallel with the resistors R7, R4, R5 and 22 R6 and is grounded through a resistor R8 (e.g., 40 ohms).
23 The line 181 is connected between the resistor R6 and the 24 resistor R7 and includes two diodes D2 and D3 (like the diode D, these may be IN4003). The diodes D2 and D3 lengthen 26 the life of the transistors Ql and Q2; without these the 27 reverse current from thc solenoid 150 when the current is turned 28 off tends to burn out the transistors. Also, the amplification 29 factor is lar~cr than for the circuit of Fig. 3.
1(~4~795 l While ~escril~ed ~iLI~ re;~ect ~o n sp~cific em~o~ ellt 2 en~plo~ a cer~aill numl~er of nov~l comron~lts it is undcrstood 3 t~-at olle or more of the novel colnl~onents described may bc 4 r~placed b~ conventiotlal coln~ollellts witl~out departing from the spirit ~nd scope of the invention. It is also to be undcrstood 6 that various combinations of tl-c conventional components 7 descri~ed may also be used interchange3bly with othcr conven-8 tional components and that various other chan~es may be made in g materials and in arrangement of the parts. Accordingly the description of the preferred embodimellt provided herein is 11 intendcd only for purposes of illustration and should not be 12 interpreted as limiting the invention as hereinafter claimed.
16 :
_.. _. ." _ ,._,. _~ _, ., , . .. _ . .....
r
Claims (11)
PROPERTY OR PRIVILEGE IS CLAIMED ARE DEFINED AS FOLLOWS:
1. Apparatus for providing mechanical power from normally wasted heat energy, comprising:
primary power-generating means for generating primary power, power-consuming means driven by said power-generating means for employing said primary power to do useful work and producing waste heat, fluid having a boiling point well below that of water, heat exchange means connected to said power-consuming means for heating said fluid from a liquid state to a vapor by employing said waste heat, vapor-operated engine means for generating power from the energy supplied by said vapor, control means for automatically controlling the flow of said fluid to said heat exchange means in accordance with the temperature of said waste heat, including temperature-sensitive means for providing an output signal as a function of temperature, and valve means connected to said temperature-sensitive means for controlling said fluid flow as a function of said output signal.
primary power-generating means for generating primary power, power-consuming means driven by said power-generating means for employing said primary power to do useful work and producing waste heat, fluid having a boiling point well below that of water, heat exchange means connected to said power-consuming means for heating said fluid from a liquid state to a vapor by employing said waste heat, vapor-operated engine means for generating power from the energy supplied by said vapor, control means for automatically controlling the flow of said fluid to said heat exchange means in accordance with the temperature of said waste heat, including temperature-sensitive means for providing an output signal as a function of temperature, and valve means connected to said temperature-sensitive means for controlling said fluid flow as a function of said output signal.
2. The apparatus of claim 1 having coupling means for coupling said vapor-operated engine means to said primary power-generating means for adding :`
power to the output of said primary power-generating means.
power to the output of said primary power-generating means.
3. Apparatus for providing mechanical power from normally wasted heat energy, comprising:
primary engine means for generating primary power and heat not used for said primary power, fluid having a boiling point well below that of water, heat exchange means connected to said engine for heating said fluid from a liquid state to a vapor by employing heat normally wasted by said primary engine means, auxiliary vapor-operated engine means for generating power from the energy supplied by said vapor, and control means for automatically controlling the flow of said fluid to said heat exchange means in accordance with the temperature of said primary engine, including temperature-sensitive means for providing an output signal as a function of temperature, and valve means connected to said temperature-sensitive means for controlling said fluid flow as a function of said output signal.
primary engine means for generating primary power and heat not used for said primary power, fluid having a boiling point well below that of water, heat exchange means connected to said engine for heating said fluid from a liquid state to a vapor by employing heat normally wasted by said primary engine means, auxiliary vapor-operated engine means for generating power from the energy supplied by said vapor, and control means for automatically controlling the flow of said fluid to said heat exchange means in accordance with the temperature of said primary engine, including temperature-sensitive means for providing an output signal as a function of temperature, and valve means connected to said temperature-sensitive means for controlling said fluid flow as a function of said output signal.
4. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein said valve means includes a solenoid valve having a field coil and an armature movable in response to current in said field coil, said armature being shaped so as to give a power output that is a substantially linear function of said output signal, a valve body having a valve seat, a valve member movably located in said valve body, and valve control means connecting said valve member to said armature for moving said valve member to and from said valve seat to control fluid flow therethrough as a substantially linear function to said output signal.
5. The apparatus of claim 4 wherein said armature is shaped as a tapered body having a large end and a small end.
6. The apparatus of claim 4 wherein said valve member comprises a diaphragm and diaphragm-controlling member mechanically connected to said armature.
7. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein said coupling means comprises overrunning clutch means whereby said vapor-operated engine means can drive said primary power-generating means but not vice versa,
8. Apppratus for providing mechanical power from normally wasted heat energy, comprising:
primary engine means for generating primary power and heat not used for said primary power, fluid having a boiling point well below that of water, heat exchange means connected to said engine for heating said fluid from a liquid state to a vapor by employing heat normally wasted by said primary engine means, auxiliary vapor-operated engine means for generating power from the energy supplied by said vapor, coupling means for coupling said auxiliary engine to said primary engine for adding power to the output of said primary engine, and control means for automatically controlling the flow of said fluid to said heat exchange means in accordance with the temperature of said primary engine, including temperature-sensitive means for providing an output signal as a function of temperature, and valve means connected to said temperature-sensitive means for controlling said fluid flow as a function of said output signal.
primary engine means for generating primary power and heat not used for said primary power, fluid having a boiling point well below that of water, heat exchange means connected to said engine for heating said fluid from a liquid state to a vapor by employing heat normally wasted by said primary engine means, auxiliary vapor-operated engine means for generating power from the energy supplied by said vapor, coupling means for coupling said auxiliary engine to said primary engine for adding power to the output of said primary engine, and control means for automatically controlling the flow of said fluid to said heat exchange means in accordance with the temperature of said primary engine, including temperature-sensitive means for providing an output signal as a function of temperature, and valve means connected to said temperature-sensitive means for controlling said fluid flow as a function of said output signal.
9. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein said valve means includes a solenoid valve having a field coil with a hollow core and an armature movable within said core in response to current in said field coil, said armature being shaped so as to give a power output that is a substantially linear function of said output signal, a valve body having a valve seat, a valve member movably located in said valve body, and valve control means connecting said valve member to said armature for moving said valve member to and from said valve seat to control fluid flow therethrough as a substantially linear function of said output signal.
10. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein said armature is shaped as a steadily tapered body terminating in a rounded end.
11. The apparatus of claim 10 wherein said body is a cone with a hemispherical end.
Applications Claiming Priority (3)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| US52426274A | 1974-11-15 | 1974-11-15 | |
| US05/630,415 US4031705A (en) | 1974-11-15 | 1975-11-10 | Auxiliary power system and apparatus |
| CA239,682A CA1038631A (en) | 1974-11-15 | 1975-11-14 | Auxiliary power system and apparatus |
Publications (1)
| Publication Number | Publication Date |
|---|---|
| CA1048795A true CA1048795A (en) | 1979-02-20 |
Family
ID=27164196
Family Applications (3)
| Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA295,790A Expired CA1053647A (en) | 1974-11-15 | 1978-01-27 | Auxiliary power system and apparatus |
| CA295,791A Expired CA1053306A (en) | 1974-11-15 | 1978-01-27 | Solenoid with armature shaped for linear operation |
| CA78295789A Expired CA1048795A (en) | 1974-11-15 | 1978-01-27 | Auxiliary power system and apparatus |
Family Applications Before (2)
| Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA295,790A Expired CA1053647A (en) | 1974-11-15 | 1978-01-27 | Auxiliary power system and apparatus |
| CA295,791A Expired CA1053306A (en) | 1974-11-15 | 1978-01-27 | Solenoid with armature shaped for linear operation |
Country Status (1)
| Country | Link |
|---|---|
| CA (3) | CA1053647A (en) |
-
1978
- 1978-01-27 CA CA295,790A patent/CA1053647A/en not_active Expired
- 1978-01-27 CA CA295,791A patent/CA1053306A/en not_active Expired
- 1978-01-27 CA CA78295789A patent/CA1048795A/en not_active Expired
Also Published As
| Publication number | Publication date |
|---|---|
| CA1053306A (en) | 1979-04-24 |
| CA1053647A (en) | 1979-05-01 |
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