Energy recuperation machine system for power plant and the like

Abstract

A heat energy reclaim system and method for providing output power from input latent heat energy of a hot source fluid and including means for capturing the latent heat energy from the hot source fluid, that includes an input distribution pipe network for distributing the hot source fluid along a plurality of paths with reduced flow and flow rate, and a respective external heat motor operatively connected to each reduced flow path to provide a portion of the output power. Each motor has shaped piston heads to improve heat transfer between the internal gas and the cylinder walls exposed to the hot source fluid and a cold source fluid, respectively, as well as small internal gas conduits also exposed to the hot source fluid, and other characteristics; therefore increasing the motor and system efficiency.

1 . A heat energy reclaim system for providing output power from input latent heat energy of a hot source fluid, said system comprising: 
 means for capturing the latent heat energy from the hot source fluid, said capturing means including an input distribution pipe network for distributing the hot source fluid along a plurality of paths with reduced flow and flow rate; and    a respective external heat motor operatively connected to each one of said reduced flow paths for providing a portion of the output power.    
   
   
       2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein said network includes a plurality of main input pipes for receiving the hot source fluid therein, each said main input pipe being in fluid communication with a plurality of respective secondary input pipes, all said secondary input pipes connected downstream of one of said main input pipes being said reduced flow paths and having corresponding said external heat motors connected to an output shaft for delivering said output power portions thereto.  
   
   
       3 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein each said secondary input pipe includes a flow control valve for controlling a flow of the hot source fluid flowing therethrough.  
   
   
       4 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein each said secondary input pipe, downstream of respective said motor, is subdivided into a gas output secondary pipe and a liquid output secondary pipe for receiving a gas portion and a liquid portion of the hot source fluid therein, respectively.  
   
   
       5 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein said external heat motor includes: 
 a piston axially slidably and reciprocally engaging a corresponding cylinder between an extended position in which said piston and said cylinder define a gas chamber with a first volume therebetween and a retracted position in which said gas chamber has a second volume less than said first volume, said piston having a head partially defining said gas chamber and generally axially facing said cylinder, said piston head having a shaped head surface with a plurality of head protrusions extending substantially outwardly axially therefrom so as to enable increased turbulences of a gas located within said gas chamber when said piston is being displaced relative to said cylinder;    said cylinder being exposable to the hot source fluid for receiving latent heat therefrom and transmitting the received latent heat to the turbulent gas inside the gas chamber for actuation of said piston; and    an output shaft operatively connected to said piston for transmitting said displacement thereof, thereby providing the motor output power.    
   
   
       6 . The system of  claim 5 , wherein said cylinder has a bottom wall partially defining said gas chamber and generally axially facing said piston head, said bottom wall having a shaped wall surface with a plurality of wall recesses extending substantially inwardly axially therein, each said head protrusion selectively engaging a respective said wall recesses when said piston moves from said extended position toward said contracted position.  
   
   
       7 . The system of  claim 6 , wherein said cylinder shaped wall surface is substantially a complementary image of said piston shaped head surface.  
   
   
       8 . The system of  claim 6 , wherein said cylinder wall recesses define respective gas chamber portions spaced apart and generally parallel relative to one another so as to form a plurality of individual sub-cylinders of reduced cross-section area for increased heat exchange between said cylinder wall and the gas inside said gas chamber portions.  
   
   
       9 . The system of  claim 6 , wherein each said cylinder wall recess defines a bottom region thereof, each said wall recess being in fluid communication with at least one adjacent of said wall recesses at respective said bottom region.  
   
   
       10 . The system of  claim 9 , wherein said wall recesses is in fluid communication with each other at respective said bottom region, thereby forming a cylinder bottom head in fluid communication with each said wall recess.  
   
   
       11 . The system of  claim 10 , further including a plurality of gas conduits being in fluid communication with said cylinder bottom head for allowing the gas to enter and exit said gas chamber therethrough.  
   
   
       12 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein said gas conduits include a plurality of inlet gas conduits and a plurality of outlet gas conduits for allowing the gas to enter and exit said gas chamber therethrough, respectively, each said inlet and outlet gas conduit having a one-way flow control valve for controlling the flow of gas therethrough.  
   
   
       13 . The system of  claim 12 , further including a conduit heat exchanger in fluid connection with respective said inlet gas conduits, said conduit heat exchanger being exposable to the hot source for receiving latent heat therefrom and transmitting the received latent heat to the gas inside the conduit heat exchanger for heating the gas flowing therein.  
   
   
       14 . The system of  claim 12 , further including at least one conduit heat exchanger in fluid connection with said inlet gas conduits, said conduit heat exchanger being exposable to the hot source for receiving latent heat therefrom and transmitting the received latent heat to the gas inside the conduit heat exchanger for heating the gas flowing therein.  
   
   
       15 . The system of  claim 14 , wherein said conduit heat exchanger includes serpentines in fluid connection with respective said inlet gas conduit.  
   
   
       16 . The system of  claim 14 , wherein said cylinder bottom wall includes a fin network extending outwardly therefrom, said fin network being exposable to the hot source fluid for receiving latent heat therefrom and conductively transmitting the received latent heat to the cylinder bottom wall for transfer to the gas inside the gas chamber.  
   
   
       17 . The system of  claim 16 , wherein said fin network further extends outwardly from said outlet gas conduits, said fin network being exposable to the hot source fluid for receiving latent heat therefrom and conductively transmitting the received latent heat to the cylinder bottom wall and the inlet gas conduits for transfer to the gas flowing therein.  
   
   
       18 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein said external heat motor includes: 
 a piston axially slidably and reciprocally axially engaging a corresponding cylinder between an extended position in which said piston and said cylinder define a gas chamber therebetween;    a displacer dividing said gas chamber into first and second chamber sections being located adjacent and away from said piston, respectively, said displacer being axially displaceable within said gas chamber for selectively controlling volumes of said first and second chamber sections, said displacer including a plurality of rod spaced and parallel from one another, said plurality of rod connecting to each other for simultaneous displacement thereof in respective gas chamber portions of reduced cross-section area for increased heat exchange between said cylinder and the gas inside said gas chamber portions;    a gas conduit being in fluid communication with said first and second chamber sections to allow an internal gas to flow therethrough between first and second chamber sections;    a section of said cylinder adjacent one of said first and second chamber sections being exposable to the hot source fluid for receiving latent heat therefrom and transmitting the received latent heat to the gas inside gas chamber portions of corresponding said chamber section with increased heat exchange therebetween for displacement thereof and actuation of said piston; and    an output shaft operatively connected to said piston for transmitting said displacement thereof, thereby providing the motor output power.    
   
   
       19 . The system of  claim 18 , wherein said external heat motor includes a means for actuating said displacer within said cylinder so as to selectively control motor cycles durations for selective increased heat transfer between said cylinder and the gas inside said gas chamber portions.  
   
   
       20 . The system of  claim 19 , wherein said displacer actuating means is a connecting rod connecting said displacer to said output shaft.  
   
   
       21 . The system of  claim 18 , wherein said displacer actuating means is a displacer retarding mechanism connecting said displacer to said piston.  
   
   
       22 . The system of  claim 21 , wherein said displacer retarding mechanism includes a displacer bar having a first longitudinal bar end mounted on said displacer and a second longitudinal bar end axially slidably connected to said piston between first and second limit positions relative thereto for free displacement of said second bar end relative to said piston between said first and second limit positions.  
   
   
       23 . The system of  claim 22 , wherein said displacer retarding mechanism includes dampers located at said first and second limit positions for damping displacement of said bar second end relative to said piston at corresponding said limit position.  
   
   
       24 . The system of  claim 18 , wherein each one of said plurality of rods is generally cylindrical and is axially displaceable within a corresponding axial cylindrical portion of said gas chamber.  
   
   
       25 . The system of  claim 24 , wherein each one of said plurality of rods has shaped opposed longitudinal rods ends for increasing turbulences of the internal gas inside said first and second chamber sections upon axial displacement of said rods within said gas chamber.  
   
   
       26 . A method for providing output power from input latent heat energy of a hot source fluid, said method comprising the steps of: 
 a) distributing a flow of the hot source fluid through an input distribution pipe network into a plurality of paths with reduced flow and flow rate; and    b) operatively connecting a respective external heat motor to each one of said reduced flow paths for providing a portion of the output power.    
   
   
       27 . An external heat motor for providing output power from input latent heat energy of a hot source fluid connected thereto, said motor comprising: 
 a piston axially slidably and reciprocally engaging a corresponding cylinder, said cylinder defining a plurality of generally cylindrical gas chambers spaced apart from one another and extending generally axially and in a generally parallel relationship relative to one another, said piston having a plurality of piston heads generally spaced apart from one another and extending generally axially and in a generally parallel relationship relative to one another, each said piston heads axially slidably and reciprocally engaging a corresponding said gas chambers;    said cylinder being exposable to the hot source fluid for receiving latent heat therefrom and transmitting the received latent heat to the gas inside the gas chambers for displacement of respective said piston heads and said piston relative to said cylinder; and    an output shaft operatively connected to said piston for transmitting said displacement thereof, thereby providing the motor output power.    
   
   
       28 . The motor of  claim 27 , wherein each said gas chambers has a bottom wall thereof, each said gas chambers being in fluid communication with at least one adjacent of said gas chambers at respective said bottom walls.  
   
   
       29 . The motor of  claim 27 , wherein each said gas chambers has a bottom wall thereof, said gas chambers being in fluid communication with one another at respective said bottom walls.  
   
   
       30 . An external heat motor for providing output power from input latent heat energy of a hot source fluid connected thereto, said motor comprising: 
 a piston axially slidably and reciprocally engaging a corresponding cylinder between an extended position in which said piston and said cylinder define a gas chamber with a first volume therebetween and a retracted position in which said gas chamber has a second volume less than said first volume, said piston having a head partially defining said gas chamber and generally axially facing said cylinder, said piston head having a shaped head surface with a plurality of head protrusions extending substantially outwardly axially therefrom so as to enable increased turbulences of a gas located within said gas chamber when said piston is being displaced relative to said cylinder;    said cylinder being exposable to the hot source fluid for receiving latent heat therefrom and transmitting the received latent heat to the turbulent gas inside the gas chamber for actuation of said piston; and    an output shaft operatively connected to said piston for transmitting said displacement thereof, thereby providing the motor output power.    
   
   
       31 . An external heat motor for providing output power from input latent heat energy of a hot source fluid connected thereto, said motor comprising: 
 a piston axially slidably and reciprocally engaging a corresponding cylinder between an extended position in which said piston and said cylinder define a gas chamber therebetween, said cylinder having an internal chamber wall partially defining said gas chamber, said internal chamber wall having a fin network extending outwardly therefrom, said fin network being exposable to the hot source fluid for receiving latent heat therefrom and conductively transmitting the received latent heat to the internal chamber wall for transfer to the gas inside the gas chamber so as to displace said piston relative to said cylinder; and    an output shaft operatively connected to said piston for transmitting said displacement thereof, thereby providing the motor output power.