Advanced high efficiency, ultra-low emission, thermochemically recuperated reciprocating internal combustion engine

Abstract

An apparatus including an exhaust gas source, such as a reciprocating internal combustion engine, industrial furnace, industrial heater, gasification reactor, and a thermochemical recuperator in which a fuel is reformed. The thermochemical recuperator is heated by exhaust gases from the reciprocating internal combustion engine and steam for the reforming process is produced by passing feed water through an engine lubricating oil heat exchanger, an engine cooling system heat recovery system and an exhaust gas heat recovery system arranged in series.

1 . An apparatus comprising: 
 a thermochemical recuperator having an exhaust gas inlet in fluid communication with an exhaust gas outlet of an exhaust gas source selected from the group consisting of reciprocating internal combustion engines, industrial furnaces, industrial heaters, gasification reactors and combinations thereof, an exhaust gas outlet in fluid communication with an exhaust gas heat recovery system, said exhaust gas heat recovery system adapted to recover heat from an exhaust gas generated by said exhaust gas source, a recuperator feedstock fuel inlet and a reformed fuel outlet;    a fuel conduit having a feedstock fuel inlet and a feedstock fuel outlet, said feedstock fuel outlet in fluid communication with said recuperator feedstock fuel inlet; and    a reformed fuel conduit in fluid communication with said reformed fuel outlet and a fuel inlet of said exhaust gas source.    
   
   
       2 . An apparatus in accordance with  claim 1  further comprising an exhaust gas recirculation system having a recirculated exhaust gas outlet in fluid communication with said fuel conduit.  
   
   
       3 . An apparatus in accordance with  claim 1  further comprising a steam source having a steam outlet in fluid communication with said recuperator feedstock fuel inlet.