System for recovering waste heat

Abstract

A waste heat recovery system includes a heat generation system including at least two separate heat sources having different temperatures. A rankine cycle system is coupled to the at least two separate heat sources and configured to circulate a working fluid. The rankine cycle system is coupled to at least one heat source and another heat source among the at least two separate heat sources. The rankine cycle system is configured to remove heat from the at least one heat source to partially vaporize or preheat the working fluid; and remove heat from the other heat source to vaporize or superheat the working fluid.

1 . A waste heat recovery system comprising:
 a heat generation system comprising at least two separate heat sources having different temperatures; and   a rankine cycle system coupled to the at least two separate heat sources and configured to circulate a working fluid;   wherein the rankine cycle system is coupled to at least one heat source and another heat source among the at least two separate heat sources; wherein the rankine cycle system is configured to remove heat from the at least one heat source to partially vaporize or preheat the working fluid; and remove heat from the other heat source to vaporize or superheat the working fluid.   
     
     
         2 . The recovery system of  claim 1 , wherein the rankine cycle system further comprises an evaporator coupled to the other heat source, and wherein the other heat source comprises an engine exhaust unit. 
     
     
         3 . The recovery system of  claim 2 , wherein an exhaust gas from the engine exhaust unit is circulated in heat exchange relationship with the working fluid via the evaporator to completely vaporize or superheat the working fluid. 
     
     
         4 . The recovery system of  claim 2 , wherein the evaporator is coupled to the engine exhaust unit via a separate exhaust gas heat exchanger. 
     
     
         5 . The recovery system of  claim 4 , wherein an exhaust gas from the engine exhaust unit is circulated in heat exchange relationship with thermal oil or water via the separate exhaust gas heat exchanger to heat the thermal oil or water. 
     
     
         6 . The recovery system of  claim 5 , wherein the heated thermal oil or water is circulated in heat exchange relationship with the working fluid via the evaporator to completely vaporize or superheat the working fluid. 
     
     
         7 . The recovery system of  claim 1 , wherein the rankine cycle system comprises an expander coupled to the evaporator and a generator unit; wherein the expander comprises at least one radial type expander, axial type expander, screw type or impulse type expander. 
     
     
         8 . The recovery system of  claim 1 , wherein the rankine cycle system comprises a condenser, an expander, and the at least one heat source selected from a group comprising an oil heat exchanger, an engine jacket, a water jacket heat exchanger, a lower temperature intercooler, a higher temperature intercooler, or combinations thereof. 
     
     
         9 . The recovery system of  claim 1 , wherein the working fluid comprises an organic fluid comprising propane, butane, pentafluoro-propane, pentafluoro-butane, pentafluoro-polyether, silicone oil, cyclohexane, cyclopentane, thiophene, ketones, aromatics, or combinations thereof. 
     
     
         10 . The recovery system of  claim 1 , wherein the heat generation system comprises a combustion engine. 
     
     
         11 . A waste heat recovery system comprising:
 a heat generation system comprising at least two separate heat sources having different temperatures; and   a rankine cycle system coupled to the at least two separate heat sources and configured to circulate a working fluid; wherein the rankine cycle system comprises:   a condenser coupled to at least one heat source among the at least two separate heat sources; wherein heat from the at least one heat source is used to partially vaporize or preheat the working fluid;   an evaporator coupled to another heat source among the at least two separate heat sources and configured to and remove heat from the other heat source to vaporize or superheat the working fluid.   
     
     
         12  The recovery system of  claim 11 , wherein the other heat source comprises an engine exhaust unit; wherein an exhaust gas from the engine exhaust unit is circulated in heat exchange relationship with the working fluid via the evaporator to vaporize or superheat the working fluid. 
     
     
         13 . The recovery system of  claim 12 , wherein the evaporator is coupled to the engine exhaust unit via a separate exhaust gas heat exchanger. 
     
     
         14 . The recovery system of  claim 13 , wherein an exhaust gas from the engine exhaust unit is circulated in heat exchange relationship with thermal oil or water via the separate exhaust gas heat exchanger to heat the thermal oil or water. 
     
     
         15 . The recovery system of  claim 14 , wherein the heated thermal oil or water is circulated in heat exchange relationship with the working fluid via the evaporator to completely vaporize or superheat the working fluid. 
     
     
         16 . The recovery system of  claim 12 , wherein the at least one heat source selected from a group comprising an oil heat exchanger, an engine jacket, a water jacket heat exchanger, a lower temperature intercooler, a higher temperature intercooler, or combinations thereof. 
     
     
         17 . The recovery system of  claim 16 , further comprising a partial evaporator; wherein the condenser is coupled to the oil heat exchanger, the engine jacket, the water jacket heat exchanger, the engine jacket, the lower temperature intercooler, the higher temperature intercooler, or combinations thereof through the partial evaporator configured to preheat or partially evaporate the working fluid before entering the evaporator. 
     
     
         18 . The recovery system of  claim 17 , wherein heated water is circulated in heat exchange relationship with the working fluid through the partial evaporator to preheat or partially evaporate the working fluid before entering the evaporator. 
     
     
         19 . A waste heat recovery system comprising:
 a heat generation system comprising at least two separate heat sources having different temperatures; and   a rankine cycle system coupled to the at least two separate heat sources and configured to circulate a working fluid; wherein the rankine cycle system comprises:   an evaporator coupled to at least one heat source and another heat source among the at least two separate heat sources; wherein heat from the at least one heat source and the other heat source is used to heat water; wherein the heated water is circulated in heat exchange relationship with the working fluid via the evaporator to vaporize the working fluid.   
     
     
         20 . The recovery system of  claim 19 ; wherein the other heat source comprises an engine exhaust unit; wherein the evaporator is coupled to the engine exhaust unit via an intermediate heat exchanger. 
     
     
         21 . The recovery system of  claim 20 ; wherein an exhaust gas from the engine exhaust unit is circulated in heat exchange relationship with water via the intermediate heat exchanger to heat the water. 
     
     
         22 . The recovery system of  claim 21 ; wherein the at least one heat source is selected from a group comprising an oil heat exchanger, an engine jacket, a water jacket heat exchanger, a lower temperature intercooler, a higher temperature intercooler, or combinations thereof. 
     
     
         23 . A waste heat recovery system comprising:
 a heat generation system comprising at least two separate heat sources having different temperatures; and   a rankine cycle system coupled to the at least two separate heat sources and configured to circulate a working fluid; wherein the rankine cycle system comprises:   a condenser coupled to at least one heat source among the at least two separate heat sources; wherein working fluid is circulated through the at least one heat source to remove heat from the at least one heat source to partially vaporize or preheat the working fluid from the condenser; and   an evaporator coupled to another heat source among the at least two separate heat sources; wherein the working fluid is circulated through the evaporator to remove heat from the other heat source to completely vaporize or superheat the working fluid.   
     
     
         24 . The recovery system of  claim 23 ; wherein the other heat source comprises an engine exhaust unit; wherein the evaporator is coupled to the engine exhaust unit via a separate exhaust gas heat exchanger. 
     
     
         25 . The recovery system of  claim 23 ; wherein the at least one heat source comprises an engine jacket; wherein working fluid is circulated through the engine jacket to remove heat from an engine and partially vaporize or preheat the working fluid from the condenser.