System and method for thermal management

Abstract

A system includes a first unit. The first unit includes a condenser configured to condense a working fluid circulating in a Rankine cycle. The Rankine cycle includes an evaporator configured to evaporate the working fluid by absorbing heat from a heating fluid circulated in a heating fluid circuit. The first unit also includes a heat exchanger configured to transfer heat from a heat source to the heating fluid. The first unit further includes a driving pump configured to provide a driving force for circulating the heating fluid in the heating fluid circuit. The first unit still includes a common support structure. The condenser, the heat exchanger, and the driving pump are mounted on the common support structure.

1 . A system, comprising:
 a first unit, comprising:
 a heat exchanger configured to transfer heat from a heat source to a heating fluid circulated in a heating fluid circuit; 
 a driving pump configured to provide a driving force for circulating the heating fluid in the heating fluid circuit; and 
 a common support structure, wherein the heat exchanger and the driving pump are mounted on the common support structure. 
   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the first unit comprises a condenser configured to condense a working fluid circulating in a Rankine cycle, wherein the Rankine cycle comprises an evaporator configured to evaporate the working fluid by absorbing heat from the heating fluid circulated in the heating fluid circuit. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the first unit comprises a valve configured to direct at least a portion of a heat source fluid from the heat source to the heat exchanger, wherein the valve is supported on the common support structure. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the heat source comprises an engine exhaust, wherein the first unit comprises an exhaust silencer configured to reduce noise associated with the engine exhaust, and wherein the exhaust silencer is supported on the common support structure. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein the first unit comprises a fan configured to provide air flow for cooling the working fluid in the condenser of the Rankine cycle, and wherein the fan is supported on the common support structure. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the common support structure comprises a platform having a plurality of legs. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 1 , comprising a controller configured to control and coordinate operations of the first unit, wherein the controller is supported on the common support structure. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 1 , comprising a Rankine cycle configured to circulate a working fluid within a closed loop, wherein the closed loop comprises an evaporator, a condenser, a turbine, and a pump, wherein the turbine is configured to expand the working fluid from the evaporator, the condenser is configured to condense the working fluid from the turbine, the pump is configured to pressurize the working fluid from the condenser, and the evaporator is configured to vaporize the working fluid from the pump. 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 2 , comprising the Rankine cycle configured to circulate the working fluid within a closed loop, wherein the closed loop comprises the evaporator, the condenser, a turbine, and a pump, wherein the turbine is configured to expand the working fluid from the evaporator, the condenser is configured to condense the working fluid from the turbine, the pump is configured to pressurize the working fluid from the condenser, and the evaporator is configured to vaporize the working fluid from the pump 
     
     
         10 . A method, comprising:
 supporting, via a common support structure of a first unit, a heat exchanger configured to transfer heat from a heat source to a heating fluid circulated in a heating fluid circuit; and   supporting, via the common support structure of the first unit, a driving pump configured to provide a driving force for circulating the heating fluid in the heating fluid circuit.   
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , comprising supporting, via the common support structure of the first unit, a condenser configured to condense a working fluid circulating in a Rankine cycle, wherein the Rankine cycle comprises an evaporator configured to evaporate the working fluid by absorbing heat from the heating fluid circulated in the heating fluid circuit. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 10 , comprising supporting, via the common support structure of the first unit, a valve configured to direct at least a portion of a heat source fluid from the heat source to the heat exchanger. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , comprising supporting, via the common support structure of the first unit, an exhaust silencer configured to reduce noise associated with an engine exhaust, wherein the heat source comprises the engine exhaust. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 11 , comprising supporting, via the common support structure of the first unit, a fan configured to provide air flow for cooling the working fluid in the condenser of the Rankine cycle. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 10 , comprising connecting the first unit to a cooling fluid, wherein the cooling fluid is configured to cool the working fluid in the condenser of the Rankine cycle. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 10 , comprising supporting, via the common support structure of the first unit, a controller configured to control operations of the heat exchanger, or the driving pump, or any combination thereof. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 10 , comprising supporting, via another common support structure of a second unit, components of a Rankine cycle. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 10 , comprising providing a Rankine cycle configured to circulate a working fluid within a closed loop, wherein the closed loop comprises an evaporator, a condenser, a turbine and a pump, wherein the turbine is configured to expand the working fluid from the evaporator, the condenser is configured to condense the working fluid from the turbine, the pump is configured to pressurize the working fluid from the condenser, and the evaporator is configured to vaporize the working fluid from the pump. 
     
     
         19 . A system, comprising:
 a controller, comprising:
 one or more tangible, non-transitory, machine-readable media collectively storing one or more sets of instructions; and 
 one or more processing devices configured to execute the one or more sets of instructions to monitor or control operations of the system to:
 condense in a condenser a working fluid circulating in a Rankine cycle, wherein the Rankine cycle comprises an evaporator configured to evaporate the working fluid by absorbing heat from a heating fluid circulated in a heating fluid circuit; 
 transfer heat from a heat source to the heating fluid in a heat exchanger; and 
 provide a driving force for circulating the heating fluid in the heating fluid circuit using a pump, wherein the condenser, the heat exchanger, the pump, and the controller are disposed on a common support structure. 
 
   
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 19 , wherein the one or more processing devices are configured to execute the one or more sets of instructions to monitor or control operations of the system to direct via a valve at least a portion of a heat source fluid from the heat source to the heat exchanger, wherein the valve is disposed on the common support structure.