Vehicle heat recovery system

Abstract

A system for an engine ( 101 ) comprises a heat recovery system and a gaseous fuel supply system. The heat recovery system comprises a first reservoir ( 104 ) for fluid, at least one evaporator ( 121 ) for transferring heat from an engine to the fluid, a vapour expander ( 129 ) for converting fluid vapour energy into motive power, and a condenser ( 134 ). The gaseous fuel supply system comprises a second reservoir ( 90 ) for liquefied gaseous fuel and a fuel evaporator ( 91 ) for expanding liquefied gaseous fuel into gaseous fuel for the engine. The condenser ( 134 ) is in thermal contact with the fuel evaporator ( 91 ).

1 . A system for an engine comprising:
 a heat recovery system comprising:
 a first reservoir for fluid; 
 at least one evaporator for transferring heat from an engine to the fluid, the evaporator having an evaporator outlet and an evaporator inlet in fluid communication with the first reservoir; 
 a vapour expander for converting fluid vapour energy into motive power, the vapour expander having a vapour expander outlet and a vapour expander inlet in fluid communication with the evaporator outlet; 
 a condenser having a condenser inlet in fluid communication with the vapour expander outlet and a condenser outlet in fluid communication with the first reservoir; and 
   a gaseous fuel supply system comprising:
 a second reservoir for liquefied gaseous fuel and having a reservoir outlet; and 
 a fuel evaporator for expanding liquefied gaseous fuel into gaseous fuel for an engine, the liquid expander having a liquid expander inlet in fluid communication with the reservoir outlet; 
   wherein the condenser is in thermal contact with the fuel evaporator.   
     
     
         2 . System according to  claim 1 , wherein the gaseous fuel is natural gas. 
     
     
         3 . System according to  claim 1 , wherein the fluid is primarily a hydrocarbon. 
     
     
         4 . System according to  claim 3 , wherein the fluid is primarily ethanol. 
     
     
         5 . An engine system comprising:
 a combustion engine;   a heat recovery system comprising:
 a first reservoir for fluid; 
 at least one evaporator for transferring heat from the engine to a fluid, the evaporator having an evaporator outlet and an evaporator inlet in fluid communication with the first reservoir; 
 a vapour expander for converting fluid vapour energy into motive power, the vapour expander having a vapour expander outlet and a vapour expander inlet in fluid communication with the evaporator outlet; 
 a condenser having a condenser inlet in fluid communication with the vapour expander outlet and a condenser outlet in fluid communication with the first reservoir; and 
   a gaseous fuel supply system comprising:
 a second reservoir for liquefied gaseous fuel and having a reservoir outlet; and 
 a fuel evaporator for expanding liquefied gaseous fuel into gaseous fuel and having a liquid expander inlet in fluid communication with the reservoir outlet and a liquid expander outlet in fluid communication with the engine; 
   wherein the condenser is in thermal contact with the fuel evaporator.   
     
     
         6 . Engine system according to  claim 5 , wherein the gaseous fuel is natural gas. 
     
     
         7 . Engine system according to  claim 5 , wherein the fluid is primarily a hydrocarbon. 
     
     
         8 . Engine system according to  claim 7 , wherein the fluid is primarily ethanol. 
     
     
         9 . A system for an internal combustion engine comprising:
 a heat recovery system comprising:
 a first reservoir of fluid; 
 at least one evaporator for transferring heat from an engine to the fluid, the evaporator having an evaporator outlet and an evaporator inlet in fluid communication with the first reservoir; 
 a vapour expander for converting fluid vapour energy into motion, the vapour expander having a vapour expander outlet and a vapour expander inlet in fluid communication with the evaporator outlet; and 
 a condenser having a condenser inlet in fluid communication with the vapour expander outlet and a condenser outlet in fluid communication with the first reservoir; and 
   a gaseous fuel supply system for an engine comprising a second reservoir; and   at least one flow path for supply into the engine, for combustion, of fluid in liquid or gaseous form from the heat recovery system in addition to gaseous fuel from the gaseous fuel supply system.   
     
     
         10 . System according to  claim 9 , wherein the gaseous fuel is natural gas. 
     
     
         11 . System according to  claim 9 , wherein the fluid is a primarily hydrocarbon. 
     
     
         12 . System according to  claim 11 , where in the fluid is primarily ethanol. 
     
     
         13 . An engine system comprising:
 an engine;   a heat recovery system comprising:
 a first reservoir of fluid; 
 at least one evaporator for transferring waste heat from the engine to the fluid, the evaporator having an evaporator outlet and an evaporator inlet in fluid communication with the first reservoir; 
 a vapour expander for converting fluid vapour energy into motion, the vapour expander having a vapour expander outlet and a vapour expander inlet in fluid communication with the evaporator outlet; 
 a condenser having a condenser inlet in fluid communication with the vapour expander outlet and a condenser outlet in fluid communication with the first reservoir; and 
   a gaseous fuel supply system comprising a second reservoir; and   at least one flow path for supply into the engine, for combustion, of fluid in liquid or gaseous form from the heat recovery system in addition to gaseous fuel from the gaseous fuel supply system.   
     
     
         14 . Engine system according to  claim 13 , wherein the gaseous fuel is natural gas. 
     
     
         15 . Engine system according to  claim 13 , wherein the fluid is primarily a hydrocarbon. 
     
     
         16 . Engine system according to  claim 15 , wherein the fluid is primarily ethanol. 
     
     
         17 . Engine system according to any one of  claim 13 , wherein the system comprises a fuel evaporator for expanding liquefied gaseous fuel into gaseous fuel, the condenser being in thermal contact with the fuel evaporator.