Recovery of energy from a laser machining system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10158207-B2
Application number	US-88039010-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 13, 2010
Priority date	Mar 12, 2008
Publication date	Dec 18, 2018
Grant date	Dec 18, 2018

Abstract

A method for the recovery of energy from a laser machining system and a device for performing the same, in which the method includes operating the laser machining system and generating thermal energy having a maximum temperature T max , removing at least a portion of the thermal energy, and recirculating the at least a portion of the thermal energy to the laser machining system.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method for the recovery of energy from a laser machining system, the method comprising:
operating the laser machining system to generate thermal energy in a laser medium;
transferring the laser medium from a laser resonator of the laser machining system to a cooling system, and from the cooling system to the laser resonator;
using the cooling system to remove from the laser medium, at least a portion of the thermal energy from the laser medium above a characteristic threshold temperature Tz of an energy recovery system, and wherein using the cooling system comprises flowing a liquid cooling medium or a gas cooling medium through a plurality of cooling coils or a plurality of cooling fins of the cooling system to transfer the thermal energy from the laser medium to the liquid or gas cooling medium;
transferring the liquid or gas cooling medium from the cooling system to the energy recovery system;
using the energy recovery system to remove at least a portion of thermal energy from the liquid or gas cooling medium and to convert a first portion of the removed thermal energy into a second different form of energy;
storing at least a portion of the second form of energy in an energy storage device;
recirculating at least a portion of the stored energy to the laser machining system; and
using a second portion of the removed thermal energy from the liquid or gas cooling medium to operate a refrigeration machine that further cools the liquid or gas cooling medium, wherein operating the refrigeration machine comprises drawing off thermal energy from the liquid or gas cooling medium below an ambient temperature Tu about the laser machining system and above a minimum temperature Tmin.

2. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising using a plurality of energy recovery systems to convert the first portion of the removed thermal energy into a second form of energy.

3. The method according to claim 1 , wherein removing at least the portion of thermal energy comprises removing at least the portion of thermal energy in multiple intervals between a threshold temperature Tz of at least one energy recovery system and a maximum temperature Tmax of the liquid or gas cooling medium.

4. The method according to claim 1 , wherein operating the refrigeration machine further cools the liquid or gas cooling medium.

5. A method according to claim 1 , wherein using the energy recovery system to remove at least a portion of thermal energy from the liquid or gas cooling medium comprises drawing off thermal energy below a threshold temperature Tz of the energy recovery system using an air cooler, wherein Tz is higher than Tu.

6. A method according to claim 5 , wherein a maximum temperature Tmax of the liquid or gas cooling medium is less than or equal to 260° C., Tz is in the range from 60° C. to 120° C., Tu is in the range from 25° C. to 55° C., and Tmin is in the range from 20° C. to 35° C.

7. A method according to claim 1 , wherein removing at least the portion of the thermal energy from the liquid or gas cooling medium occurs at the heat output side of the cooling system of the laser machining system.

8. A method according to claim 1 , wherein using the energy recovery system to convert the first portion of the removed thermal energy into a second form of energy comprises converting the removed thermal energy into mechanical energy and using the mechanical energy to operate an air compressor, and wherein the second form of energy is compressed air.

9. A method according to claim 8 , wherein storing at least a portion of the second form of energy comprises providing the compressed air compressed to a filtration stage to separate the air into air constituents.

10. A method according to claim 9 , wherein the filtration stage comprises a membrane filter system or a pressure-swing adsorption system.

11. A method according to claim 9 , wherein recirculating at least a portion of the stored energy comprises using at least one of the air constituents as the laser gas or the cutting gas.

12. A method according claim 9 , wherein storing at least a portion of the second form of energy further comprises routing at least one of the air constituents into at least one pressure storage device.

13. A method according to claim 1 , wherein removing at least the portion of the thermal energy from the liquid or gas cooling medium comprises removing thermal energy at at least two predefined temperature levels.

14. A device for the recovery of energy from a laser machining system having an energy source including a laser resonator, the device comprising:
a cooling system configured to receive a laser medium from the laser resonator, transfer the laser medium to the laser resonator, and remove at least a portion of thermal energy from the laser medium, wherein the cooling system comprises a plurality of cooling coils or a plurality of cooling fins configured to flow therein a liquid cooling medium or a gas cooling medium for removing at least the portion of thermal energy from the laser medium;
an energy recovery system configured to receive the liquid or gas cooling medium from the cooling system, to remove at least a portion of thermal energy from the liquid or gas cooling medium, and to convert a first portion of the thermal energy removed from the liquid or gas cooling medium into a second different form of energy;
an energy storage device coupled to the energy recovery system, wherein the energy storage device is configured to store at least a portion of the second form of energy;
a recirculation system to extract energy stored in the energy storage device and recirculate the extracted energy to the laser machining system; and
a refrigeration machine configured to use a second portion of the thermal energy removed by the energy recovery system to further cool the liquid or gas cooling medium below an ambient temperature Tu about the laser machining system and above a minimum temperature Tmin.

15. The device according to claim 14 , wherein the recirculation system comprises a pneumatic conductor or a hydraulic conductor.

16. The device according to claim 14 , wherein the energy storage device comprises a pressure storage device.

17. The device according to claim 14 , wherein the energy source further comprises at least one of a laser component, a HF generator, a dust arrester, a traversing motor, or a workpiece.

18. The device according to claim 14 , wherein the energy recovery system comprises at least one of a steam engine, a sorption refrigeration machine, a thermoelectric generator, a steam turbine, a gas turbine, a Schukey engine, a Stirling engine, or a compact steam turbine.

19. The device according to claim 14 , further comprising an air compressor.

20. The device according to claim 14 , further comprising a membrane filter system.

21. The device according to claim 14 , further comprising an open-loop or a closed-loop control unit.

22. The device according to claim 14 , wherein the energy recovery system comprises an air compressor and is operable to convert the thermal energy into mechanical energy for the air compressor.

23. The device according to claim 22 , wherein the energy recovery system further comprises a membrane filter system coupled to the air compressor, and wherein the membrane filter system is operable to separate air provided by the air compressor into two or more different gasses.

24. The device according to claim 23 , wher

Assignees

• Wahl Eberhard
• Vincke Karel
• Himmelsbach Matthias
• Trumpf Werkzeugmaschinen Gmbh Co Kg

Inventors

• Wahl Eberhard
• Vincke Karel
• Himmelsbach Matthias

Classifications

• B23K26/38

  by boring or cutting · CPC title

• H01S3/041 Primary

  for gas lasers {(H01S3/0401 takes precedence)} · CPC title

• H01S3/0407

  Liquid cooling, e.g. by water · CPC title

• B23K26/14

  using a fluid stream, e.g. a jet of gas, in conjunction with the laser beam; Nozzles therefor (B23K26/12 takes precedence) · CPC title

• H01S3/2232

  Carbon dioxide (CO2) or monoxide [CO] · CPC title