Waste heat recovery system with nozzle block including geometrically different nozzles and turbine expander for the same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11156152-B2
Application number	US-201916282854-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 22, 2019
Priority date	Feb 27, 2018
Publication date	Oct 26, 2021
Grant date	Oct 26, 2021

Abstract

A waste heat recovery system for recovering waste heat of in internal combustion engine includes a turbine expander. The turbine expander includes a turbine blade, a shaft coupled to and rotatable by the turbine blade, and a nozzle assembly. The nozzle assembly includes a nozzle block disposed about the shaft and adjacent the turbine blade, a first nozzle component coupled to the nozzle block, and a second nozzle component coupled to the nozzle block. The first nozzle component defines a first nozzle having a first geometrical configuration. The second nozzle component defines a second nozzle having a second geometrical configuration that is different from the first geometrical configuration. The waste heat recovery system also includes a flow control device in fluid communication with the turbine expander. The waste heat recovery system further includes a controller in communication with the flow control device.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A waste heat recovery system for recovering waste heat of an internal combustion engine, said waste heat recovery system comprising:
a turbine expander for outputting power based on a working fluid, said turbine expander comprising,
a turbine blade rotatable by the working fluid,
a shaft coupled to and rotatable by said turbine blade, with said shaft extending along a longitudinal axis, and
a nozzle assembly for directing the working fluid to said turbine blade for rotating said turbine blade, said nozzle assembly comprising,
a nozzle block disposed about said shaft and adjacent said turbine blade,
a first nozzle component coupled to said nozzle block for accelerating the working fluid, with said nozzle component defining a first nozzle having a first geometrical configuration,
a second nozzle component coupled to said nozzle block for accelerating the working fluid, with said second nozzle component defining a second nozzle having a second geometrical configuration that is different from said first geometrical configuration,
a third nozzle component coupled to said nozzle block for accelerating the working fluid, with said third nozzle component defining a third nozzle having a third geometrical configuration that is different from at least one of said first and second geometrical configurations, and
a fourth nozzle component coupled to said nozzle block for accelerating the working fluid, with said fourth nozzle component defining a fourth nozzle having a fourth geometrical configuration that is different from at least one of said first, second, and third geometrical configurations,
wherein each nozzle component is arranged substantially perpendicular to an adjacent nozzle component, and
wherein at least a portion of said nozzle block is disposed between any one of said first, second, third and fourth nozzles and said turbine blade;

a flow control device in fluid communication with said turbine expander for directing the working fluid to at least one of said first and second nozzles or to bypass said turbine expander;
a controller in communication with said flow control device and adapted to control said flow control device to direct the working fluid to at least one of said first and second nozzles or to bypass said turbine expander; and
at least one sensor adapted to detect at least one of a working fluid temperature and a working fluid pressure of the working fluid upstream of said turbine expander; wherein said nozzle block further defines a first bore and a second bore, wherein said first nozzle component is removably coupled to said nozzle block such that said first nozzle component is selectively disposed in said first bore, and wherein said second nozzle component is removably coupled to said nozzle block such that said second nozzle component is selectively disposed in said second bore.

2. The waste heat recovery system as set forth in claim 1 , wherein said first geometrical configuration of said first nozzle is a de Laval configuration having a first throat cross-sectional area, and wherein said second geometrical configuration of said second nozzle is a de Laval configuration having a second throat cross-sectional area that is different from said first throat cross-sectional area.

3. The waste heat recovery system as set forth in claim 1 , wherein said first and second nozzle components are spaced circumferentially about said longitudinal axis.

4. The waste heat recovery system as set forth in claim 1 , wherein said first, second, third, and fourth nozzle components are spaced circumferentially about said longitudinal axis.

5. The waste heat recovery system as set forth in claim 1 , wherein said controller controls said flow control device to direct the working fluid to at least one of said first and second nozzles or to bypass said turbine expander based on at least one of said working fluid temperature and said working fluid pressure detected by said at least one sensor.

6. The waste heat recovery system as set forth in claim 1 , wherein said first geometrical configuration of said first nozzle is a de Laval configuration having a first throat cross-sectional area, wherein said second geometrical configuration of said second nozzle is a de Laval configuration having a second throat cross-sectional area, wherein said third geometrical configuration of said third nozzle is a de Laval configuration having a third throat cross-sectional area, and wherein said fourth geometrical configuration is a de Laval configuration having a fourth throat cross-sectional area, and wherein each of said first, second, third, and fourth throat cross-sectional areas are different.

7. A waste heat recovery system for recovering waste heat of an internal combustion engine, said waste heat recovery system comprising:
a turbine expander for outputting power based on a working fluid, said turbine expander comprising,
a turbine blade rotatable by the working fluid,
a shaft coupled to and rotatable by said turbine blade, with said shaft extending along a longitudinal axis, and
a nozzle assembly for directing the working fluid to said turbine blade for rotating said turbine blade, said nozzle assembly comprising,
a nozzle block disposed about said shaft and adjacent said turbine blade,
a first nozzle component coupled to said nozzle block for accelerating the working fluid, with said nozzle component defining a first nozzle having a first geometrical configuration,
a second nozzle component coupled to said nozzle block for accelerating the working fluid, with said second nozzle component defining a second nozzle having a second geometrical configuration that is different from said first geometrical configuration,
a third nozzle component coupled to said nozzle block for accelerating the working fluid, with said third nozzle component defining a third nozzle having a third geometrical configuration that is different from at least one of said first and second geometrical configurations, and
a fourth nozzle component coupled to said nozzle block for accelerating the working fluid, with said fourth nozzle component defining a fourth nozzle having a fourth geometrical configuration that is different from at least one of said first, second, and third geometrical configurations,
wherein each nozzle component is arranged substantially perpendicular to an adjacent nozzle component, and
wherein at least a portion of said nozzle block is disposed between any one of said first, second, third and fourth nozzles and said turbine blade;

a flow control device in fluid communication with said turbine expander for directing the working fluid to at least one of said first and second nozzles or to bypass said turbine expander;
a controller in communication with said flow control device and adapted to control said flow control device to direct the working fluid to at least one of said first and second nozzles or to bypass said turbine expander; and
at least one sensor adapted to detect at least one of a working fluid temperature and a working fluid pressure of the working fluid upstream of said turbine expander; wherein said nozzle block further defines a first bore and a second bore, wherein said first nozzle component is integral with said nozzle block such that said first nozzle component is selectively disposed in said first bore, and wherein said second nozzle component is integral with said nozzle block such that said second nozzle component is selectively disposed in said second bore.

8. A turbine expander for a waste heat recovery system for outputting power based on a working fluid, said turbine expander comprising:
a turbine blade rotatable by the working fluid;
a shaft coupled to and rotatable by said turbine blade, with said sha

Assignees

• Borgwarner Inc

Inventors

• Huscher Frederick Michael

Classifications

• Y02T10/12

  Improving ICE efficiencies · CPC title

• F01N5/04 Primary

  the devices using kinetic energy · CPC title

• F01D9/04 Primary

  forming ring or sector · CPC title

• F01D17/105

  by passing part of the fluid · CPC title

• F05D2220/60

  making use of surplus or waste energy · CPC title