Energy recovering system for an internal combustion engine

Abstract

An engine arrangement including an internal combustion engine and an energy recovering system includes an exhaust line collecting exhaust gas from the engine, a filter having an active portion inserted between two successive parts of the exhaust line, in order to hold the particles contained in the exhaust gas, and filter rotating means designed to rotate the filter so as to shift the active portion of the filter, a secondary line carrying intake air towards an area of said filter distinct from the active portion, according to a direction opposite from an exhaust gas flowing direction inside the filter, so as to sweep the particles away from the filter and release them downstream, inside the secondary line. The secondary line includes a first arrangement, located downstream from the filter, for burning the particles and thereby heating air flowing in the secondary line, and a second arrangement capable of recovering the heat into work.

1 . An engine arrangement comprising an internal combustion engine and an energy recovering system the arrangement comprising:
 a main line having an intake line for carrying intake air to an exhaust manifold of the engine, and an exhaust line capable of collecting exhaust gas from the exhaust manifold of the engine;   a main filter having an active portion inserted between two successive parts of the exhaust line, in order to hold the particles contained in the exhaust gas, and filter displacing means designed to displace the main filter so as to shift the active portion of the main filter;   a secondary line capable of carrying intake air towards an area of said the main filter distinct from the active portion, according to a direction substantially opposite from an exhaust gas flowing direction (FD) inside the main filter, so as to blow the particles away from the main filter and release them downstream, inside the secondary line; wherein said the secondary line is distinct from the main line and in that it comprises first means, located downstream from the main filter, for oxidizing the particles and thereby heating air flowing in the secondary line, and second means capable of recovering the heat into work.   
     
     
         2 . The engine arrangement according to  claim 1 , wherein the first means comprise a secondary filter suitable for retaining the particles, and heating means capable of promoting an oxidation of the particles held in the secondary filter. 
     
     
         3 . The engine arrangement according to  claim 2 , wherein the heating means comprise an electric heater or a fuel injector. 
     
     
         4 . The engine arrangement according to  claim 1 , wherein the second means comprise a turbine located downstream from the first means. 
     
     
         5 . The engine arrangement according to  claim 4 , wherein the second means comprise a compressor located upstream from the main filter on the secondary line, the compressor being driven by the turbine. 
     
     
         6 . The engine arrangement according to  claim 4 , wherein it further comprises a fuel burning heater arranged to further heat the air flowing in the secondary line, upstream from the turbine, in order to bring additional energy. 
     
     
         7 . The engine arrangement according to  claim 6 , wherein it comprises a control unit designed to control the operation of the fuel burning heater to turn it on or off and/or to control the amount of heat generated by the fuel burning heater. 
     
     
         8 . The engine arrangement according to  claim 4 , wherein it further comprises an alternator designed to produce electricity from the mechanical energy generated by the turbine. 
     
     
         9 . The engine arrangement according to  claim 1 , wherein it also comprises a heat exchanger between the exhaust line and the secondary line. 
     
     
         10 . The engine arrangement according to  claim 9 , wherein the heat exchanger is located, on the exhaust line, downstream from the main filter. 
     
     
         11 . The engine arrangement according to  claim 1 , wherein the filter displacing means comprise filtering channels which are arranged inside the main filter in a tilted direction with respect to the exhaust gas flow and/or the intake air counterflow in the secondary line. 
     
     
         12 . The engine arrangement according to  claim 1 , wherein it further comprises means for the treatment of exhaust gas from the exhaust line and/or exhaust air from the secondary line. 
     
     
         13 . (canceled)