Steam circuit process device and method for controlling the same

Abstract

The invention relates to a steam circuit process device, comprising a reservoir for a liquid working medium; an evaporator in which the working medium is evaporated by heat supply, the vaporous working medium being fed to an expander for expansion and for carrying out mechanical work and being subsequently liquefied in a capacitor which communicates with the reservoir; a working medium pump for supplying working medium from the reservoir to the evaporator. The invention is characterized in that liquid working medium is supplied in the direction of flow of the working medium upstream or in the region of the capacitor to the working medium exiting the expander.

1 - 13 . (canceled) 
     
     
         14 . A steam circuit process device, comprising:
 a reservoir for a liquid working medium;   a vaporizer, in which the working medium is vaporized by supplying heat, the vaporized working medium being supplied to an expander to expand and perform mechanical work and subsequently being liquefied in a condenser, which is connected to the reservoir;   a working medium pump for supplying working medium from the reservoir to the vaporizer;   characterized in that   liquid working medium is supplied to the working medium exiting from the expander before or in the area of the condenser in the working medium flow direction.   
     
     
         15 . The steam circuit process device according to  claim 14 , characterized in that a bypass line is provided for the supply of the liquid working medium, which produces a connection between the output side of the working medium pump and the intake side of the condenser. 
     
     
         16 . The steam circuit process device according to  claim 15 , characterized in that one end of the bypass line opens into a line between expander and condenser. 
     
     
         17 . The steam circuit process device according to  claim 15 , characterized in that one end of the bypass line opens into the condenser. 
     
     
         18 . The steam circuit process device according to  claim 15 , characterized in that one end of the bypass line opens into the expander. 
     
     
         19 . The steam circuit process device according to  claim 15 , characterized in that a valve is situated in the bypass line, using which, by changing the working medium volume flow through the bypass line, the pressure and/or volume flow of the working medium, which is not branched off through the bypass line, to the vaporizer can be regulated or controlled. 
     
     
         20 . The steam circuit process device according to  claim 19 , characterized in that a regulating/control unit is provided, using which the opening cross-section of the valve is adjustable in such a manner that the volume flow curve and/or the pressure curve in the supply line to the vaporizer follows a predetermined target curve, which results from the power demand at the expander. 
     
     
         21 . The steam circuit process device according to  claim 19 , characterized in that at least one pressure, volume, mass flow, and/or temperature sensor is provided, which records the corresponding variable of the working medium leaving the vaporizer and transmits it via at least one line to the regulating/control unit, so that the volume flow curve and/or the pressure curve in the supply line to the vaporizer is adjustable as a function of the temperature of the working medium leaving the vaporizer. 
     
     
         22 . The steam circuit process device according to  claim 20 , characterized in that at least one pressure, volume, mass flow, and/or temperature sensor is provided, which records the corresponding variable of the working medium leaving the vaporizer and transmits it via at least one line to the regulating/control unit, so that the volume flow curve and/or the pressure curve in the supply line to the vaporizer is adjustable as a function of the temperature of the working medium leaving the vaporizer. 
     
     
         23 . A method for controlling a steam circuit process device according to  claim 14 , characterized in that the working medium volume flow delivered by the working medium pump varies independently of a target value for the pressure and/or the volume flow of the working medium to the vaporizer, and the working medium volume flow supplied to the vaporizer and/or expander is regulated and/or controlled in that a part of the working medium volume flow from the working medium pump is supplied to the working medium exiting from the expander. 
     
     
         24 . The method according to  claim 20 , characterized in that the liquid working medium as atomized before or during the supply to the working medium exiting from the expander. 
     
     
         25 . The method according to  claim 20 , characterized in that, at the point of the combination of liquid working medium and working medium leaving the expander, the inner side of the line, which guides the working medium from the expander, is wetted using liquid working medium. 
     
     
         26 . The method according to  claim 23 , characterized in that the amount of the part of the working medium volume flow from the working medium pump which is supplied to the working medium exiting from the expander is adjusted as a function of the temperature of the working medium exiting from the vaporizer. 
     
     
         27 . The method according to  claim 24 , characterized in that the amount of the part of the working medium volume flow from the working medium pump which is supplied to the working medium exiting from the expander is adjusted as a function of the temperature of the working medium exiting from the vaporizer. 
     
     
         28 . The method according to  claim 25 , characterized in that the amount of the part of the working medium volume flow from the working medium pump which is supplied to the working medium exiting from the expander is adjusted as a function of the temperature of the working medium exiting from the vaporizer. 
     
     
         29 . A drive unit for a vehicle, comprising:
 a steam circuit process device according to  claim 14 ;   an internal combustion engine whose exhaust gases are supplied to the vaporizer for heating and/or vaporizing the working medium;   characterized in that   the internal combustion engine at least indirectly drives the working medium pump.   
     
     
         30 . A drive unit for a vehicle, comprising:
 a steam circuit process device according to  claim 15 ;   an internal combustion engine whose exhaust gases are supplied to the vaporizer for heating and/or vaporizing the working medium;   characterized in that   the internal combustion engine at least indirectly drives the working medium pump.   
     
     
         31 . A drive unit for a vehicle, comprising:
 a steam circuit process device according to  claim 16 ;   an internal combustion engine whose exhaust gases are supplied to the vaporizer for heating and/or vaporizing the working medium;   characterized in that   the internal combustion engine at least indirectly drives the working medium pump.   
     
     
         32 . A drive unit for a vehicle, comprising:
 a steam circuit process device according to  claim 17 ;   an internal combustion engine whose exhaust gases are supplied to the vaporizer for heating and/or vaporizing the working medium;   characterized in that   the internal combustion engine at least indirectly drives the working medium pump.   
     
     
         33 . A drive unit for a vehicle, comprising:
 a steam circuit process device according to  claim 18 ;   an internal combustion engine whose exhaust gases are supplied to the vaporizer for heating and/or vaporizing the working medium;   characterized in that   the internal combustion engine at least indirectly drives the working medium pump.