Linear regenerator with circulating heat transfer surface

Abstract

A regenerative heat exchanger for transferring heat from the exhaust gas to the intake working fluid of a prime mover and from the pressurized working fluid to the exhaust vapor of a heat pump. Application is especially useful in a system in which liquid air or nitrogen made by a heat pump provides compression cooling for a gas turbine prime mover. The heat exchanger employs circulating element heat transfer surface such as wire belts or ceramic balls, which circulate in turn through working fluid exhaust and intake channels while absorbing and rejecting heat between the two channels. Effectiveness exceeding 98% increases thermal efficiency of small low-pressure ratio gas turbines.

1 . A regenerative heat exchanger comprising movable heat conveyance means circulating generally parallel to the flow of the working fluid of a machine selected from the group consisting of prime movers and heat pumps, for transferring heat at generally less than ambient temperature, wherein exhaust heat of said prime mover heats prime mover working fluid flowing from liquefied or solidified gas cooled compression means of said prime mover to heat addition means of said prime mover, and wherein expansion cooled exhaust vapor of said heat pump cools heat pump working fluid flowing from compression means of said heat pump to expansion means of said heat pump. 
     
     
         2 . The heat exchanger of said prime mover of  claim 1  comprising working fluid containment and channeling means including a prime mover exhaust channel connected between prime mover expansion means and prime mover exhaust means, and a pressurized prime mover channel connected between the discharge of said prime mover compression means and the intake of prime mover heat addition means. 
     
     
         3 . The heat conveyance means of  claim 2  comprising a heat storage and transfer belt loop with belt loop circulation means for moving said belt loop, primarily immersed in said working fluid, between said pressurized working fluid in said pressurized prime mover channel and said exhaust working fluid in said prime mover exhaust channel. 
     
     
         4 . The belt loop of  claim 3  wherein said belt loop comprises wire configured as a coiled extension spring for maintaining tension of said belt loop. 
     
     
         5 . The heat addition means of  claim 1  comprising heat transfer means, wherein heat from a heat source external to said prime mover is absorbed by an intermediate fluid circulating through said heat addition means while an approximately equivalent quantity of said heat is transferred from said intermediate fluid to said prime mover working fluid in said heat addition means. 
     
     
         6 . The heat source of  claim 5  wherein said intermediate fluid comprises drive train transmission fluid of a motor vehicle powered by said prime mover. 
     
     
         7 . The heat source of  claim 6  wherein said intermediate fluid is heated by solar energy. 
     
     
         8 . The working fluid containment and channeling means of  claim 2  comprising heat conveyance means for transferring heat above ambient temperature from exhaust working fluid of said prime mover to pressurized working fluid flowing from compression means of said prime mover to heat addition means of said prime mover. 
     
     
         9 . The heat conveyance means of  claim 8  comprising a plurality of heat storage elements with circulation means to move said elements, primarily immersed in said working fluid, from said downstream channel to said upstream channel, wherein said elements absorb a quantity of heat from working fluid downstream of said expansion means while transferring an approximately equivalent quantity of said heat to said fluid at higher pressure upstream of said expansion means. 
     
     
         10 . The heat exchanger of  claim 9  comprising seal means, wherein a purge flow of gas is injected downstream of working fluid leakage paths of said channeling means to retain said working fluid within said channels. 
     
     
         11 . The heat conveyance means of  claim 9  wherein said elements are made of ceramic material. 
     
     
         12 . The heat conveyance means of  claim 9  wherein said elements are spherical balls. 
     
     
         13 . The heat exchanger of  claim 9  comprising gas injection means, wherein non-luminous gas is injected into said channels to increase the rate of radiation heat transfer between said working fluid and said heat conveyance means. 
     
     
         14 . The heat exchanger of said heat pump of  claim 1  comprising working fluid containment and channeling means including a heat pump exhaust channel connected between heat pump expansion means and heat pump exhaust means, and a pressurized heat pump channel connected between the discharge of heat pump compression means and the intake of said heat pump expansion means. 
     
     
         15 . The heat conveyance means of  claim 14  comprising a heat storage and transfer belt loop primarily immersed in said working fluid and belt rotation means for circulating said belt loop between said pressurized working fluid in said pressurized heat pump channel and said exhaust working fluid vapor in said heat pump exhaust channel. 
     
     
         16 . The belt loop of  claim 15  wherein said belt loop comprises wire configured as a coiled extension spring for maintaining tension of said belt loop. 
     
     
         17 . The heat exchanger of  claim 14  comprising seal means, wherein a purge flow of gas is injected downstream of working fluid leakage paths of said channeling means to retain said working fluid within said channels. 
     
     
         18 . A regenerative heat exchanger of a prime mover comprising movable heat conveyance means primarily immersed in both pressurized working fluid and lower pressure exhaust of said working fluid while circulating generally parallel to the flow of said fluid, for transferring exhaust heat of said working fluid to said working fluid flowing from compression means of said prime mover to heat addition means of said prime mover. 
     
     
         19 . The heat exchanger of  claim 18  comprising at least: one intake channel in working fluid communication with an air compressor and a pressurized heater, one exhaust channel in working fluid communication with a gas turbine and atmosphere, and one circulating wire belt with belt drive means, wherein said belt absorbs heat from working fluid flowing in said exhaust channel while rejecting an approximately equivalent quantity of said heat to said working fluid flowing in said intake channel. 
     
     
         20 . A prime mover of a motor vehicle comprising a regenerative heat exchanger with a movable heat conveyance belt circulating generally parallel to the flow of the working fluid of said prime mover, and a working fluid heater, wherein said belt transfers heat at generally less than ambient temperature from exhaust heat of said prime mover to said working fluid flowing from a working fluid compressor of said prime mover to said heater, and wherein heat from transmission fluid of a drive train transmission of said vehicle increases the temperature of said working fluid in said heater.