Thermal energy recovery device and start-up method of thermal energy recovery device

Abstract

A thermal energy recovery device includes a heater that evaporates a working medium by heat of a heat medium, an expander into which the working medium flowing out from the heater flows, a driving machine connected to the expander, a condenser that condenses the working medium flowing out from the expander by a cooling medium, a reservoir unit that reserves the working medium condensed in the condenser, a pump that feeds the working medium flowing out from the reservoir unit to the heater, a circulation flow passage of the working medium that connects the heater, the expander, the condenser, the reservoir unit, and the pump in this order, and a pump control unit that controls drive of the pump, and the pump control unit drives the pump after the heat medium is supplied to the heater and the cooling medium is supplied to the condenser.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A thermal energy recovery device comprising:
 a heater that heats a working medium by heat of a heat medium;   an expander into which the working medium flowing out from said heater flows;   a power recovery machine connected to said expander;   a condenser positioned on the upper side of said heater, said condenser condensing the working medium flowing out from said expander by a cooling medium;   a reservoir unit positioned on the upper side of said heater, said reservoir unit reserving the working medium condensed in said condenser;   a pump positioned on the upper side of said heater, said pump feeding the working medium flowing out from said reservoir unit to said heater;   a circulation flow passage of the working medium that connects said heater, said expander, said condenser, said reservoir unit, and said pump in the above order; and   a pump control unit that controls drive of said pump,   wherein said pump control unit drives said pump after the heat medium is supplied to said heater, and the cooling medium is supplied to said condenser so that the working medium is reserved in said reservoir unit.   
     
     
         2 . The thermal energy recovery device according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein said reservoir unit has a liquid level sensor that detects height of a liquid level of the working medium reserved in said reservoir unit, and   wherein said pump control unit drives said pump in a case where an amount of the working medium reserved in said reservoir unit becomes a predetermined amount or more based on a detected value of said liquid level sensor.   
     
     
         3 . The thermal energy recovery device according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein said pump control unit drives said pump when a predetermined time elapses after supply of the cooling medium to said condenser is started.   
     
     
         4 . The thermal energy recovery device according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a shutoff valve provided in a first flow passage of said circulation flow passage connecting said heater and said expander;   a bypass flow passage that connects a second flow passage of said circulation flow passage connecting said expander and said condenser, and a part of said first flow passage on the upstream side of said shutoff valve;   a bypass valve provided in said bypass flow passage; and   a valve control unit that controls opening/closing of said shutoff valve and said bypass valve,   wherein said valve control unit brings said shutoff valve into a closed state and brings said bypass valve into an opened state before the drive of said pump.   
     
     
         5 . The thermal energy recovery device according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein a flow passage of said circulation flow passage connecting said pump and said heater includes a bent portion connected to said pump and bent to be convex upward.   
     
     
         6 . The thermal energy recovery device according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein said condenser and said reservoir unit are different members from each other.   
     
     
         7 . The thermal energy recovery device according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein an on-off valve is provided in a flow passage of said circulation flow passage connecting said pump and said heater, and   wherein said on-off valve is opened and said pump is driven, after the heat medium is supplied to said heater, and the cooling medium is supplied to said condenser so that the working medium is reserved in said reservoir unit.   
     
     
         8 . The thermal energy recovery device according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein the heat medium includes at least one of supercharged air supplied to an engine, an exhaust gas discharged from the engine, and steam generated in an economizer that recovers heat from the exhaust gas.   
     
     
         9 . A start-up method of a thermal energy recovery device including a heater that heats a working medium by a heat medium, an expander into which the working medium flowing out from said heater flows, a power recovery machine connected to said expander, a condenser positioned on the upper side of said heater, said condenser condensing the working medium flowing out from said expander by a cooling medium, a reservoir unit positioned on the upper side of said heater, said reservoir unit reserving the working medium condensed in the condenser, and a pump positioned on the upper side of said heater, said pump feeding the working medium flowing out from said reservoir unit to said heater, wherein said heater, said expander, said condenser, said reservoir unit, and said pump are connected in the above order,
 the start-up method comprising:   a first step of supplying the heat medium to said heater;   a second step of supplying the cooling medium to said condenser, so that the working medium is reserved in said reservoir unit; and   a third step of driving said pump after said first step and said second step.