Heat transfer apparatus

Abstract

A heat transfer apparatus includes: an evaporating portion that evaporates a working medium by heat of an exhaust gas from an internal combustion engine; a condensing portion that condenses the working medium having been evaporated; a circulation path portion that causes the working medium to circulate between the evaporating portion and the condensing portion; a heat storage member that is provided within the evaporating portion; and a supplying and collecting portion that supplies the working medium to the evaporating portion when the internal combustion engine starts, and that collects the working medium having been condensed when the internal combustion engine stops such that the working medium having been condensed does not contact with the heat storage member.

1 . A heat transfer apparatus comprising:
 an evaporating portion that evaporates a working medium by heat of an exhaust gas from an internal combustion engine;   a condensing portion that condenses the working medium having been evaporated;   a circulation path portion that causes the working medium to circulate between the evaporating portion and the condensing portion;   a heat storage member that is provided within the evaporating portion; and   a supplying and collecting portion that supplies the working medium to the evaporating portion when the internal combustion engine starts, and that collects the working medium having been condensed when the internal combustion engine stops such that the working medium having been condensed does not contact with the heat storage member,   wherein an inside of the evaporating portion is brought into a vacuum state, when the internal combustion engine stops and the working medium is collected by the supplying and collecting portion,   the evaporating portion is provided at its inside with a flow pipe in which the exhaust gas flows from the internal combustion engine, and   the heat storage member is arranged within the evaporating portion not to be in contact with the flow pipe.   
     
     
         2 . The heat transfer apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the evaporating portion includes:
 a housing that surrounds the flow pipe and the heat storage member; and   a supporting portion that supports the heat storage member not to be in direct contact with an inner surface of the housing.   
     
     
         3 . The heat transfer apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein an area, close to the heat storage member, of the supporting portion is smaller than an area, close to the inner surface of the housing, of the supporting portion. 
     
     
         4 . The heat transfer apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein the supporting portion is made of a heat insulation material. 
     
     
         5 . The heat transfer apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein
 evaporation of the working medium in the evaporating portion and condensation of the working medium in the condensing portion are repeated to circulate the working medium in the circulation path portion.   
     
     
         6 . The heat transfer apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein
 the supplying and collecting portion includes:   a tank opened to an atmosphere, and storing the working medium in a liquid-phase state;   a supplying and collecting path portion communicating the tank with the circulation path portion or with the evaporating portion; and   an opening and closing valve provided in the supplying and collecting path portion,   a pressure within the circulation path portion and the evaporating portion becomes greater than atmospheric pressure, while the internal combustion engine drives, and   the working medium having been condensed is absorbed into the tank by opening the opening and closing valve, when the pressure within the circulation path portion and the evaporating portion is greater than the atmospheric pressure.