Power Compounder

Abstract

An apparatus and method is disclosed wherein mechanical power is returned to a prime mover producing waste heat. The apparatus includes a working fluid configured to receive thermal energy from the waste heat, a collector to hold the working fluid, an evaporator fluidly coupled to the working fluid collector for transferring the waste heat to the working fluid to change the working fluid to vaporized working fluid, a feed pump to cause the working fluid to flow between the working fluid collector and the evaporator, an expander fluidly coupled to the evaporator to receive the heated working fluid to create rotational mechanical power, and a condenser to cool the expanded working fluid. The expander is mechanically associated with the prime mover directly or via a clutch.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A system for recovering mechanical power from an external source of heat energy, the system comprising:
 A. a cabinet comprising at least a cover and side walls;   B. a working fluid;   C. a closed loop working fluid circuit comprising:
 i. a heat exchanger in heat receiving communication with the external source of heat energy; 
 ii. an expander in mechanical power delivery communication with the external source of heat energy; 
 iii. a condenser; 
 iv. a collector; and 
 v. a pump; 
   
       wherein the system is capable of:
 a. transferring heat energy from the external source of heat energy to the working fluid via the heat exchanger; 
 b. communicating heated working fluid from the heat exchanger to the expander; 
 c. generating mechanical power in the expander via expansion of the working fluid; 
 d. communicating said mechanical power to the external source of heat energy; 
 e. communicating expanded working fluid from the expander to the condenser; 
 f. removing heat energy from the working fluid via the condenser; 
 g. accumulating the working fluid in the collector via gravity feed from the condenser; 
 h. pressurizing the working fluid from the collector via the pump; and 
 i. communicating pressurized working fluid from the pump to the heat exchanger. 
 
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the external source of heat energy includes at least one of any of a compressor, a combustion engine, a pump, an incinerator, a boiler, a water heater, a turbine, and an industrial processes that produces thermal energy. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the expander is in mechanical power delivery communication with the external source of heat energy via one or more clutch(es). 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 3  wherein at least one of said one or more clutch(es) is operatively connected to at least one of any of a sensing device, a controller, an electrical switch, a mechanical switch, and an electromechanical switch and is capable of at least one of any of engaging and disengaging the one-way working fluid expander from the prime mover and adjusting the speed of the one-way working fluid expander. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the expander and the external source of heat energy each comprise a rotating shaft aligned on a common axis and the system communicates mechanical power from the expander to the external source of heat energy along said common axis via one or more clutch(es). 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the expander and the external source of heat energy each comprise a rotating shaft aligned on a common axis and the system communicates mechanical power from the expander to the external source of heat energy along said common axis via one or more clutch(es) and an electric generator. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the expander is in mechanical power delivery communication with the external source via at least one of any of one or more clutch(es) and one or more among belts, gears, pulleys, and a pulley and idler arrangement. 
     
     
         8 . A method of converting heat energy from an external source of heat energy into mechanical power using an apparatus comprising a cabinet with at least a cover and side walls, a source of heat energy external to the cabinet, a working fluid, a heat exchanger, an expander, a condenser, a collector, and a pump, the method comprising:
 A. communicating heat energy from the external source of heat energy to the working fluid via the heat exchanger;   B. communicating heated working fluid from the heat exchanger to the expander;   C. expanding the heated working fluid in the expander and generating mechanical power;   D. communicating said mechanical power from the expander to the external source of heat energy;   E. communicating expanded working fluid from the expander to the condenser;   F. cooling the expanded working fluid in the condenser;   G. communicating cooled working fluid from the condenser to the collector via a gravity feed;   H. communicating working fluid from the collector to the pump; and   I. communicating working fluid from the pump to the heat exchanger.   
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8  wherein the external source of heat energy comprises at least one of any of a compressor, a combustion engine, a pump, an incinerator, a boiler, a water heater, a turbine, and an industrial processes that produces thermal energy. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 8  wherein step D comprises communicating said mechanical power from the expander to the external source of heat energy via one or more clutch(es). 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10  wherein at least one of said one or more clutch(es) is operatively connected to at least one of any of a sensing device, a controller, an electrical switch, a mechanical switch, and an electromechanical switch and is capable of at least one of any of engaging and disengaging the one-way working fluid expander from the prime mover and adjusting the speed of the one-way working fluid expander. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 8  wherein step D comprises communicating said mechanical power from the expander to the external source of heat energy via at least one of any of one or more clutch(es) and one or more among belts, gears, pulleys, and a pulley and idler arrangement. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 8  wherein the expander and the external source of heat energy each comprise a rotating shaft aligned on a common axis and step D comprises communicating said mechanical power from the expander to the external source of heat energy along said common axis via one or more clutch(es). 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 8  wherein the expander and the external source of heat energy each comprise a rotating shaft aligned on a common axis and the system communicates mechanical power from the expander to the external source of heat energy along said common axis via one or more clutch(es) and an electric generator. 
     
     
         15 . An apparatus to generate power from an external source of heat energy, the apparatus comprising:
 A. a working fluid;   B. a cabinet with at least a cover and side walls; and   C. a heat exchanger, an expander, a condenser, a gravity-fed collector, and a pump in closed loop working fluid communication in that order;   
       wherein the apparatus is capable of accepting heat energy from the external source of heat energy to heat the working fluid in the heat exchanger, expanding the heated working fluid in the expander to generate mechanical power, communicating said mechanical power to the external source, cooling the working fluid in the condenser, supplying said working fluid to the collector via a gravity feed, and pumping the working fluid from the collector to the heat exchanger. 
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 15  wherein the external source of heat energy comprises at least one of any of a compressor, a combustion engine, a pump, an incinerator, a boiler, a water heater, a turbine, and an industrial processes that produces thermal energy. 
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 15  wherein the expander is in mechanical power delivery communication with the external source of heat energy via one or more clutch(es). 
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 17  wherein at least one of said one or more clutch(es) is operatively connected to at least one of any of a sensing device, a controller, an electrical switch, a mechanical switch, and an electromechanical switch and is capable of at least one of any of engaging and disengaging the one-way working fluid expander from the prime mover and adjusting the speed of the one-way working fluid expander. 
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 15  wherein said mechanical power is communicated to the external source via at least one of any of one or more clutch(es) and one or more among belts, gears, pulleys, and a pulley and idler arrangement. 
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 15  wherein the expander and the external source each comprise a rotating shaft aligned on a common axis and the system communicates mechanical power from the expander to the external source of heat energy along said common axis via at least one of any of one or more clutch(es) and an electric generator.