Heat energy recovery

Abstract

A heat energy recovery system for an engine, and a vehicle having an engine and a heat energy recovery system. The heat energy recovery system has a liquid supply, one or more evaporators, an expander, a condenser, and a port. The one or more evaporators are fluidly connected to the liquid supply and configured to heat liquid to a superheated vapour using heat energy from an engine. The expander is fluidly connected to the one or more evaporators and configured to be driven by the superheated vapour. The expander has an expander outlet. The condenser has an inlet fluidly connected to the expander outlet. The port is upstream of the condenser inlet and configured for injection of liquid from the liquid supply to reduce the temperature of fluid entering the condenser. The port is further configured for injection of liquid between the expander outlet and the condenser inlet.

1 . A heat energy recovery system for an engine, comprising:
 a liquid supply;   one or more evaporators fluidly connected to the liquid supply and configured to heat liquid to a superheated vapor using heat energy from an engine;   an expander fluidly connected to the one or more evaporators and configured to be driven by the superheated vapor, the expander having an expander outlet;   a condenser having an inlet fluidly connected to the expander outlet; and   a port upstream of the condenser inlet and configured for injection of liquid from the liquid supply to reduce the temperature of fluid entering the condenser;   wherein the port is configured for injection of liquid between the expander outlet and the condenser inlet.   
     
     
         2 . The heat energy recovery system according to  claim 1  further comprising a bypass circuit having a bypass inlet fluidly connected to the one or more evaporators and a bypass outlet fluidly connected to the condenser, the bypass outlet and the expander outlet being fluidly connected at a junction at or upstream of the condenser inlet. 
     
     
         3 . The heat energy recovery system according to  claim 2 , wherein the port is configured for injection of liquid between the expander outlet and the junction. 
     
     
         4 . The heat energy recovery system according to  claim 3  further comprising a further port configured for injection of liquid between the bypass outlet and the junction. 
     
     
         5 . The heat energy recovery system according to  claim 4 , wherein the port and the further port are integrated into a first component. 
     
     
         6 . The heat energy recovery system according to  claim 5 , the first component and/or the expander and/or the bypass valve being integrated into a single component. 
     
     
         7 . The heat energy recovery system according to  claim 2 , wherein the port is configured for injection of liquid downstream of the junction. 
     
     
         8 . The heat energy recovery system according to  claim 1  further comprising a pump configured to feed liquid from the liquid supply to the one or more evaporators, the port having a fluid connection to the liquid supply via the pump. 
     
     
         9 . The heat energy recovery system according to  claim 8 , wherein the further port has a further fluid connection to the liquid supply via the pump. 
     
     
         10 . The heat energy recovery system according to  claim 8 , wherein the connection and/or the further fluid connection comprises a flow control valve. 
     
     
         11 . The heat energy recovery system according to  claim 8 , wherein the connection and/or the further fluid connection has a flow path of fixed dimensions. 
     
     
         12 . The heat energy recovery system according to  claim 1 , wherein the expander has a first inlet and a second inlet fluidly connected to the one or more evaporators, the second inlet being downstream of the first inlet when the expander is driven by the superheated vapor, and a diverter configured to divert fluid flow between the first inlet and the second inlet. 
     
     
         13 . The heat energy recovery system according to  claim 12 , wherein the diverter is integrated into the expander. 
     
     
         14 . A heat energy recovery system for an engine, comprising:
 a liquid supply;   one or more evaporators configured to heat liquid to a superheated vapor using heat energy from an engine;   a pump configured to feed liquid from the liquid supply to the one or more evaporators;   an expander fluidly connected to the one or more evaporators and configured to be driven by the superheated vapor, the expander having an expander outlet;   a condenser having an inlet fluidly connected to the expander outlet; and   a port upstream of the condenser inlet and configured for injection of liquid from the liquid supply to reduce the temperature of fluid entering the condenser;   wherein the port has a fluid connection to the liquid supply upstream of the pump.   
     
     
         15 . The heat energy recovery system according to  claim 14  further comprising a bypass circuit having a bypass inlet fluidly connected to the one or more evaporators and a bypass outlet fluidly connected to the condenser, the bypass outlet and the expander outlet being fluidly connected at a junction at or upstream of the condenser inlet. 
     
     
         16 . The heat energy recovery system according to  claim 15 , wherein the port is configured for injection of liquid between the bypass outlet and the junction. 
     
     
         17 . The heat energy recovery system according to  claim 15 , wherein the port is configured for injection of liquid between the expander outlet and the junction. 
     
     
         18 . The heat energy recovery system according to  claim 15  further comprising a first port configured for injection of liquid between the bypass outlet and the junction and a second port configured for injection of liquid between the expander outlet and the junction. 
     
     
         19 . The heat energy recovery system according to  claim 18 , wherein the first port and the second port are integrated into a first component. 
     
     
         20 . The heat energy recovery system according to  claim 19 , the first component and/or the expander and/or the bypass valve being integrated into a single component. 
     
     
         21 . The heat energy recovery system according to  claim 18 , wherein the first and second ports are fluidly connected to the liquid supply via a further junction. 
     
     
         22 . The heat energy recovery system according to  claim 21 , wherein the further junction is downstream of the fluid connection. 
     
     
         23 . The heat energy recovery system according to  claim 21 , wherein the first port has a first fluid connection to the liquid supply and the second port has a second fluid connection to the liquid supply, the first and second fluid connections being connected downstream of the further junction. 
     
     
         24 . The heat energy recovery system according to  claim 14 , wherein the fluid connection comprises a flow control valve. 
     
     
         25 . The heat energy recovery system according to  claim 14 , wherein the fluid connection has a flow path of fixed dimensions. 
     
     
         26 . The heat energy recovery system according to  claim 14 , wherein the fluid connection comprises a pump. 
     
     
         27 . The heat energy recovery system according to  claim 26  wherein the pump is a jet pump. 
     
     
         28 . A vehicle having an engine and a heat energy recovery system according to  claim 1 .