Waste heat recovery and conversion

Abstract

Embodiments in accordance with the present disclosure provide systems and methods for a waste heat recovery and conversion. The waste heat recovery and conversion system includes a housing non-invasively mountable onto an engine. The waste heat recovery and conversion system also includes a power conversion unit (PCU) entirely within the housing. The PCU includes heat exchangers, an expander, an electrical power generator, and a fluid pump. The heat exchangers, the expander, the fluid pump, and the fluid reservoir form a thermodynamic loop that drives the electrical power generator using thermal energy from waste heat. Under various configurations the waste heat recovery and conversion system offer pollutant reduction features all together with fuel savings.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A system for recovering waste heat from a waste heat source and converting the recovered waste heat into useable energy, the system comprising:
 a housing substantially comprising the waste heat source;   a first fluid transporting waste heat from the waste heat source;   a first heat exchanger thermally coupled to the first fluid;   a working fluid circulating within the first heat exchanger thermally coupled to the first fluid;   a turbine expander driven by the working fluid;   a power generator coupled to the turbine expander;   a turbo-compressor turbine coupled to the power generator and configured to compress intake air;   a fluid reservoir configured to contain the working fluid; and   a fluid pump configured to pump the working fluid from the fluid reservoir to the first heat exchanger,   wherein the first heat exchanger, the turbine expander, the fluid reservoir, and the fluid pump comprise a thermodynamic loop that drives the power generator and are controlled by a controller,   wherein at least the turbine expander, the power generator, and the turbo-compressor turbine constitute a power conversion unit for converting the heat from the working fluid into useable energy, and   wherein the power conversion unit is substantially enclosed in a mounting enclosure that is configured to be mounted to the housing structure or a component of the waste heat source.   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the turbo-compressor turbine is configured to be driven by the turbine expander and/or the power generator. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising a plurality of vibration isolators mounted between the mounting enclosure and the housing. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the power conversion unit further comprises a plurality of second heat exchangers configured to transfer heat from one or more components of the power conversion unit to the working fluid. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 4 , wherein the plurality of second heat exchangers comprise a condenser heat exchanger configured to exchange heat between the working fluid and air. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 4 , wherein the plurality of second heat exchangers comprise an expander heat exchanger configured to transfer heat between the working fluid before flowing into the fluid reservoir and the working fluid after flowing out of the fluid reservoir. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 4 , wherein the plurality of second heat exchangers comprise a generator heat exchanger configured to transfer heat from the power generator to the working fluid. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the power conversion unit comprises a power module heat exchanger configured to transfer heat from one or more electronic components of the controller to the working fluid. 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising a waste heat source cooling heat exchanger mounted to an intake manifold of the waste heat source and configured to transfer heat from the waste heat source cooling system to the working fluid. 
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising a stack heat exchanger mounted to a first fluid exhaust stack of the waste heat source and configured to transfer heat from the first fluid flowing through the first fluid exhaust stack to the working fluid. 
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein the mounting enclosure is mounted to the first fluid exhaust stack. 
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the first heat exchanger is a manifold heat exchanger mounted to a first fluid exhaust manifold of the waste heat source and configured to transfer heat from the first fluid flowing through the first fluid exhaust manifold to the working fluid. 
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein the manifold heat exchanger is configured to fit inside the first fluid exhaust manifold of the waste heat source. 
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein the manifold heat exchanger is located inside the mounting enclosure of the power conversion unit. 
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the mounting enclosure comprises a plurality of vents configured to receive cooling air. 
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the waste heat source is the waste thermal energy rejected to the environment by a combustion engine, and the power conversion unit is mounted to the housing structure of the waste heat source. 
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 16 , wherein the power conversion unit occupies at least a part of a waste heat source compartment of the waste heat source and protrudes externally from the waste heat source compartment. 
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 16 , wherein the power conversion unit is mounted to a roof lid above the waste heat source compartment of the waste heat source. 
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 16 , wherein the housing structure comprises a reinforcing structure configured to support a weight of the power conversion unit. 
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the waste heat source is the waste thermal energy rejected to the environment by a combustion engine of an automotive platform. 
     
     
         21 . The system of  claim 21 , wherein the automotive platform is a truck, and the power conversion unit is mounted to a cabin of the truck. 
     
     
         22 . The system of  claim 21 , wherein the mounting enclosure of the power conversion unit encloses a portion of the first fluid exhaust manifold of the automotive platform. 
     
     
         23 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising a traction motor coupled to a power train of the engine, wherein the power conversion unit is configured to control the traction motor to hybridize the engine. 
     
     
         25 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the waste heat source is the waste thermal energy rejected to the environment by the engine of a marine platform.