GB2591738A - Heat energy conversion by means of condensed gas - Google Patents

Abstract

A pressure vessel 1, preferably formed of strong and thermally conductive walls, for the containment of an inert and condensed gas such as nitrogen as enjoys several atmospheres of pressure, this being an energy store for a suitable engine 2 capable of using direct vessel pressure and stored pressure within inducts also contrived for exhaust vaporisation and efficient recycling, with necessary heat picked up to complete the cycle as would be thermally conveyed by convection into the system, from assumed warm surroundings via vessel walls, cooled by the above activity.

Description

HEAT ENERGY CONVERSION BY MEANS OF CONDENSED GAS

Description

A Simple Means for Abstracting, Concentrating and Converting Useful Quantities of Heat from Bulk Fluid Borne, Low Grade Heat Energy Sources.

Useful for the power production industry in the reclamation of heat energy otherwise wasted, most particularly from exhaust stage working fluid cycles and from boiler flue exhaust gases. Additionally, would be applicable for the conversion of waste heat appearing at the end of many industrial processes.

Further, systems operating on the principles outlined here could be adapted for the rapid thermal conditioning of air samples into very cold form.

This speculated as useful on the smaller scale for the enhanced thermal conditioning of input air as would be routed into common internal combustion engines, thus realising ultimate intercooling of said air inducts, as would allow the possibility for the physical separation of bulk component gases from the air mixture into charge and working gases, this achievable by the addition to the system of a suitable and familiar fractionation facility.

The larger fraction being composed of said working gas, (Nitrogen) could then be inducted into assumed expansion chambers of said familiar internal combustion engines at very low temperature, giving the possibility for more than double the mass of working gas to be present per swept volume when compared to conventional means.

Separated charge gas could be stored in liquid form until required and then heated indirectly by engine exhaust gases, along with but separately from required fuel and preferably to such high temperatures as might cause atomisation of these proposed reactants. Charge and fuel gases then to be inducted separately into an assumed operating engine at optimum timing and in exact stoichiometric proportions.

Derived operating engine, internal conditions would thereby, imbue the possibility for better control over prevailing physical and chemical variables, with vital functions performing, constrained by tighter parameters and this for greater efficiency speculated, for the most part in the elimination of polluting side reactions also factored in here must be aforesaid very cold condition of working gas present, causing it to be relatively much less reactive than if present at at more ordinary temperatures, as would conventionally be the case.

A good definition for condensed gas would be that of a contained and compressed real gas with the heat of compression removed. A contained gas persisting at the same or similar temperature to that enjoyed by the surroundings but at a higher pressure. Such a contained and condensed gas could be contrived persisting at a lower temperature than assumed containment vessel surroundings but still in retention of a much higher pressure than said surroundings and therefore in possession of a proportionally higher energy potential than any surroundings.

Common examples for a condensed gas being compressed air and stored compressed Nitrogen gas.

HEAT ENERGY CONVERSION BY MEANS OF CONDENSED GAS

Description

Devices as would effect efficient collection of energy from bulk fluid, low grade heat sources, as described in this submission and are set out here as simple systems comprising two main components.

See drawings 1/1 as diagrammatica I representations of three possible expressions for the concept.

Diagrammatical representations adequate, in order to establish and convey the working principle and novelty embodied by said concept as being the subject of this application.

Necessary additional means to those laid out below,in order to realise said concept are familiar and obvious and further, scientific principles of operation cited by this work are long established and well understood.

Each of the said three variants aforementioned comprise the three separate parts to drawings 1/1 being numbered and shown as 1/1a, 1/1b and 1/1c, all identical by their operating principle and basic structure, whilst showing adaptations suitable for different applications.

Components as so represented by the drawings are not to scale but composed into such proportions as to facilitate describing the structures operating the principle as conceptually envisioned.

Components (1) shown take the form of a relatively large capacity sealed vessel formed of strong and thermally conductive walls. Designed this way for the storage and atemperation of the necessary working fluid, as part of a closed loop circulation sub system, said contained fluid taking the form of a condensed gas, most probably Nitrogen as being abundant, relatively chemically inert and retaining the physical properties of a so called," real gas" down to very low temperatures.

The storage and use of condensed gas is very common in the industrialised environment but is not usually regarded as such.

A good definition for a condensed gas would be that of a compressed gas with the inevitable heat of compression taken away. A gas having the same or a similar temperature to that enjoyed by the surroundings but contrived to persist at a higher pressure. The temperature of assumed contained condensed gas can be below that of surroundings and if said gas be ideal, said condensed gas can he contrived still to persist at a higher pressure and thus at a higher potential than said surroundings.

Referring to shown representation drawings a, b and c, differences being with the constructions of components (1), all designed around the common purpose that of atemperater/storage but being adapted to operate in a different way.

The product of variant "a" and" b" contrived to be harvested energy, converted from heat stored within a substrate, whereas" cl air gases converted into very cold form, liberated energy retained in order to assist powering system operation.

HEAT ENERGY CONVERSION BY MEANS OF CONDENSED GAS

Description

Many points of commonality between variants are revealed within drawings 1/1, in regard to the type of structure deployed in order to illustrate the principle employed in the realisation of this concept.

The most important feature being that, in each case, the essential structure is divided into two main components, so labelled 1 and 2, component 1 function being that of atemperation/storage aforesaid and component 2 as an energy conversion arrangement in the form and largely familiar engine device.

Component referred 1 is shown with a sub part labelled (3), representing a container and envelope for atemperater/storage vessel, sub part (1), a suitable space being contrived between said envelope inner surface and vessel outer wall surface in order that it function as both container of vessel (1) and necessary ducting. This complete structure representing component 1 to be placed within some bulk fluid substrate containing some enhanced but low grade heat energy. Atemperater/storage vessel (1) and a complete engine arrangement (2), sub parts necessary in order to realise a suitable apparatus as would operate the working principle outlined below, being familiar and obvious.

Vessel (1) outer wall then; found persisting at a lower temperature than the immediate surroundings because of stored energy within said assumed working fluid contents being used up by said and operating engine (2), will pick up heat from said immersing substrate: causing such a bulk fluid sample as might be in contact to become colder, more dense and heavier than other bulk immediate surroundings, causing it to sink under gravity through said bulk substrate and clown shown ducting, drawing in more substrate shown (4), with said heavier inducts now contrived as having a temperature much closer to that enjoyed by the wider environment, set to be exhausted out of the apparatus, at the base shown (5), impelled by this passive means or by some familiar active means.

Vessel outer walls are identified shown by continuous lines, with inner topography shown using dotted detail and the wall filled shown hatched.

Pressurised, warm and condensed gas being transferred as required between components (1) and (2) via valve guarded (9) ports (6) and (7), operating valve apparatus by some familiar means, not shown.

Component (2), for the purpose of illustrating the working principle embodied within the concept, takes the form of a simple and familiar piston within a tight fitting, end sealed cylinder arrangement, said sealed end to be accessed by referred valve guarded ducting (6) and (7).

Engine cycle assumed here initiated with said piston dwelling at a travel point farthest to the left in the diagram part 2, the presumed top dead centre position, with the inevitable expansion chamber as yet unformed and by said familiar means, duct (6) is contrived opened by the operation of valve arrangement (9), working gas contents in component (1) therefore accessing and pressurising said cylinder part of component (2). Said piston is thereby imbued with powerful motion along said cylinder to a point of swept (expansion chamber) volume shown (10), as would represent a suitable induct volume of energised condensed gas propellant into the engine. Said piston motion during this period coming about from vessel (1) contained pressure alone and as the vessel volume be contrived much greater than any single induction, any total increase in volume to the system would therefore be very small, meaning any associated loss of pressure and therefore absolute temperature by this action would also be very small.

HEAT ENERGY CONVERSION BY MEANS OF CONDENSED GAS

Description

Above said losses of heat and energy to the system being compensated for by recycled exhausted propellant working fluid re-entering into component (1) and heat from said immersing substrate as would be convected in through component (1) walls.

After said induction stage be complete as part of an assumed engine power-stroke, said expansion chamber is at this optimum time contrived sealed by the further operation of said valve arrangement (9), powerful impulsion along said enclosing cylinder continues, using only pressure stored within working fluid inducts, this to an expansion swept volume show (11).

In accord with the gas laws, as said working fluid expands and being in the form of a condensed gas, it will experience drastic cooling in doing work against the surroundings. Said physical laws assert that, at a predictable point (12) along said piston travel; in these circumstances a critical point and temperature will be passed, with any any travel beyond meaning the working gas has lost identity as a real gas and has become a vapour, starting to liquefy. Therefore, apart from a little vapour pressure, all useful pressure collapses and the working fluid is in the exhausted condition. Region shown (13) represents a piston travel region wherein the working fluid persists outside of an ideal gas form. Please access supporting evidence obtainable on viewing work by Galilee& and later Claude, on the liquefaction of real gases.

It is crucial to the effective functioning of the apparatus that a piston travel a little beyond the critical distance shown (12) happens, to an assumed piston run to the far end of the boundary of the region shown (11), so that the non ideal state is enjoyed by the working fluid at, what is now the end of an assumed power-stroke. This condition must be met before inevitable piston reciprocation happens. Energy could not be harvested if the condition of the working fluid remains as an ideal gas. Recompression and re-induction into component (1) being the exact reciprocal of aforesaid power-stroke and as again would accord with said gas laws, the total energy change would be zero.

Therefore, with correct parameters applied, unresisted reciprocation is presumed through a region represented (14), with the possibility of working fluid recovering the ideal condition on or around the end of this considered swept volume. This being presumed from the fact of the relatively low mass of the working fluid sample under consideration and that it might reasonably be assumed to have picked up enough heat, from relatively warm expansion chamber surfaces, to effect a change back to ideality. If however it proves not possible for this to be contrived and said working fluid tends to persist in the non-ideal condition through the region shown (15), then a small induction of energised working fluid from the top of component (1) should be introduced into the cycle and be factored into valve (9) operations, this in order to ensure effective recycling by piston travel across region (15) thereafter, ideal but very cold gas recycled via duct (7).

Necessary heat being contrived returned to exhausted working fluid by convection processes aforesaid, occurring either side of component (1) vessel walls. Vessel contents cooled by episodic expansions of inducts of warm working gas propellant to engine (2) and cold exhaust working fluid returns thereafter, picking up heat for the completion of an apparatus operating cycle from immediate and heat enhanced as aforementioned, surrounding bulk substrate

HEAT ENERGY CONVERSION BY MEANS OF CONDENSED GAS

Description

Compression of an ideal gas to one half of any original volume will imbue four times original pressure as enjoyed by our considered sample, providing any inevitable heat of compression is not allowed to escape. The gas laws state that as the volume of any such gas sample is halved, so gas pressure is doubled but this action does measurable work on the gas in proportion, such that halving the volume also doubles the absolute temperature as originally enjoyed by our gas sample, the consequence of this therefore is a further doubling of pressure being experienced.

The collection of compressed air into bulk pressure storage involves any heat of compression generated being removed at the compression stage because any heat remaining above that of the surroundings will eventually escape, resulting in a proportional loss of worked for pressure. Pressure persists within a condensed gas sample in proportion such that, each halving of gas volume double the pressure enjoyed, given the maintenance of a constant temperature.

With regard to variant shown by drawing 1/1a and referring to component 1 part (1) of this expression. A tower configuration accessed alter ends by previously referred ducting shown (6) and (7). A variable wall profile fashioned along the length of the vessel, contrived much larger at the base than the apex, this to take into account the inevitable very low temperature of exhausted working fluid, entering the vessel via conduit shown (7). This feature in order to minimise the inner surface area of the vessel wall in this region, relative to the outside surface, in order to take into account a high temperature gradient persisting lower down the vessel during periods of continuous operations. Further the much lower temperature of the working fluid at the vessel base means it has a much higher density than further along the vessel.

This variant should lend itself to larger scale applications.

With regard to the variant as outlined shown by drawing 1/1b.

The profile again configured into an alter end accessed tower form but structured in order to take advantage of the way that pressurised outducts of condensed gas disperse into ambient surroundings. Due to the rapid reduction of outductings pressure and therefore absolute temperature it should be expected that larger disturbances be observed than is actually the case. However because of the way such gas inclusions are given to disperse into said surroundings, relatively small effects are are actually observed and the fact of this is now well understood and accounted for by scientific activity around this phenomenon.

This variant is characterised by a relatively large wall surface area, both inner and outer combined with a relatively large vessel volume and a much larger vessel volume contrived at the base than the apex. Cold exhausted inducts proceeding into the vessel via familiar duct (7) are contrived delivered at a suitable angle and near to the centre of the vessel. This situation creating dynamic convective movements of working gas as inferred by shown arrows, contents in the centre of the vessel cooled by the dispersal of said very cold inducts, proceeding down and across the vessel walls, picking up heat then inevitably rising up along said walls to vessel apex. Warmed and energised for passing out to component 2, such action analogous as a whirlpool effect.

B

HEAT ENERGY CONVERSION BY MEANS OF CONDENSED GAS

Description

See drawing 1/lc; in this expression atemperation/storage is fashioned within a jacket enclosing a conical tunnel, with the enclosed volume progressively decreasing as said tunnel extends into the assumed apparatus. Stator fins, are arranged shaped out of said vessel wall, disposed encroaching transversely into said tunnel, as a means to increase surface area offered to air inducts from the surroundings. Moving fins (16) are arranged pivoted about a central axle shown (17), the complete arrangement essentially conforming, analogous to a familiar and common turbofan compressor construction.

As with variants (a) and (b) this component 1 of this variant is also fitted with a cowling, shown (3), inducts to this space shown (4) and outducts (5) as previously. Assumed parameters functioning during continuous operation arranged that temperatures always persist above freezing.

Said working parameters, built into the construction of this apparatus are adjusted such that inducted air persists at ambiance throughout assumed transit along aforesaid compressor tunnel. With heat of compression only being absorbed by the same familiar means, as laid out in previous descriptions for said variants (a) and (b), components 1, the resultant gas volume decreasing as it becomes pressurised and more condensed in proportion to assumed transit progression along said compressor tunnel. The heating effect of said compression contrived to balance the cooling effect of said atemperating jacket.

Two examples of component 2, (2) (engines) are disposed adjoined to said central axle at a point further inside the apparatus than previously the mentioned motile fins (16).

The importance of this overall arrangement being the delivery of pressurised condensed gas to one of the two said attached engines (2), worked gas shown (18) and with correct parameters prevailing said condensed air inducts do work hi said engine, returning much of the energy expended during the previous compression phase, said work be delivered to said central common axle sub component.

Parameters of engine operation can be contrived that exhausted engine propellant emerges at a temperature where the Nitrogen component persists in the ideal form but at a very cold temperature, with the accompanying Oxygen component of the inducted air mixture persisting in the non ideal form as a vapour, in this condition total inducts can be passed into a suitable and familiar separater facility.

Energised working gas from the aforementioned atemperater jacket enters said additional engine (2), in familiar fashion, analogous to variants 1/1a and 1/1b, via duct (6) and recycled back by duct (7), facilitated as before, by suitable and familiar valve arrangements (9), energy liberated again picked up as powerful motion to said common axle.

Energy harvested from the ambient samples abstracted in this way from the atmosphere may not be quite sufficient to operate this relatively small apparatus and necessary activity could be supplemented by attachment to a familiar turbocharger or to some gearing operating from an assumed engine crankshaft.

The science around the use of familiar axial turbofan compressor vanes is well understood.

The code in use revealing the way the apparatus is formed is as before with other variants but with the addition of the possibility for some necessary insulation around components (2), shown crosshatched.

Claims (11)

1. HEAT ENERGY CONVERSION BY MEANS OF CONDEINal) GAS Claims 1) An effective system for the abstraction, conversion and concentration of heat energy from low grade bulk fluid substrate.
2. 2) A suitable apparatus as laid out in claims (1), comprising a suitable vessel for the atemperation and storage of a working fluid consistent with, a condensed real gas persisting at a pressure of several atmospheres, said vessel conjoined with a suitable and multifunctional engine.
3. 3) A suitable engine, as stated in claims (2), performing the function of an energy conversion device and conjoined by two valve guarded ducts with aforesaid atemperation/storage facility, in order that said working fluid can be moved to and from either component by correct quantities and at optimum timing. Necessary valve means in the realisation of this activity being familiar and obvious.
4. 4) An apparatus as outlined in claims (1), (2) and (3), to be placed within some heat enhanced bulk fluid substrate and then by the inferred coordinated operation of said fully realised equipment, the prevailing temperature enjoyed by said substrate is contrived lowered to value closer to that pervading the wider environment and exhausted.
5. 5) A system as stated by claims (1), (2) and (3) operating in such a modified environment as eluded by claims (4), to function in accordance with contrived parameters adjusted that, working fluid contents of previously referred atemperater/storage vessel are caused persisting at a lower temperature than those being experienced by immediate vessel surroundings, at the same time as useful pressures being maintained.
6. 6) As outlined in claims (2) and (3), said engine and energy conversion device, being of a suitable size, displacement and configuration that, by utilisation of stored energy within said working fluid propellant an effective temperature gradient can be maintained across said atemperater/storage vessel walls, for as long as heat enhanced substrate remains in contact. Contrived suitable functioning parameters conspiring toward continuous operation whilst useful temperature gradients persist between the outside and inside of assumed apparatus.
7. HEAT ENERGY CONVERSION BY MEANS OF CONDENSE2GAS Claims 7) A suitable engine main component as inferred by claims (6), imbued with a multi-functionality of operations conferred by judicious valve timings embodied within an assumed engine cycle. Timed for firstly, an induction swept volume secondly, a sealed expansion chamber interlude as a working gas expansion volume, in order to complete an assumed piston power-stroke and achieve total propellant exhaustion, into the non-ideal gas condition. This allowing an unresisted reciprocation for said piston action down to a swept volume of around half of an original induction swept volume. Then thirdly, assumed expansion chamber opened again briefly to warm inducts in order to return working gas contents to ideality for recycling by the remainder of said reciprocation swept volume.
8. 8) A suitable atemperation/storage vessel as inferred by claims (2), (3), (4) and (5), giving rise to at least three variations depending on the requirements. All variants being sealed containers formed of strong and thermally conductive walls, accessed at alter ends by valve guarded ducting, to be placed inside of a suitable cowling structure.
9. 9) As compliant with properties embodied in claims (8), the first variant takes up a tower configuration with a continuously changing wall profile, larger at the base, much smaller at the apex, in order to accommodate larger temperature gradients and larger working fluid densities lower down.
10. (10) As compliant with properties embodied by claims (8) and again assuming a tower configuration, the second cited variant has a wall of constant and small profile along assumed vessel but with a continuously varying volume between base and apex, much larger at the base and smaller at the apex, with recycled working fluid being delivered near the centre of said vessel and at a suitable angle in order to encourage a vortex and thereby giving a more active convection process.
11. 11) For variant three, the atemperation/storage vessel component takes the form of a conical wall and jacket, the volume of said cone becoming smaller the further inside the apparatus. The outside wall of said cone being subject to active convection effects because of driven bypass air from the surroundings, the inside wall being equipped with stator fins to increase surface area. Rotator fins are driven from a central axle in order to draw in and compress atmospheric air, heat of compression largely removed to said jacket by active convection. Two engine apparatus as discussed in claims (6) and (7) are attached at the inner end of said axle rotator, one operating by energised working fluid as previously and the other otf of inducted condensed gas to be delivered in suitably cold condition to an assumed, attached and familiar fractionation facility.