IP Library Granted Patent US 9,291,074
Granted Patent B2
US 9,291,074 · App. 14/237,961 · Granted Mar 22, 2016

Engine waste-heat utilization device

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 9,291,074
App. No.
14/237,961
Granted
Mar 22, 2016
Kind
B2
Abstract

An engine-waste-heat utilization device includes a Rankine cycle with a heat exchanger that is configured to recover engine-waste-heat to refrigerant, an expander that is configured to generate power using the refrigerant coming out from the heat exchanger, a condenser that is configured to condense the refrigerant coming out from the expander and a refrigerant pump that is configured to supply the refrigerant coming out from the condenser to the heat exchanger by being driven by the expander, a power transmission mechanism (crank pulley, pump pulley, belt) that is configured to transmit surplus power to the engine when the expander has spare power even if the refrigerant pump is driven, a clutch that is configured to connect and disconnecting power transmission by the power transmission mechanism, and a case provided near a high-temperature part of the engine such that a shaft of the expander and that of the refrigerant pump are coaxially arranged, the clutch, the refrigerant pump and the expander are integrally housed in this order and the expander has a higher temperature than the clutch.

Claims (21)

1. An engine-waste-heat utilization device, comprising:

a Rankine cycle with a heat exchanger that is configured to recover waste-heat of an engine to refrigerant, an expander that is configured to generate power using the refrigerant coming out from the heat exchanger, a condenser that is configured to condense the refrigerant coming out from the expander and a refrigerant pump that is configured to supply the refrigerant coming out from the condenser to the heat exchanger by being driven by the expander;

a power transmission mechanism that is configured to transmit surplus power to the engine when the expander has spare power even if the refrigerant pump is driven;

a clutch that is configured to connect and disconnecting power transmission by the power transmission mechanism; and

a case provided near a high-temperature part of the engine such that a shaft of the expander and that of the refrigerant pump are coaxially arranged, the clutch, the refrigerant pump and the expander are integrally housed in this order and the expander has a higher temperature than the clutch.

2. The engine-waste-heat utilization device according to claim 1 , wherein:

the case is provided such that an intake port of the expander is close to the high-temperature part of the engine.

3. The engine-waste-heat utilization device according to claim 1 , wherein:

the engine is configured such that a plurality of cylinders are arranged in line and includes an exhaust manifold that is configured to collect and discharging exhaust gas of the plurality of cylinders;

the shaft of the expander and that of the refrigerant pump are parallel to an output shaft of the engine; and

the case is provided such that an expander side end part is close to the exhaust manifold.

4. The engine-waste-heat utilization device according to claim 1 , wherein:

the engine is configured such that a plurality of cylinders are arranged in line and includes an exhaust manifold that is configured to collect and discharging exhaust gas of the plurality of cylinders and a catalyst connected to a collection part of the exhaust manifold;

the shaft of the expander and that of the refrigerant pump are parallel to an output shaft of the engine; and

the case is provided such that an expander side end part is close to the catalyst.

5. The engine-waste-heat utilization device according to claim 1 , wherein:

the expander is a scroll type expander in which two scrolls composed of a fixed scroll and a movable scroll are engaged and the refrigerant flows from an intake port on a central side to a discharge port on a peripheral edge side; and

a refrigerant passage in which the refrigerant coming out from the heat exchanger is supplied to the intake port of the expander includes a first part connected on a straight line with an axis of the intake port of the expander and a second part connected perpendicular to the first part.

6. The engine-waste-heat utilization device according to claim 1 , wherein:

the engine is so transversely mounted in a vehicle that an exhaust manifold is located on a vehicle front side and an intake manifold is located on a vehicle rear side; and

the case is provided on a rear surface of the engine.

Assignments (5)
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Aug 22, 2022
From: SANDEN HOLDINGS CORPORATION
To: SANDEN CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 061296/0529 →
CORRECTIVE ASSIGNMENT TO CORRECT THE TYPOGRAPHICAL ERRORS IN PATENT NOS. 6129293, 7574813, 8238525, 8083454, D545888, D467946, D573242, D487173, AND REMOVE 8750534 PREVIOUSLY RECORDED ON REEL 047208 FRAME 0635. ASSIGNOR(S) HEREBY CONFIRMS THE CHANGE OF NAME. Recorded Apr 27, 2020
From: SANDEN CORPORATION
To: SANDEN HOLDINGS CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 053545/0524 →
CORRECTIVE ASSIGNMENT TO CORRECT THE PROPERTY NUMBERS PREVIOUSLY RECORDED AT REEL: 038489 FRAME: 0677. ASSIGNOR(S) HEREBY CONFIRMS THE ASSIGNMENT. Recorded Oct 9, 2018
From: SANDEN CORPORATION
To: SANDEN HOLDINGS CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 047208/0635 →
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Apr 21, 2016
From: SANDEN CORPORATION
To: SANDEN HOLDINGS CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 038489/0677 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Feb 10, 2014
From: NAGAI, HIROYUKI; ISHIKAWA, TAKAYUKI; MIZOGUCHI, SHINICHIRO; IWAHASHI, RIYAKO; NAKAMURA, SHINJI
To: NISSAN MOTOR CO., LTD.; SANDEN CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 032182/0412 →