Hybrid power plant with waste heat recovery system

摘要

A hybrid power plant includes a waste heat recovery (WHR) system having an expander driven by waste heat from an internal combustion engine. The expander, which is rotary in one example, rotationally drives a first pump and alternator with which the expander may be packaged as a single unit. The first pump circulates a working fluid when the WHR system is in use to charge an electrical storage device. A second pump is employed to circulate the working fluid when the first pump is not in use, for example. The expander can be bypassed to divert the working fluid to a heater core used to heat engine coolant during cold start conditions, for example.

主权项

1. A hybrid power plant system comprising:
an engine including an exhaust system; an exhaust cooler in fluid communication with the exhaust system; a working fluid loop in fluid communication with the exhaust cooler and configured to receive heat from the exhaust system; a rotary expander arranged in the working fluid loop downstream from the exhaust cooler; an alternator and a pump configured to be rotationally driven by the rotary expander, the pump arranged in the working fluid loop and configured to pump working fluid therethrough in response to rotation from the rotary expander; a heater core in fluid communication with the working. fluid loop and operable to transfer heat to the engine; and a valve operable to bypass the rotary expander and the pump to direct the working fluid from the exhaust cooler to the heater core to supply heat to the engine.