In general terms the present disclosure is directed to boosting systems for effectively converting heat into useable work. In certain examples, the systems can be modular with the ability to add boost chambers to a base design. In certain examples, the systems can have driving chambers with volumes that are mechanically adjustable. In certain examples, sensors can be used to continuously monitor chamber size and/or piston position to provide system feedback. In certain examples, sensors can be used to sense end of travel positions for pistons to provide system feedback. In certain examples, the systems can have cushioning to absorb end of stroke impacts of the pistons. The cushioning can be fixed or externally adjustable.
A variety of additional aspects will be set forth in the description that follows. The aspects relate to individual features and to combinations of features. It is to be understood that both the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are exemplary and explanatory only and are not restrictive of the broad inventive concepts upon which the embodiments disclosed herein are based.
The following drawings are illustrative of particular embodiments of the present disclosure and therefore do not limit the scope of the present disclosure. The drawings are not necessarily to scale and are intended for use in conjunction with the explanations in the following detailed description.
The pressure boosting system 20 of
Referring to
The flow lines 46, 48 and the motor 44 form a closed hydraulic circuit or flow path that extends between the first and second chambers 36, 38. When the hydraulic piston 28 moves in a first direction 29 (e.g., a rightward direction) relative to the cylinder head 26, hydraulic fluid flows through the hydraulic circuit from the first chamber 36 to the second chamber 38. When the hydraulic piston 28 moves in a second direction 31 (e.g., a leftward direction) relative to the cylinder head 26, hydraulic fluid flows through the hydraulic circuit from the second chamber 38 to the first chamber 36. Hydraulic flow through the hydraulic circuit drives rotation of the motor 44 which drives the generator 50 causing the generator 50 to generate electricity. In other examples, an open hydraulic system having a reservoir can be used. It will be appreciated that boosted pressure from the chambers 36, 38 can be used to drive any type of hydraulic component and that the depicted motor and generator configurations are provided as a general example, but other arrangements can be used as well.
The pressure boosting system 20 also includes first and second end cylinder heads 60, 62 positioned at opposite ends of the cylinder 22. A third piston head 64 is positioned between the first end cylinder head 60 and the first piston head 32, and a fourth piston head 66 is positioned between the second end cylinder head 62 and the second piston head 34. A first gas chamber 68 is defined within the cylinder 22 between the third piston head 64 and the first piston head 32. A second gas chamber 70 is defined between the fourth piston head 66 and the second piston head 34. A first intermediate cylinder head 72 is provided within the first gas chamber 68. The first intermediate cylinder head 72 divides the first gas chamber 68 into a first portion between the right side of the first intermediate cylinder head 72 and the piston head 32 and a second portion between the left side of the first intermediate cylinder head 72 and the piston head 64. The first intermediate cylinder head 72 defines a through-opening 73 that provides fluid communication between the first and second portions of the first gas chamber 68. The first intermediate cylinder head 72 defines a port 74 in fluid communication with the first gas chamber 68 and also functions as a stop for stopping rightward movement of the third piston head 64 as well as a stop for limiting leftward movement of the piston 28. Cushioning can be provided for softening impact loading/stress between the piston head 32 and the first intermediate cylinder head 72. A second intermediate cylinder head 76 is provided within the second gas chamber 70. The second intermediate cylinder head 76 defines a port 78 in fluid communication with the second gas chamber 70. Additionally, the second intermediate cylinder head 76 functions as a stop for stopping leftward movement of the fourth piston head 66 as well as a stop for limiting rightward movement of the piston 28. Cushioning can be provided for softening impact loading/stress between the piston head 34 and the second intermediate cylinder head 74. The second intermediate cylinder head 76 divides the second gas chamber 70 into a first portion between the left side of the second intermediate cylinder head 76 and the piston head 34 and a second portion between the right side of the second intermediate cylinder head 76 and the piston head 666. The second intermediate cylinder head 76 defines a through-opening 77 that provides fluid communication between the first and second portions of the second gas chamber 70.
The pressure boosting system 20 further includes a third hydraulic fluid chamber 78 positioned between the third piston head 64 and the first end cylinder head 60, and a fourth hydraulic fluid chamber 80 positioned between the fourth piston head 66 and the second end cylinder head 62. The third hydraulic fluid chamber 78 is in fluid communication with a first hydraulic fluid accumulator 82 while the fourth hydraulic fluid chamber 80 is in fluid communication with a second hydraulic fluid accumulator 84.
The first piston head 32 has a first axial surface area 200 facing towards the first gas chamber 68 and a second axial surface area 201 facing toward the first hydraulic fluid chamber 36. Because of the presence of the piston rod 30, the second axial surface area 201 is substantially smaller than the first axial surface area 200. Thus, due to this difference in axial surface area, pressure applied to the first piston head 32 by the first gas chamber 68 is boosted/amplified at the first hydraulic fluid chamber 36. Similarly, the second piston head 34 has a first axial surface area 202 that faces toward the second gas chamber 70 and a second axial surface area 203 that faces toward the second hydraulic fluid chamber 38. Because of the presence of the piston rod 30, the second axial surface area 203 is substantially smaller than the first axial surface area 202. Thus, pressure applied to the second piston head 34 by the second gas chamber 70 is boosted/amplified at the second hydraulic fluid chamber 38. This boosting action allows higher boosted working pressures to be provided to the motor 44 for driving the generator 50.
As shown at
Referring still to
In operation of the system 20, the boost system can initially be in an arrangement in which the piston 28 is in the leftmost position (e.g., with the piston head 32 stopped against the right side of the first intermediate cylinder head 72), the piston head 64 is in the rightmost position (e.g., stopped against the left side of the first intermediate cylinder head 72), the piston 66 is in the leftmost position (against the right side of the second intermediate cylinder head 76). In this arrangement, the chamber 68 is de-pressurized and the chamber 70 is pressurized. At this point, the first gas chamber 68 is placed in fluid communication with heated/pressurized gas from the source of gas 500 causing the piston head 64 to move to the left thereby forcing hydraulic fluid back into the accumulator 82. Once the piston head 64 reaches its leftmost position, fluid communication between the source of heated/pressurized gas and the first gas chamber 68 is terminated and the second gas chamber 70 can be placed in fluid communication with a source of cooled gas to de-pressurize the second gas chamber 70. Pressure within the first gas chamber 68 which acts on the surface 200 of the piston head 32 then causes the piston 28 to move to the right thereby causing hydraulic fluid having boosted hydraulic pressure to be forced from the chamber 36 through the motor 44 to drive rotation of the motor 44. The hydraulic fluid flows to the chamber 38 after passing through the motor 44. As the piston 28 moves to the right, the piston head 64 also moves to the right via pressure from the accumulator 82 such that the volume of the first gas chamber 68 maintains constant so that the gas pressure in the first gas chamber 68 which acts on the piston head 32 remains constant or relatively constant. The piston 28 is preferably driven a full stroke length to the right by the pressure in the first gas chamber 68 until the piston head 32 stops at the left side of the cylinder head 26. The piston head 64 is concurrently driven a full stroke length to the right by the accumulator 82.
Once the piston 28 traverses a full stroke length to the right, the piston head 32 is directly at the left side of the second intermediate cylinder head 76 and the piston head 66 is directly at the right side of the second intermediate cylinder head 76. The second gas chamber 70 is then placed in fluid communication with heated/pressurized gas from the source of gas 502 causing the piston head 66 to move to the right thereby forcing hydraulic fluid back into the accumulator 84. Once the piston head 66 reaches its rightmost position, fluid communication between the source of heated/pressurized gas and the second gas chamber 70 is terminated and the first gas chamber 68 can be placed in fluid communication with a source of cooled gas to de-pressurize the first gas chamber 68. Pressure within the second gas chamber 70 then acts on the area 202 of the piston head 34 causing the piston 28 to move to the left which causes hydraulic fluid having boosted hydraulic pressure to be forced from the chamber 38 through the motor 44 to drive rotation of the motor 44. The hydraulic fluid flows to the chamber 36 after passing through the motor 44. As the piston 28 moves to the left, the piston head 66 also moves to the left via pressure from the accumulator 84 such that the volume of the second gas chamber 70 remains constant so that the gas pressure in the second gas chamber 70 which acts on the piston head 34 remains constant or relatively constant. The piston 28 is preferably driven a full stroke length to the left by the pressure in the second gas chamber 70 until the piston head 32 stops at the right side of the cylinder head 26. The piston head 66 is concurrently driven a full stroke length to the left by the accumulator 84. Once the piston 28 traverses though its full leftward stroke, the process is repeated by again pressurizing the first gas chamber 68. The alternating pressurization cycle is continuously repeated to drive rotation of the motor 44 and generate electricity at the generator 50.
It will be appreciated that booster arrangements in accordance with the principles of the present disclosure can have modular configurations which allows for systems having with different chamber counts and configurations to be readily manufactured to provide customized systems to for particular applications. Each section of the system can have a modular configuration that allows the various modules/sections to be coupled together in a building-block type manner (e.g., the sections can be joined together by fasteners 23 or the like). In certain examples, the arrangements can provide systems that are easy to assemble and easy to maintain. The systems can have relatively small sized components thereby facilitating transport and part replacement. Based on the working requirements of a given application, sections of cylinder can be added or subtracted to increases or decrease the number of boost chambers utilized.
Sensors can be provided for one or all of the pistons and/or chambers to provide for continuous location feedback and/or end of travel feedback. In certain examples, the volume of the driving chambers (e.g., gas chambers 68, 70) can be externally mechanically adjustable (e.g., by adjusting the stop positions of the pistons 64, 66). Stroke/piston sensing technology is disclosed by U.S. Pat. No. 9,624,773, which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
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201911005013 | Feb 2019 | IN | national |
Systems for converting low grade heat into usable work have been developed (e.g., see PCT International Publication No. WO 2018/093641).
Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind |
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PCT/EP2020/025054 | 2/6/2020 | WO | 00 |