Patent ID: 6415607
Filing Date: 2002-07-09
Classification: F02B,F02G,Y02T

Abstract:
A method of operating an air bottoming power train for a vehicle having at least a pair of drive wheels, said method comprising:generating a power output and a combustion exhaust gas by operation of an internal combustion engine; isothermally compressing a gaseous working fluid to an elevated pressure, utilizing a compressor while cooling the compressor; heating the compressed gaseous working fluid by indirect heat exchange with the exhaust gas; continuously admitting the heated compressed gaseous working fluid to an expander to operate the expander in a two stroke cycle including an expansion stroke and an exhaust stroke, the expander having a plurality of cylinders, each cylinder having a piston reciprocally mounted therein, said pistons producing power output by rotatably driving an output shaft, the heated compressed gaseous working fluid being continuously admitted to an individual cylinder of the expander through a first portion of the expansion stroke to maintain constant pressure and said continuous admitting through said first portion being repeated for the other cylinders of said expander, in succession, wherein the heated compressed gaseous working fluid is continuously admitted to the individual cylinder of the expander in said first portion of the expansion stroke through an inlet port having a diameter smaller than that of the individual cylinder; and combining the power outputs of the internal combustion engine and the expander for transmitting the combined power outputs to the drive wheels.