Patent ID: 8726656
Filing Date: 2014-05-20
Classification: F01K,F01N,F02B,F02M,Y02A,Y02T

Abstract:
1. A power assembly, comprising a main internal combustion engine including an air intake line and an exhaust gas line, and a Brayton cycle system capable of providing additional power to the main internal combustion engine, the Brayton cycle system including a gas compressor, a fuel burning heater and a turbine linked to the compressor so that air is drawn into the compressor where it is pressurized, the pressurized air is further heated by flowing through at least one heat exchanger where it exchanges heat with exhaust gases from the main internal combustion engine, the heated and pressurized air is further heated by the fuel burning heater and is thereafter expanded through the turbine where a first fraction of the work extracted by the turbine is used to drive the compressor and a second fraction of the work extracted by the turbine is used to provide additional energy, wherein the internal combustion engine includes an EGR line that recirculates a portion of the exhaust gas back to engine cylinders, the EGR line having an EGR heat exchanger where heat from the EGR gas is transferred to the pressurized air that flows in the Brayton cycle system, and wherein air in the Brayton cycle system is first heated in the at least one heat exchanger, then is heated in the EGR heat exchanger, and then is heated by the fuel burning heater.