Patent ID: 6109346
Filing Date: 2000-08-29
Classification: F02G,F24D,F28D,Y02T

Abstract:
A waste heat auxiliary tank system for transferring heat from the coolant of an internal combustion engine to process water contained in an auxiliary water storage tank, the waste heat auxiliary tank system comprising:a heat exchanger having:a coolant inlet for receiving coolant at a predetermined temperature;a coolant outlet for discharging the coolant for return to the engine;a process water inlet for receiving process water from the auxiliary water storage tank; anda process water outlet for discharging process water for return to the auxiliary water storage tank;an automatically activated multi-port thermostatically controlled diverter valve having an inlet port for receiving coolant from the engine, a first outlet port for diverting coolant directly back to the engine, and a second outlet port for diverting coolant to the coolant inlet of said heat exchanger, wherein the flow of coolant from the engine to the diverter valve is continuous;the diverter valve being responsive to coolant temperature changes relative to a predetermined engine operating temperature such that when the coolant temperature is below the predetermined operating temperature coolant is directed out the first outlet port, back to the engine; and such that when the coolant temperature is above the predetermined operating temperature, coolant is directed out the second outlet port, to the heat exchanger coolant inlet;a liquid pump for pumping process water from the auxiliary water storage tank;a second automatically activated multi-port thermostatically controlled diverter valve having an inlet port for receiving a continuous flow of process water from the liquid pump, a first outlet port for diverting process water to the process water inlet of the heat exchanger, and a second outlet port for diverting process water back to the auxiliary water storage tank; andthe second diverter valve being responsive to process water temperature changes relative to a predetermined temperature such that when the process water temperature is below the predetermined temperature, process water is directed out the first outlet port, to the heat exchanger; and such that when the process water temperature is above the predetermined temperature, process water is directed out the second outlet port, back to the auxiliary water storage tank.