Patent ID: 8683801
Filing Date: 2014-04-01
Classification: F01K

Abstract:
1. A method of regulating pressure of a working fluid in a Rankine cycle (RC) system including a working fluid path through a heat exchanger thermally coupled to a heat source of an internal combustion engine, through an energy conversion device in the working fluid path downstream of the heat exchanger, through a condenser in the working fluid path downstream of the energy conversion device, and through a pump in the working fluid path between the condenser and the heat exchanger, the method comprising: sensing the temperature and pressure of the working fluid in the working fluid path between the condenser and the pump, if the sensed pressure of the working fluid is less than a saturation pressure of the working fluid at the sensed temperature, increasing the pressure of the working fluid in the condenser by diverting at least some of the working fluid in the working fluid path upstream of an inlet of the energy conversion device to an inlet of the condenser to bypass the energy conversion device.