Patent ID: 7421840

Claim:
An energy conversion and dissipation system comprising: a hydraulic retarder pump driven by a source of a mechanical energy needed to be dissipated, said hydraulic retarder pump provided for converting the mechanical energy into a waste hydraulic energy of a pressurized hydraulic; a hydraulic fluid reservoir provided for storing an appropriate amount of a hydraulic fluid, said hydraulic fluid reservoir is in fluid communication with an inlet of said hydraulic retarder pump; a hydraulic thermal loading valve provided for converting a portion of the waste hydraulic energy into a thermal energy, said hydraulic thermal loading valve being a variable relief valve with external vent and drain ports selectively fluidly connected to said hydraulic fluid reservoir; at least one heat exchanger for dissipating the thermal energy generated by said hydraulic thermal loading valve; and at least one cooling fan provided for producing a forced air flow through said at least one heat exchanger, said at least one cooling fan is driven by an associated hydraulic motor powered by the waste hydraulic energy of said pressurized hydraulic fluid generated by said hydraulic retarder pump for further dissipating the waste hydraulic energy, said hydraulic retarder pump being fluidly connected to said associated hydraulic motor driving said at least one cooling fan through said hydraulic thermal loading valve.