Patent ID: 8109093

Claim:
A method of operating a turbocompressor-piston engine to prevent surge condition having a compressor on an inlet channel and a turbine on an exhaust channel, a bypass channel, a heat exchanger being downstream of the compressor and upstream of a charge air receiver, injection nozzles injecting water droplets or mist at a location upstream of the heat exchanger and downstream of the bypass channel branching off the inlet channel at a compressor outlet, the method comprising steps of: a. pressurizing air with the compressor of the turbocompressor, b. separating the pressurized air from the compressor into a main flow and a partial flow, a volume of the partial flow being 5-10% of the total air flow passing through the compressor, wherein the partial flow branches off from the pressurized air flow only in the event that the load of the engine is 50-85% of a maximum load of the engine, c. humidifying the main flow of pressurized air by injecting the water droplets or mist, d. heating the main flow of pressurized and humidified air, e. conveying the main flow of pressurized, humidified and heated air to the engine, f. combusting fuel in a cylinder of the engine with the pressurized, humidified and heated air, g. conveying a flow of exhaust gases generated during the combustion directly to an inlet of the turbine of the turbocompressor, and h. conveying the partial flow bypassing the engine and combining the partial flow with the flow of exhaust gases to the turbine.