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Pitch

Internal Combustion engines use combustion forces to move drive train of automobiles.My idea uses the wasted heat to move drive train too.


Description

Summary

The Internal Combustion Engine uses combustion forces to move pistons and then the drive train of automobiles. My combined cycle idea uses the waste heat from the engine exhaust and radiator at the exhaust manifold to raise the pressure and temperature of the coolant in the radiator in a separate closed loop steam cycle. On the discharge end of the water pump there is a 1/2 inch "T" fitting and hose going to the suction side of a higher pressure pump perhaps 1000 psi. driven also by the the crankshaft like the regular water pump for the engine is. The discharge of this pump goes to a feed water regulator that lets this 1000 psi water into a drum like in modern day power plants but at a much smaller scale. Half of this drum is located inside the exhaust system where the exhaust gasses can transfer their heat to it thus raising the temperature and pressure.On the top of this drum a steam line goes to a heating coil located in the exhaust system near the exhaust manifold where temperature is greatest therefore raising pressure and temperature even more. The high pressure/temperature steam flows to a steam flow control valve then to the steam turbine which is connected to a ring gear and meshes with a ring gear on the drive shaft which is connected to the drive train which adds torque to it and causes less fuel to be burned or the turbine can be connected to a generator to drive electric motors that are meshed to the ring gear. The steam returns to an air cooled condenser where it is condensed back to water which is piped back to the suction of the original low pressure water pump thus completing the closed loop. The whole system if engineered properly would weigh about 150 pounds or more based on the horse power of the engine.. A computerized system would make sure steam flow and feed water flow were always matched in order to maintain drum level at midpoint and that the condenser always maintained a water level in it.


Category of the action

Building efficiency: Physical Action


What actions do you propose?

The internal combustion engines is only about 37% efficient at most or about 2 out of every 3 gallons of gas burned is wasted as heat mostly right out the exhaust and radiator.... This idea can make it ~70% with proper engineering and computer modeling. This would lower GHG's an enormous amount. Such similar technology already exists in combined cycle power plants today. This is no more than a transfer of that technology to the internal combustion engine. It can be used in trucking and train transportation or where diesel generation units are located. If used on stationary diesel generation sites the steam made from the exhaust can be used on a separate turbine generator not connected to the same drive train and well water,lake water or sea water can be used as the condensing medium. The governments "Climate Action Plan" would help fund the idea: http://www.whitehouse.gov/climate-change


Who will take these actions?

Major motor corporations can build these mandated by government laws that drive down the consumption of fossil fuels making us more energy self dependent. The governments "Climate Action Plan" would help fund the idea: http://www.whitehouse.gov/climate-change


Where will these actions be taken?

These actions can be taken world wide...


How much will emissions be reduced or sequestered vs. business as usual levels?

If built and and paced on the market in 5-15 years all cars can have this new technology which will increase MPG..

 


What are other key benefits?

I study the idea daily and have found the idea can reverse many of the ill effects of climate change that fossil fuels are bringing us today such as Co2. SOX, NOX, particulate matter, smog, higher sea levels, higher sea surface temperatures, red tide,hypoxic oceans, lower PH levels in our oceans, coral bleaching, loss of Northern summertime arctic ice, Loss of the Antarctic Ice shelf, loss of albedo, skin cancer,Loss of Methane Hydrates, Melt of Arctic Tundra, lung cancer, war, heart attacks, stroke, asthma, loss of polar bears, sea lions, narwhals, walrus, krill, shrimp, rain forest's, soil moisture, more desertification and prevents fracking. etc. etc. etc.


What are the proposal’s costs?

 I don't see any negative side effects of this or increase of economic costs.


Time line

Retool factories to build new type of cars should only take 5 to 15 years.


Related proposals

None that I see..


References

The only thing that may be similar are reports on combined cycle power plants. This is new for transportation.