A COOLING ARRANGEMENT FOR A WHR-SYSTEM

Abstract

A cooling arrangement for a WHR-system in a vehicle, includes a first cooling circuit including a first radiator (9) in which a circulating coolant is cooled, and a second cooling circuit including a second radiator (14) in which a coolant is cooled to a lower temperature than the coolant in the first radiator (9). A condenser inlet line (17, 38) directs coolant from one of the cooling circuits to a condenser (19) of the WHR-system, and a cooling adjusting device (13, 16, 24, 38) for adjusting the temperature of the coolant in the inlet line (17, 38) to the condenser (19) by the coolant in the other cooling circuit. An arrangement (37, 24) receives information about the cooling to estimates cooling for the working medium in the condenser (19) controls the adjusting arrangement (13, 16, 24, 38) such that the coolant in the condenser inlet line (17) provides the estimated suitable cooling of the working medium in the condenser (19).

Claims

1. A cooling arrangement for a WHR-system in a vehicle, wherein the cooling system comprises: a first cooling circuit including a first radiator configured to contain and in which to cool a first coolant, a second cooling circuit including a second radiator configured to contain and in which to cool a second coolant to a lower temperature than the coolant in the first radiator; a condenser; a condenser inlet line configured for conducting coolant from one of the first and second cooling circuits to the condenser of the WHR-system where the coolant cools a working medium of the WHR-system; a cooling adjusting apparatus configured for adjusting a temperature of the coolant in the cooling inlet line to the condenser by means of the coolant in the other cooling circuit; a sensor configured for sensing a parameter related to the cooling of the working medium in the condenser; and a control unit configured to receive information about the parameter, to estimate a suitable cooling of the working medium in the condenser and to control the cooling adjusting apparatus such that the coolant in the condenser inlet line provides the estimated suitable cooling of the working medium in the condenser.

2. The cooling arrangement according to claim 1, further comprising, the cooling adjusting apparatus comprises a heat exchanger connected for receiving the coolant directed to the condenser, and a control valve configured and connected for directing an adjustable part of the coolant in the other cooling circuit to the heat exchanger for adjusting the temperature of the coolant directed to the condenser.

3. The cooling arrangement according to claim 1, further comprising, the cooling adjusting apparatus comprises a control valve configured to direct an adjustable coolant flow to the condenser.

4. The cooling arrangement according to claim 1, further comprising, the sensor is sensing a parameter related to a condensing pressure in the condenser.

5. The cooling arrangement according to claim 1, further comprising, the cooling arrangement is configured to cool the working medium in the condenser such that the working medium attains a condensation pressure within a predetermined pressure range.

6. The cooling arrangement according to claim 1, further comprising, temperature sensors configured to sense a temperature difference of the coolant over the condenser.

7. The cooling arrangement according to claim 1, further comprising: a combustion engine, and the first cooling circuit and the coolant therein are configured such that the coolant in the first cooling circuit is configured to cool the combustion engine .

8. The cooling arrangement according to claim 1, further comprising, the coolant in the second cooling circuit is configured to cool a medium in at least one cooler.

9. The cooling arrangement according to claim 1, further comprising: the first and second radiators are cooled and configured so that the coolant in the respective first and second radiators is cooled by an air flow over the first and second radiators; and wherein the second radiator is arranged in an upstream position relative to the first radiator in view of an air flow direction through the radiators.

10. The cooling arrangement according to claim 2, further comprising, the one of the cooling circuits comprises a control valve configured for directing a part of the coolant flow in the cooling circuit to the radiator and a remaining part of the coolant in a bypass line past the radiator, and the cooling circuit and the bypass line are configured so that the parts of the coolant are mixed and then conducted to the heat exchanger.

11. The cooling arrangement according to claim 2, further comprising: the heat exchanger is arranged in a branch line configured for receiving coolant from a first line of the first cooling circuit and for returning coolant to a second line of the first cooling circuit, wherein the coolant in the second line has a lower temperature than the coolant in the first line; and the heat exchanger is arranged in a branch line which receives coolant from the first line and returns the coolant to the second line.

12. The cooling arrangement according to claim 11, further comprising, the branch line is configured to receive coolant from an engine outlet line in the first cooling circuit.

13. The cooling arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the first cooling circuit and the second cooling circuit constitute separate circuits with separate coolants.

14. The cooling arrangement according to claim 7, further comprising, an evaporator for heating the working medium and the evaporator is configured for heating the working medium in the evaporator of the WHR-system by exhaust gases from the combustion engine powering the vehicle.

15. The cooling arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the working medium in the WHR-system is ethanol.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0020] In the following preferred embodiments of the invention are described, as examples, with reference to the attached drawings, in which:

[0021] FIG. 1 shows a first embodiment of the arrangement and

[0022] FIG. 2 shows a second embodiment of the arrangement

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION

[0023] FIG. 1 shows a combustion engine 2 powering a schematically disclosed vehicle 1. The combustion engine 2 may be a diesel engine. The vehicle 1 may be a heavy vehicle. The vehicle 1 comprises a first high temperature cooling circuit. The first cooling circuit comprises an engine inlet line 3 provided with a first pump 4 circulating a first coolant in the first cooling circuit. The first pump 4 directs the coolant to the combustion engine 2. When the coolant has circulated through the combustion engine 2, it enters an engine outlet line 6 comprising a retarder cooler 5. The coolant is intended to cool oil in the retarder cooler 5 during occasions when a retarder is activated. A thermostat 7 is arranged at an end of the engine outlet line 6. In case the coolant has a lower temperature than the regulating temperature of the thermostat 7, the coolant is directed back to the first pump 4 via a first return line 8. In case the coolant has a higher temperature than the regulating temperature of the thermostat 7, the coolant is directed to a first radiator 9 arranged at a front portion of the vehicle 1. The ram air and a radiator fan 10 are able to provide a cooling air flow through the first radiator 9. When the coolant has circulated through the first radiator 9, it is directed, via a second return line 11, back to the engine inlet line 3 and the first pump 4.

[0024] The first cooling circuit comprises a branch line 12. The branch line 12 receives coolant from the engine outlet line 6. The branch line 12 comprises a control valve 13 controlling the coolant flow in the branch line 12 and a heat exchanger 14. The branch line 12 comprises an outlet returning the coolant to the second return line 11 of an ordinary part of the first cooling circuit.

[0025] The vehicle 1 comprises a second low temperature cooling circuit. The low temperature cooling circuit comprises a second pump 4 circulating a second coolant in the second cooling circuit. The second pump 16 directs the coolant, via a condenser inlet line 17, to a condenser 19 of a WHR-system. The condenser inlet line 17 comprises a first temperature sensor 18a sensing the temperature of the coolant in a position upstream of the condenser 19. The coolant leaves the condenser 19 via a condenser outlet line 20. The condenser outlet line 20 comprises a second temperature sensor 18b sensing the temperature of the coolant in a position downstream of the condenser 19. The condenser outlet line conducts the coolant to a control valve 21. The control valve 21 directs the coolant to a bypass line 22 or to a second radiator 25 via a radiator inlet line 23.

[0026] The second radiator 25 is arranged at the front portion of the vehicle l in an upstream position of the first radiator 9 in view of the air flow direction defined by the radiator fan 10. Thus, the coolant in the second radiator 25 is cooled by air with a lower temperature than the coolant in the first radiator 9. The coolant leaving the second radiator 25 cools charge air in a charge air cooler 26, a refrigerant in an AC cooler 27 and gearbox oil in an oil cooler 28. The coolant in the second cooling are directed from said coolers 26-28, via a heat exchanger inlet line 29, to the heat exchanger 14. The heat exchanger inlet line 29 is connected to the bypass line 22. Thus, the heat exchanger inlet line 29 receives coolant from the bypass line 22 and/or the second radiator 25. The coolant leaving the heat exchanger 14 is directed back to the second pump 4 and the condenser inlet line 17. A control unit 24 receives information from the first temperature sensor 18a and the second temperature sensor 18b about the coolant temperature before and after the condenser 19.

[0027] The vehicle is provided with a WHR-system (Waste Heat Recovery system). The WHR- system comprises a pump 31 which pressurizes and circulates a working medium in a closed a circuit 30. In this case, the working medium is ethanol. However, it is possible to use other kinds of working mediums such as, for example, R245fa. The pump 31 pressurizes and circulates the working medium to an evaporator 32. The working medium is heated in the evaporator 32 by exhaust gases. The exhaust gases are supplied, via an exhaust line 33 from the combustion engine 2 to the evaporator 32. The exhaust line 33 is branch into a heat line 33a extending through the evaporator 32 and a bypass line 33b leading the exhaust gases past the evaporator 32. The exhaust flow through the heat line 33a is controlled by a first valve 34a and the exhaust flow through the bypass line 33b is controlled by a second valve 34b. The control unit 24 controls the first valve 34a and the second valve 34b and thus the exhaust flow through the evaporator 32. During most operating conditions, the entire exhaust gas flow is directed through the heat line 33a. The working medium is heated by the exhaust gases in the evaporator 32 to a temperature at which it evaporates.

[0028] The working medium is circulated in gaseous form from the evaporator 32 to the expander 35. The pressurised and heated working medium expands in the expander 35. The expander 35 generates a rotary motion which may be transmitted, via a suitable mechanical transmission, to a shaft of the power train of the vehicle 1. Alternatively, the expander 35 may be connected to a generator transforming the rotary movement of the expander to electrical energy. The electrical energy may be stored in a battery. When the working medium has passed through the expander 35, it is directed to the condenser 19. The working medium is cooled in the condenser 19 by the coolant in the second cooling circuit to a temperature at which it condenses. A pressure sensor 37 senses the pressure in the circuit 30 in a position immediately downstream of the condenser 19. The control unit 24 receives information from the pressure sensor 37 of the condensation pressure in the condenser 19. The working medium is directed from the condenser 19 to a receiver 36. The pump 31 sucks working medium from a bottom portion of the receiver 36 ensuring that only working medium in liquid form is supplied to the pump 31.

[0029] During operation of the combustion engine 2, the first pump 4 circulates coolant in the first cooling circuit such that it cools the combustion engine 2. The second pump 4 circulates coolant in the second cooling circuit such that it cools said mediums in the coolers 26-28 before it cools the working medium in the condenser 19. In order to achieve a high thermal efficiency in a WHR-system, the working medium in the condenser 19 is to be cooled by a cooling effect varying during different operating condition. Since the exhaust gases supplies a variable heat effect to the evaporator 32, it is necessary to provide a correspondingly variable cooling effect of the working medium in the condenser 19. It is favorable to establish a condensation pressure as low as possible at the different operating conditions and without subcooling of the working medium. Furthermore, it is suitable to avoid negative pressure in the WHR-system by practical reasons. In view of these facts, it is suitable to provide a cooling of the working medium in the condenser 19 to a condensation pressure just above 1 bar and without subcooling. In order to maintain a high thermal efficiency, it is necessary to adjust the cooling effect of the working medium in the condenser 19 in view of the supplied heat energy from the combustion engine 2 such that the condensation pressure will be just above 1 bar. The working medium ethanol has a condensation temperature of 78° C. at 1 bar. In this case, it is suitable to accomplish a condensation temperature of just above 78° C. in the condenser 19.

[0030] During most operating conditions the control unit 24 sets the control valve 21 in a position in which the coolant in the second cooling circuit is directed to the first radiator 25 where the coolant is cooled to a low temperature. When the coolant has cooled said mediums in the coolers 26-28, the coolant has still a relatively low temperature. During most operating conditions, the coolant in the second cooling circuit provides a too heavy cooling effect of the working medium in the condenser 19. However, it is possible by the control valve 21 to direct a first part of the coolant flow to the bypass line 22 and a second part of the coolant flow to the second radiator 25. The first non-cooled part of the coolant flow from the bypass line 22 is mixed with the cooled second part of the coolant flow from the second radiator 25 in heat exchanger inlet line 29. In this case, it is possible to conduct coolant in the second cooling line with a variable temperature to the condenser 19.

[0031] In this case, the control unit 24 is configured to maintain a condensation pressure within a pressure range of, for example, 1.1-1.5 bar in the condenser 19. The control unit 24 receives substantially continuously information from the pressure sensor 37 about the current condensation pressure in the condenser 19. In case the control unit 24 receives information indicating that the condensation pressure is lower than 1.1 bar, there is a risk of negative pressure in the WHR-system. Thus, coolant in the second cooling circuit provides a too high cooling effect of the working medium in the condenser 19. The control unit 24 controls the control valve 13 such that an adjustable part of the coolant in engine outlet line 6 is directed to the branch line 12 and the heat exchanger 14. Thereby, the warmer coolant in the first cooling circuit will heat the coolant in the second cooling circuit to a suitable temperature before it enters the condenser 19. Since the control unit 24 is able to regulate the temperature of the coolant entering the condenser 19 by the control valves 13, 21, it is possible to vary the cooling effect of the working medium in the condenser 19 in a simple and quick manner.

[0032] In case, the condensation pressure becomes higher than 1.5 bar, the cooling effect of the working medium in the condenser 19 is too low. In this case, the control unit 24 controls the control valve 13 such that a smaller part of the coolant flow in the engine outlet line 6 is directed into the branch line 12. As a consequence, the coolant in the second cooling circuit is cooled to a lower temperature in the heat exchanger 14 by the reduced coolant flow in the branch line 12. Thus, the coolant in the second cooling circuit entering the condenser 19 has a lower temperature which results in an increased cooling effect of the working medium in the condenser 19. Furthermore, the control unit 24 receives information from the temperature sensors 18a, 18b about the temperature difference of the coolant over the condenser 19. In view of this information, the coolant flow through the condenser 19 and the specific heat capacity of the working medium, the control unit 24 is able to calculate the cooling effect in the condenser 19.

[0033] FIG. 2 shows an alternative embodiment of the cooling arrangement. The cooling arrangement comprises also in this case a first high temperature cooling circuit comprising a first radiator 9 and a second low temperature cooling circuit comprising a second radiator 25. In this case, the first coolant in the branch line 12 is directed, via the heat exchanger 14, to the condenser 19. The branch line 12 comprises further a condenser outlet line 39 directing the coolant to an ordinary part of the first cooling circuit via the second return line 11. In this case, the second coolant in the second cooling is used to cool the coolant in the branch line 12 in the heat exchanger 14. The second cooling circuit comprises a bypass line 40 conducting coolant past the heat exchanger 14 and to a heat exchanger outlet line 41 of the second cooling circuit. The coolant in the heat exchanger outlet line 41 is circulated by the second pump 16 to the control valve 21 via a return line 42. The bypass line 40 comprises a control valve 43 by which the control unit 24 controls the coolant flow through the bypass line 40.

[0034] When the coolant in the first cooling circuit has cooled the combustion engine 2, it usually has a high temperature. During most operating conditions, the coolant in the engine outlet line 6 has a too high temperature to cool the working medium in the condenser 19 in a desired manner. Also in this case, the control unit 24 is configured to maintain a condensation pressure within a pressure range of, for example, 1.1-1.5 bar. The control unit 24 receives substantially continuously information from the pressure sensor 37 about the condensation pressure in the condenser 19.

[0035] Due to the high temperature of the coolant in the branch line 12, it usually provides a too low cooling effect of the working medium in the condenser 19. As a consequence, the condensation pressure is higher than 1.5 bar. In this case, the control unit 24 may control the control valve 43 such that a suitable part of the coolant flow in the second cooling circuit is directed into the bypass line 38 and past the heat exchanger 14. The remaining part of the coolant flow in the second cooling circuit is directed through the heat exchanger 14 where it cools the coolant in the branch line 12. The remaining part of the coolant flow is dimensioned such that it cools the coolant in the branch line 12 to a desired temperature such that it cools the working medium in the condenser 19 to an evaporation temperature at a pressure within the above mentioned pressure range. Alternatively or in combination, the control unit 24 controls the control valve 13 such the coolant flow in the branch line 12 will be adjusted in a suitable manner. The control unit 24 has also the possibility to control the control valve 21 in order to adjust the temperature of the coolant in the second cooling circuit entering the heat exchanger 14.

[0036] In case the control unit 24 receives information indicating that the condensation pressure is lower than 1.1 bar, there is a risk of negative pressure in the WHR-system. Thus, the coolant provides a too high cooling effect of the working medium in the condenser 19. In this case, the control unit 24 controls the control valve 43 such that a smaller part of the coolant flow in the second cooling circuit is directed into the bypass line 38. An increased part of the coolant in the second cooling circuit is used to cool the coolant in the branch line 12. Alternatively or in combination, the control unit 24 controls the control valve 13 such the coolant flow in the branch line 12 will be adjusted in a suitable manner. The control unit 24 has also the possibility to control the control valve 21 in order to adjust the temperature of the coolant in the second cooling circuit entering the heat exchanger 14. Since the control unit 24 is able to regulate the temperature and the flow of the coolant to the condenser 19 by the control valves 13, 43, 21 it is possible to vary the cooling effect of the working medium in the condenser 19 in a simple and quick manner.

[0037] The invention is not restricted to the described embodiment but may be varied freely within the scope of the claims.