SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR CONTROLLING THE PRESSURE OF A WORKING FLUID AT AN INLET OF A PRESSURIZATION DEVICE OF A HEAT ENGINE SYSTEM

• Main Authors: HART, Katherine L, AVADHANULA, Vamshi Krishna, HELD, Timothy J, MILLER, Jason D
• Format: Patent
• Language: English; French; German
• Published: 28.08.2024
• Subjects: AIR INTAKES FOR JET-PROPULSION PLANTS; BLASTING; COMBUSTION ENGINES; CONTROLLING FUEL SUPPLY IN AIR-BREATHING JET-PROPULSION PLANTS; ENGINE PLANTS IN GENERAL; ENGINE PLANTS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; ENGINES USING SPECIAL WORKING FLUIDS OR CYCLES; GAS-TURBINE PLANTS; HEATING; HOT-GAS OR COMBUSTION-PRODUCT ENGINE PLANTS; LIGHTING; MACHINES OR ENGINES IN GENERAL; MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; STEAM ACCUMULATORS; STEAM ENGINE PLANTS; STEAM ENGINES; WEAPONS

Systems and methods are provided for controlling the pressure of a working fluid at an inlet of a main pressurization device of a heat engine system. The heat engine system may include a control system and a working fluid circuit including a waste heat exchanger, an expansion device, a recuperator, a main pressurization device, and a heat exchanger assembly. The heat exchanger assembly may includea plurality of gas-cooled heat exchangers configured to transfer thermal energy from the working fluid to a cooling medium, a plurality of fans configured to direct the cooling medium into contact with the gas-cooled heat exchangers, and a plurality of drivers, each driver configured to drive a respective fan. The control system may be communicatively coupled to the heat exchanger assembly and configured to modulate a rotational speed of at least one fan to regulate a pressure of the working fluid at the inlet.