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Dual-Stage Energy Recovery from Internal Combustion Engines

Author

Listed:
  • Davide Di Battista

    (Department of Industrial and Information Engineering and Economics, University of L’Aquila, P.le Pontieri 1, 67100 L’Aquila, Italy)

  • Federico Di Prospero

    (Department of Industrial and Information Engineering and Economics, University of L’Aquila, P.le Pontieri 1, 67100 L’Aquila, Italy)

  • Giammarco Di Giovine

    (Department of Industrial and Information Engineering and Economics, University of L’Aquila, P.le Pontieri 1, 67100 L’Aquila, Italy)

  • Fabio Fatigati

    (Department of Industrial and Information Engineering and Economics, University of L’Aquila, P.le Pontieri 1, 67100 L’Aquila, Italy)

  • Roberto Cipollone

    (Department of Industrial and Information Engineering and Economics, University of L’Aquila, P.le Pontieri 1, 67100 L’Aquila, Italy)

Abstract

Waste heat recovery is one of the most investigated solutions for increasing the efficiency of powertrains in the transportation sector. A major portion of thermal energy is wasted via exhaust gases. Almost one third of fuel energy is lost, and its recovery as propulsion energy is a promising goal. Moreover, this enables the increased electrification or hybridization of powertrains, assuming the energy recovered is converted into electrical form and used to fulfill different vehicles’ needs. The present study focuses on a dual-stage energy recovery system designed to enhance the efficiency of internal combustion engines (ICEs) in heavy-duty vehicles (HDVs). The system combines a turbocompound unit for direct heat recovery (DHR) and an organic Rankine cycle (ORC) for indirect heat recovery (IHR). These technologies aim to exploit waste heat from exhaust gases, converting it into electrical energy. In this regard, electrical energy can be stored in a battery for it to be available for the energy needs of powertrains that use hybrid propulsion and for driving pumps and compressors on board, following recent technologies of auxiliaries on demand. The proposed setup was modeled and analyzed under off-design conditions to evaluate energy recovery potential and engine performance impacts. From this point of view, in fact, any device that operates on exhaust gas introduces a pressure loss, increasing engine backpressure, whose effect is an increase in specific fuel consumption. An estimate of this negative effect is presented in this paper based on experimental data measured in a F1C IVECO™ engine. An average net recovery of 5–6% of engine power has been demonstrated, with an important prevalence of the turbocompound with respect to the ORC section. The results demonstrate the viability of integrating DHR and IHR stages, with implications for advancing sustainable transportation technologies.

Suggested Citation

  • Davide Di Battista & Federico Di Prospero & Giammarco Di Giovine & Fabio Fatigati & Roberto Cipollone, 2025. "Dual-Stage Energy Recovery from Internal Combustion Engines," Energies, MDPI, vol. 18(3), pages 1-20, January.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jeners:v:18:y:2025:i:3:p:623-:d:1579800
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Ping, Xu & Yang, Fubin & Zhang, Hongguang & Xing, Chengda & Yao, Baofeng & Wang, Yan, 2022. "An outlier removal and feature dimensionality reduction framework with unsupervised learning and information theory intervention for organic Rankine cycle (ORC)," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 254(PB).
    2. Pasini, Gianluca & Lutzemberger, Giovanni & Frigo, Stefano & Marelli, Silvia & Ceraolo, Massimo & Gentili, Roberto & Capobianco, Massimo, 2016. "Evaluation of an electric turbo compound system for SI engines: A numerical approach," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 162(C), pages 527-540.
    3. Charles E. Sprouse, 2024. "Review of Organic Rankine Cycles for Internal Combustion Engine Waste Heat Recovery: Latest Decade in Review," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 16(5), pages 1-74, February.
    4. Fu, Jianqin & Liu, Jingping & Wang, Yong & Deng, Banglin & Yang, Yanping & Feng, Renhua & Yang, Jing, 2014. "A comparative study on various turbocharging approaches based on IC engine exhaust gas energy recovery," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 113(C), pages 248-257.
    5. Chagnon-Lessard, Noémie & Copeland, Colin & Mathieu-Potvin, François & Gosselin, Louis, 2020. "Maximizing specific work output extracted from engine exhaust with novel inverted Brayton cycles over a large range of operating conditions," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 191(C).
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