Energy harvester for wildlife monitor

• US 10,292,587 B2
• Filed: 06/03/2016
• Issued: 05/21/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 06/05/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Arizona Board of Regents (University of Arizona)
• Original Assignee: Arizona Board of Regents (University of Arizona)
• Inventors: Shafer, Michael W., Morgan, Eric R., Hahn, Gregory
• Primary Examiner(s): Patel, Tulsidas C
• Assistant Examiner(s): Ortega, Joseph
• Application Number:
  US15/173,540
• Publication Number:
  US 20160357238A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,082 Days
• CPC Class Codes: A01K 11/008 incorporating GPS
• CPC Class Codes: A01K 61/90 Sorting, grading, counting or marking live aquatic animals, e.g. sex determination
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2503/40 Animals
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2560/0214 of power generation or supply
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0022 Monitoring a patient using a global network, e.g. telephone networks, internet
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/01 Measuring temperature of body parts ; Diagnostic temperature sensing, e.g. for malignant or inflamed tissue clinical contact thermometers G01K13/20
• CPC Class Codes: F03B 13/00 Adaptations of machines or engines for special use; Combinations of machines or engines with driving or driven apparatus if the apparatus aspects are predominant, see the relevant subclasses for such apparatus, e.g. H02K7/18; Power stations or aggregates incorporating only machines or engines of positive-displacement type F03C; hydraulic engineering aspects E02B; combinations with wind energy converters F03D9/008
• CPC Class Codes: F05B 2220/602 with energy recovery turbines
• CPC Class Codes: F05B 2250/82 Micromachines
• CPC Class Codes: F05B 2260/42 Storage of energy
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/67 for remote operation
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 7/1823 structurally associated with turbines or similar engines
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 10/50 Hydropower in dwellings
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 60/60 Fishing; Aquaculture; Aquafarming

Abstract

Implementations of energy harvester systems may include: an accumulator having an air bladder separated from water by a membrane; one or more hydro turbines coupled with the accumulator; two or more check valves each coupled with one of the one or more hydro turbines; a system battery coupled to the power conditioner; and an electronic load coupled to the system batter through the power conditioner; wherein the two or more check valves are configured to be in contact with water.

Claims

1. An energy harvesting system comprising:

an accumulator comprising an energy storage system separated from water by a membrane;

one or more hydro turbines coupled with the accumulator;

one or more check valves each coupled with one of the one or more hydro turbines;

a power conditioner electrically coupled with each of the one or more hydro turbines;

a system battery coupled to the power conditioner; and

an electronic load coupled to the system battery through the power conditioner;

wherein the one or more check valves are configured to be in contact with water;

wherein the energy harvesting system is sized to couple with a monitor configured to couple with an animal.

2. The energy harvesting system of claim 1, wherein the energy storage system comprises an air bladder separated from the water by a membrane.

3. The energy harvesting system of claim 1, wherein the energy storage system comprises a spring coupled to the membrane wherein the membrane is configured to bias the spring in response to pressure force.

4. The energy harvesting system of claim 1, further comprising a secondary fluid reservoir coupled to an inlet and an outlet of the system, the secondary fluid reservoir comprising a working fluid separated from the water by a second membrane, wherein compression of the working fluid occurs in response to pressure force, storing energy in the energy storage system.

5. The energy harvesting system of claim 4, wherein the working fluid is one of fresh water and oil.

6. The energy harvesting system of claim 1, further comprising a second hydro turbine coupled with a second check valve.

7. The energy harvesting system of claim 1, wherein the electronic load comprises monitoring and communication equipment.

8. The energy harvesting system of claim 1, wherein the monitor is one of a bio-logger and a telemetry tag.

9. The energy harvesting system of claim 1, wherein the monitor is one of coupled to an inside and an outside of a system housing.

10. An energy harvesting system comprising:

a first hydro turbine and a second hydro turbine, each turbine comprising an inlet and an outlet;

a pressure accumulator comprising an energy storage system and a fluid section separated by a membrane, the pressure accumulator coupled with the outlet of the first hydro turbine and the inlet of the second hydro turbine;

a first high-hysteresis check valve, coupled to the inlet of the first hydro turbine;

a second high-hysteresis check valve, coupled to the outlet of the second hydro turbine;

a power conditioner electrically coupled to the first and to the second hydro turbine;

a system battery electrically coupled with the power conditioner; and

an electronic load electrically coupled with the system battery through the power conditioner;

wherein the first hydro turbine and the second hydro turbine are configured to generate electricity and charge the system battery when water flows into the first hysteresis check valve through the first hydro turbine and when water flows through the second hysteresis check valve from the pressure accumulator and through the hydro turbine;

wherein the energy harvesting system is sized to couple with a monitor configured to couple directly with an animal.

11. The energy harvesting system of claim 10, wherein the energy harvesting system comprises one or more springs and the membrane is configured to bias the one or more springs in response to pressure force.

12. The energy harvesting system of claim 10, wherein the energy harvesting system comprises an air bladder.

13. The energy harvesting system of claim 10, further comprising a secondary fluid reservoir coupled to an inlet and an outlet of the system, the secondary fluid reservoir comprising a working fluid separated from the water by a second membrane, wherein compression of the working fluid occurs in response to pressure force, storing energy in the energy storage system.

14. The energy harvesting system of claim 13, wherein the working fluid is one of water and oil.

15. The energy harvesting system of claim 10, wherein the electronic load comprises monitoring and communication equipment.

16. The energy harvesting system of claim 10, wherein the monitor is one of a bio-logger and a telemetry tag.

17. The energy harvesting system of claim 10, wherein the monitor is one of coupled to an inside and an outside of a system housing.

18. A method for powering an animal monitor, the method comprising:

receiving water at a first high hysteresis check valve wherein the water is moved by pressure force;

receiving the water at an inlet of a first hydro turbine coupled with the first high hysteresis check valve;

generating electricity for storage by a system battery using the first hydro turbine and the water;

receiving the water into a pressure accumulator and increasing a pressure of the pressure accumulator, the pressure accumulator coupled with the first hydro turbine;

receiving water at an inlet of a second hydro turbine from the pressure accumulator, the water moving under pressure force;

generating electricity for storage by the system battery using the second hydro turbine and the water;

receiving at a second high-hysteresis check valve the water from the second hydro turbine; and

releasing the water through the second high-hysteresis check valve;

wherein the system battery comprised within a system housing powers a monitor comprising circuitry and electronics, the monitor sized and configured to be coupled directly to an animal.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the monitor is one of a telemetry tag and a bio-logger.

20. The method of claim 18, wherein the monitor is one of coupled to an inside and an outside of the system housing.