POWER SUPPLY SYSTEM

• US 20100270803A1
• Filed: 04/22/2009
• Published: 10/28/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 04/22/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Rain Bird Corporation
• Original Assignee: Rain Bird Corporation
• Inventors: Wham, Brett J., Bell, JeanPaul Vitali, Adai-Gyansa, David, McLeod, Scott A., Irwin, Kevin M., Saenz, John Stuart, Heitzinger, Jonathan, Stone, Dustin Robert, Sandy, Christopher J., Lopez, Juan Carlos, Abundis, Carlos Antonio Lopez
• Granted Patent: US 8,294,292 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 290/54
• 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: F03B 3/02 with radial flow at high-pressure side and axial flow at low-pressure side of rotors, e.g. Francis turbines rotors per se F03B3/125
• CPC Class Codes: F05B 2220/602 with energy recovery turbines
• CPC Class Codes: F05B 2220/604 for domestic central heating or production of electricity
• CPC Class Codes: F05B 2220/706 an electrical generator
• 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: Y02E 10/20 Hydro energy

Abstract

An irrigation power system is provided for use with a conventional irrigation conduit having water flow therethrough as a source of hydro energy. In order to convert the hydro energy of the water flow to electrical energy, a power generation module is provided along the irrigation conduit. The electrical energy provided by the power generation module is then provided to a power conditioner to alter the electrical energy to produce a predetermined current. The predetermined current is then sent to a storage device for later use. An irrigation system component then communicates with the storage device to receive electrical power for selective operation of the component.

Claims

1. An irrigation power system for use with an irrigation conduit having water flow therethrough to provide hydro energy comprising:

a hydro-electric power generation module along an irrigation conduit to convert the hydro energy to electrical energy;

a power conditioning circuit to alter the electrical energy to produce a predetermined range of current;

an electrical energy storage device communicating with the power conditioning circuit to receive the predetermined range of current for storage;

an irrigation system component communicating with the electrical storage device to receive electrical power for selective operation of the component.

2. The irrigation power system of claim 1 wherein the hydro-electric power generation module comprises a moveable surface communicating with the water flow to interface with the hydro energy.

3. The irrigation power system of claim 2 wherein the surface comprises a piston.

4. The irrigation power system of claim 3 further comprising a piston cylinder that tees off of the irrigation conduit to house the piston therein.

5. The irrigation power system of claim 3 further comprising a spring, wherein movement of the piston causes the spring to store energy, and the spring releases the energy to energize a generator to generate power.

6. The irrigation power system of claim 5 wherein the spring is a coil spring that the piston causes to wind and that unwinds to rotate a generator shaft to generate power.

7. The irrigation power system of claim 3 further comprising a return spring that compresses with a first movement of the piston caused by water flow and expands to cause a second movement of the piston opposite to the first movement.

8. The irrigation power system of claim 3 further comprising a clutch gear coupled to the piston that couples to and drives a shaft when driven in a first stroke direction and that uncouples from the shaft when driven in a second stroke direction.

9. The irrigation power system of claim 8 further comprising a second clutch gear coupled to the piston that couples to and drives the shaft when driven in the second stroke direction and that uncouples from the shaft when driven in a first stroke direction.

10. The irrigation power system of claim 5 further comprising a gear system to convert linear energy of the piston to rotational energy to cause the spring to store energy.

11. The irrigation power system of claim 10 wherein the gear system comprises a rack and pinion, wherein movement of the piston drives the rack which rotates the pinion to convert linear energy to rotational energy to wind the spring.

12. The irrigation power system of claim 11 wherein the gear system further comprises a motor gear that is driven by the pinion to wind the spring, and wherein there is a positive gear ratio between the motor gear and the pinion.

13. The irrigation power system of claim 11 wherein the pinion further comprises a clutch gear coupled to the rack that couples to and drives a pinion shaft when driven in a first stroke direction and that uncouples from the pinion shaft when driven in a second stroke direction.

14. The irrigation power system of claim 13 wherein the pinion further comprises a second clutch gear coupled to the rack that couples to and drives the pinion shaft when driven in the second stroke direction and that uncouples from the pinion shaft when driven in a first stroke direction

15. The irrigation power system of claim 11 wherein the rack further comprises toothless slots, wherein movement of the piston drives the rack which rotates the pinion to convert linear energy to rotational energy to wind the spring until the toothless slots are driven to the pinion which releases the pinion from the rack which releases the spring to unwind and rotate a generator to generate power.

16. The irrigation power system of claim 2 wherein the surface comprises at least one blade of a turbine and the turbine is mounted within the water flow of the irrigation conduit.

17. The irrigation power system of claim 16 further comprising at least one magnet mounted to the turbine for movement therewith;

and

at least one coil;

wherein the turbine drives the at least one magnet, with its magnetic field, past the at least one coil to create a current supply to the power conditioning circuit.

18. The irrigation power system of claim 17 wherein the at least one magnet is mounted to the outer periphery of the turbine to rotate within the irrigation conduit.

19. The irrigation power system of claim 17 wherein the at least one coil is mounted outside of the irrigation conduit.

20. The irrigation power system of claim 16 wherein an outer periphery of the turbine is configured to cooperate with an inner surface of the irrigation conduit to create a flow discourager arrangement.

21. The irrigation power system of claim 16 wherein a value associated with the predetermined range of current is communicated to a controller, which determines a flow rate through the turbine based on the value.

22. The irrigation power system of claim 16 further comprising:

at least one strut mounted to the irrigation conduit; and

an axle;

wherein the turbine is rotatably coupled to the axle and supported by the at least one strut.

23. The irrigation power system of claim 22 further comprising at least one bearing, wherein the bearing couples the axle to the at least one strut.

24. The irrigation power system of claim 22 wherein the bearing inside diameter comprises a spiral groove hole.

25. The irrigation power system of claim 22 wherein an outer periphery of the turbine is configured to cooperate with an inner surface of the irrigation conduit to create a flow discourager arrangement.

26. The irrigation power system of claim 16 wherein the turbine is radially supported by the irrigation conduit.

27. The irrigation power system of claim 26 further comprising at least one bearing, wherein the at least one bearing engages the outer periphery of the turbine and the irrigation conduit.

28. The irrigation power system of claim 26 wherein an outer periphery of the turbine engages an inner surface of the irrigation conduit to create a flow discourager.

29. The irrigation power system of claim 1 wherein the electrical energy storage device is selected from a group consisting of capacitors and batteries.

30. The irrigation power system of claim 1 wherein the irrigation system component includes at least one of a communication device, a valve, a sensor, and lighting.

31. The irrigation power system of claim 2 wherein the surface comprises at least one blade of a radial turbine and the radial turbine is mounted within the water flow of the irrigation conduit.

32. The irrigation system of claim 31 further comprising:

at least one magnet mounted to the radial turbine for movement therewith; and

at least one coil;

wherein the radial turbine drives the at least one magnet, with its magnetic field, past the at least one coil to create a current supply to the power conditioning circuit.

33. The irrigation system of claim 32 wherein the at least one coil is mounted outside of the irrigation conduit.

34. The irrigation system of claim 32 wherein a value associated with the predetermined range of current is communicated to a controller, which determines a flow rate through the radial turbine based on the value.

35. The irrigation system of claim 31 further comprising:

an axle coupled to the radial turbine to be driven thereby; and

a generator shaft;

wherein the radial turbine drives the axle which rotates the generator shaft to generate power.

36. The irrigation power system of claim 35 wherein a value associated with the predetermined range of current is communicated to a controller, which determines a flow rate through the radial turbine based on the value.

37. An irrigation power system for use with an irrigation conduit having water flow therethrough to provide hydro energy comprising:

a valve coupled to an irrigation conduit having a valve inlet upstream of a valve seat;

a hydro-electric power generation module along the valve inlet to convert the hydro energy to electrical energy;

a power conditioning circuit communicating with the hydro-electric power generation module to alter the electrical energy to produce a predetermined range of current;

an electrical storage device communicating with the power conditioning circuit to receive the predetermined range of current for storage.

38. The irrigation power system of claim 37 wherein the hydro-electric power generation module comprises a turbine.

39. The irrigation power system of claim 38 further comprising:

a valve bonnet connected to the valve;

a turbine shaft coupled to the turbine and extending through the valve bonnet to couple to a rotor;

at least one magnet coupled to the rotor; and

at least one coil;

wherein the turbine drives the turbine shaft to drive the rotor which drives the at least one magnet, with its magnetic field, past the at least one coil to create a current supply to the power conditioning circuit.

40. The irrigation power system of claim 38 wherein a value associated with the predetermined range of current is communicated to a controller, which determines a flow rate through the valve based on the value.