POWERING WIRELESS COMPONENTS IN A HEAT TRACE SYSTEM
First Claim
1. A system comprising:
- a piping system comprising a plurality of vessels;
a main control system comprising an electrical power source;
a plurality of heat trace elements, wherein each of the plurality of heat trace elements is adjacent to at least one of the plurality of vessels of the piping system, and wherein each of the plurality of heat trace elements is connected to the electrical power source of the main control system; and
a plurality of wireless modules distributed throughout the piping system, wherein each wireless module;
is connected to and powered by an associated heat trace element of the plurality of heat trace elements;
comprises an energy storage device connected to the associated heat trace element for storing energy from the associated heat trace element, wherein the energy stored by the energy storage device from the associated heat trace element is for powering the wireless module; and
comprises an RF module for communicating wirelessly with the main control system via a wireless communication network.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
Heat trace system for heating vessels of a piping system comprises a main control system, a plurality of heat trace elements, and a plurality of wireless modules. Each heat trace element is adjacent to one of the vessels of the piping system and connected to an electrical power source of the main control system 16. Each of the wireless modules: (a) is connected to and powered by an associated heat trace element; (b) comprises an energy storage device connected to the associated heat trace element for storing energy from the associated heat trace element to power the wireless module; and (c) comprises an RF module for communicating wirelessly with the main control system via a wireless communication network. The stored energy in the energy storage device can be used to power components of the wireless module, even when no current is flowing in the heat trace element to which the wireless module is connected.
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Citations
16 Claims
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1. A system comprising:
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a piping system comprising a plurality of vessels; a main control system comprising an electrical power source; a plurality of heat trace elements, wherein each of the plurality of heat trace elements is adjacent to at least one of the plurality of vessels of the piping system, and wherein each of the plurality of heat trace elements is connected to the electrical power source of the main control system; and a plurality of wireless modules distributed throughout the piping system, wherein each wireless module; is connected to and powered by an associated heat trace element of the plurality of heat trace elements; comprises an energy storage device connected to the associated heat trace element for storing energy from the associated heat trace element, wherein the energy stored by the energy storage device from the associated heat trace element is for powering the wireless module; and comprises an RF module for communicating wirelessly with the main control system via a wireless communication network. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A heat trace system for heating vessels in a piping system, the heat trace system comprising
a main control system comprising an electrical power source; -
a plurality of heat trace elements, wherein each of the plurality of heat trace elements is adjacent to at least one of the vessels of the piping system, and wherein each of the plurality of heat trace elements is connected to the electrical power source of the main control system; and a plurality of wireless modules distributed throughout the piping system, wherein each wireless module; is connected to and powered by an associated heat trace element of the plurality of heat trace elements; comprises an energy storage device connected to the associated heat trace element for storing energy from the associated heat trace element, wherein the energy stored by the energy storage device from the associated heat trace element is for powering the wireless module; and comprises an RF module for communicating wirelessly with the main control system via a wireless communication network. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12)
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13. A method for a heat trace system that heats vessels of a piping system, wherein the heat trace system comprises:
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a main control system comprising an electrical power source; a plurality of heat trace elements that are each adjacent to a vessel of the piping system, and wherein the plurality of heat trace elements are connected to the electrical power source of the main control system; and a plurality of wireless modules distributed throughout the piping system, wherein each of the plurality of wireless modules is connected to and power by an associated one of the plurality of heat trace elements, the method comprising; storing energy, by each wireless module, in an energy storage device, from a voltage difference across the wireless module'"'"'s associated heat trace element; powering each wireless module with the stored energy from the energy storage devices; and communicating, by each wireless module with the main control system, wirelessly via a wireless communication network. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16)
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Specification