Modular wiring and liquid ground

• US 5,548,522 A
• Filed: 10/24/1994
• Issued: 08/20/1996
• Est. Priority Date: 10/24/1994
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Primlani, Indru J.
• Original Assignee: Primlani, Indru J.
• Inventors: Primlani, Indru J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Voeltz, Emanuel T.
• Assistant Examiner(s): SMITH-STEWART, DEMETRA R
• Application Number:
  US08/327,961
• Time in Patent Office: 666 Days
• Field of Search: 307/38, 307/40, 307/147, 364/550, 364/483, 364/492, 364/509, 364/510
• US Class Current: 700/286
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 3/08 for making connection to a liquid slip rings with liquid contacts H01R39/30, H01R39/646
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 4/64 Connections between or with conductive parts having primarily a non-electric function, e.g. frame, casing, rail
• CPC Class Codes: H02G 3/00 Installations of electric cables or lines or protective tubing therefor in or on buildings, equivalent structures or vehicles installations of bus-bars H02G5/00; overhead installations H02G7/00; installations in or on the ground H02G9/00

Abstract

A modular wiring system using a plurality of field interface devices modularly selectively interconnected by wire bundles with redundant capacity to form a network of field interface devices each connected to a reference circuit, maintained at near-zero ground through a fluid electrolyte flowing through a grounded electrically-conducting pipe to which each field interface device is connected, is continually controlled by a central microprocessor that monitors electrical load and modifies connections of wires between bundles through switches within each field interface device to optimize load distribution within the system. Electrolyte flowing in conductive pipes is charged as it neutralizes potential differences between the field interface devices. The electrolyte is deposited in a grounded reservoir in which the electrolyte discharges its charge to anodes and cathodes therein in the manner of a battery, thereby extracting energy of the electrolyte before the electrolyte is pumped back into the ground pipes.

Claims

1. A modular wiring system comprising

a first field interface device for electrical load distribution

a first bundle of electrical wires connected between the field interface device and a power source,

one or more sets of wires electrically connected between the field interface device and an electrical load,

switching means in the field interface device for selectively connecting a set of wires to wires within a bundle of wires.

2. The invention of claim 1 further comprising

a second bundle of wires connected between the field interface device and an electrical load, and

switching means in the field interface device for selectively interconnecting wires in the first bundle of wires with one or more wires in the second bundle of wires.

3. The invention of claim 2 further comprising

a plurality of additional field interface devices, and

a plurality of bundles of wires each connected between additional field interface devices, and

switching means in each field interface device for selectively interconnecting wires between bundles of wires connected thereto.

4. The invention of claim 3 in which the field interface devices are interconnected to form a network of bundles of wires selectively connected at field interface devices as node points.

5. The invention of claim 1 in which the field interface device is electrically switchable between wires in the bundle of wires.

6. The invention of claim 5 further comprising a computer control module in communication with each field interface device and programmed to direct selective electrical connection of a set of wires to wires within a bundle of wires between wires.

7. The invention of claim 6 in which each field interface device has an address recognizable by the computer control module.

8. The invention of claim 6 further comprising a load transfer module to which the primary bundle of wires are connected for connecting electrical power to field interface devices on a power line carrier.

9. The invention of claim 8 in which the computer control module communicates with each field interface device by multiplexing a data signal on the power line carrier.

10. The invention of claim 1 further comprising

an electrically conductive pipe in a loop to which are connected field interface devices as a ground,

electrolyte within the pipe minimizing potential differences between field interface devices by absorbing energy necessary to take the differences to near zero therein charging the electrolyte,

a electrically grounded, conducting electrolyte reservoir in electrical communication with the conductive pipe into which charged electrolyte is deposited and from which the conductive pipe draws discharged electrolyte,

pump means for causing the electrolyte to flow in the conductive pipe loop.

11. The invention of claim 10 further comprising an electrolyte quality monitor.

12. The invention of claim 10 further comprising a chemical battery in the reservoir interacting with the electrolyte to extract electrical energy from the electrolyte before discharging the electrolyte to electrical ground.

13. The invention of claim 3 further comprising variable capacitors providing lead current to compensate for local inductive loads within the wire bundles and field interface devices.

16. The invention of claim 1 further comprising

a plurality of additional field interface devices each with a unique electronically identifiable address interconnected to form a network of bundles of wires selectively connected at field interface devices as node points,

a plurality of bundles of wires connected between field interface devices,

switching means in each field interface device for selectively interconnecting wires between bundles of wires connected thereto,

a load transfer module providing electrical power to field interface devices on a power line carrier through one or more bundles of wires connected therebetween,

a computer control module in communication with the load transfer module and selective directing its connection through primary bundles of wires to field interface devices and also in communication with each field interface device, recognizing its unique address, and programmed to direct in the switching means selective electrical connection of a set of wires to wires within a bundle of wires between wires.

14. An electrical grounding system providing a near-zero electrical ground throughout a building, comprising

an electrically conductive pipe in a loop to which are connected field interface devices as a ground,

electrolyte within the pipe minimizing potential differences between field interface devices by absorbing energy necessary to take the differences to near zero therein charging the electrolyte,

a electrically grounded, conducting electrolyte reservoir in electrical communication with the conductive pipe into which charged electrolyte is deposited and from which the conductive pipe draws discharged electrolyte,

pump means for causing the electrolyte to flow in the conductive pipe loop.

15. The invention of claim 14 further comprising a chemical battery in the reservoir interacting with the electrolyte to extract electrical energy from the electrolyte before discharging the electrolyte to electrical ground.

17. The method of wiring a building or other facility using a plurality of additional field interface devices each with a unique electronically-identifiable address interconnected to form a network of bundles of wires selectively connected at field interface devices as node points, a plurality of bundles of wires connected between field interface devices, switching means in each field interface device for selectively interconnecting wires between bundles of wires connected thereto, a load transfer module providing electrical power to field interface devices on a power line carrier through one or more bundles of wires connected therebetween, a computer control module in communication with the load transfer module and selective directing its connection through primary bundles of wires to field interface devices and also in communication with each field interface device, recognizing its unique address, and programmed to direct in the switching means selective electrical connection of a set of wires to wires within a bundle of wires between wires, comprising the following steps:

a. installing one or more selectively switchable field interface devices in the facility interconnected by a bundle of wires into a network,

b. installing the load transfer module providing electrical power to field interface devices on a power line carrier through one or more bundles of wires connected therebetween,

c. installing the computer control module in communication with the load transfer module

d. through the computer control module, selectively directing connection of the load transfer module to field interface devices through bundles of wires running therebetween.

18. The method of claim 17 further comprising the step of optimizing electrical load distribution within the network by continually reconnecting wires between the bundles through the switching means at the field interface devices at the direction of the computer control module.

19. The method of claim 17 further comprising the step of

a. installing a near-zero ground circuit throughout the facility in an electrically conductive pipe in a loop

b. minimizing potential differences between field interface devices by pumping electrolyte within the pipe to absorb energy necessary to take potential differences to near zero therein charging the electrolyte, the electrolyte routed in the pipe in a loop to a conducting electrolyte reservoir in electrical communication with the conductive pipe into which charged electrolyte is deposited and from which the conductive pipe draws discharged electrolyte,

c. connecting field interface devices to the pipe as a ground.

20. The invention of claim 19 further comprising the step of extracting electrical energy from the electrolyte before discharging the electrolyte to electrical ground by installing an anode and a cathode into the reservoir in the manner of a chemical battery.