Miniature hydro-power generation system power management

• US 8,188,609 B2
• Filed: 03/22/2011
• Issued: 05/29/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 10/09/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Access Business Group International LLC (Alticor Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Access Business Group International LLC (Alticor Incorporated)
• Inventors: Baarman, David W., Leppien, Thomas, Lautzenheiser, Terry Lee, Houghton, Christopher B., McPhilliamy, Stephen J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Patel, Tulsidas C
• Assistant Examiner(s): Mohandesi, Iraj A
• Application Number:
  US13/069,173
• Publication Number:
  US 20110175351A1
• Time in Patent Office: 434 Days
• Field of Search: 290/43, 290/42, 290/40.C, 290/54, 290/52
• US Class Current: 290/43
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 1/001 Processes for the treatment of water whereby the filtration technique is of importance C02F1/44 takes precedence; construction of filters in general B01D24/00 - B01D41/00
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 1/008 Control or steering systems not provided for elsewhere in subclass C02F
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 1/283 using coal, charred products, or inorganic mixtures containing them
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 1/32 with ultraviolet light
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 1/325 Irradiation devices or lamp constructions
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 2201/009 Apparatus with independent power supply, e.g. solar cells, windpower, fuel cells for electrolysis apparatus C02F2201/46165
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 2201/3222 Units using UV-light emitting diodes [LED]
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 2201/326 Lamp control systems
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 2209/005 Processes using a programmable logic controller [PLC]
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 2209/006 comprising a software program or a logic diagram
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 2307/06 Mounted on or being part of a faucet, shower handle or showerhead
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 9/20 Portable or detachable small-scale multistage treatment devices, e.g. point of use or laboratory water purification systems
• CPC Class Codes: E03C 1/08 Jet regulators or jet guides, e.g. anti-splash devices
• CPC Class Codes: E03C 2201/40 Arrangement of water treatment devices in domestic plumbing installations
• CPC Class Codes: F03B 1/00 Engines of impulse type, i.e. turbines with jets of high-velocity liquid impinging on blades or like rotors, e.g. Pelton wheels; Parts or details peculiar thereto
• 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 2240/2411 Pelton type
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 7/1823 structurally associated with turbines or similar engines
• CPC Class Codes: Y02A 20/212 Solar-powered wastewater sewage treatment, e.g. spray evaporation
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 10/50 : Hydropower in dwellings
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/20 : Hydro energy
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/30 : Energy from the sea, e.g. using wave energy or salinity gradient
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 70/50 : Manufacturing or production processes characterised by the final manufactured product
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49009 : Dynamoelectric machine
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49229 : Prime mover or fluid pump making

Abstract

A miniature hydro-power generation system includes a hydro-power generator, a processor and an energy storage device. A flow of liquid may be used to rotate the hydro-generator to generate electric power. The processor is configured to monitor a level of the electric power generated by the hydro-power generator and a level of charge stored in the energy storage device. The processor is further configured to selectively charge and discharge the energy storage device based on the level of charge of the energy storage device, and the level of electric power generated by the hydro-power generator. The electric power generated by the hydro-power generator is selectively used to charge the energy storage device, and the energy storage device is selectively discharged to supply a load.

Claims

1. A hydro-power generation system comprising:

an energy storage device;

a processor coupled with the energy storage device by a charge monitor line indicative of a level of charge stored in the energy storage device, and by a discharge monitor line indicative of an amount of discharge of the energy storage device; and

a hydro-power generator coupled with the processor by a power input line indicative of a level of electric power supplied by the hydro-power generator in response to rotation of the hydro-power generator by a flow of liquid;

the processor configured to monitor the level of charge stored in the energy storage device and selectively charge the energy storage device with electric power supplied from the hydro-power generator, and selectively discharge the energy storage device, based on the level of charge stored in the energy storage device and the level of electric power supplied by the hydro-power generator.

2. The hydro-power generation system of claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to cycle the energy storage device between a charging condition and a discharging condition in accordance with a threshold charge level of the energy storage device and a threshold discharge level of the energy storage device.

3. The hydro-power generation system of claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to regulate a voltage supplied to a load on an output line, the voltage supplied on the output line provided from at least one of the hydro-power generator and the energy storage device.

4. The hydro-power generation system of claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to determine a percentage of charge and a percentage of discharge of the energy storage device during selective charge and discharge, respectively, of the energy storage device based on a timer activated by the processor at a time selective charging and discharging of the energy storage device respectively commences.

5. The hydro-power generation system of claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to determine a charge rate and a discharge rate of the energy storage device during selective charging and discharging, respectively, of the energy storage device based on a charge timer activated by the processor at a time selective charging and discharging of the energy storage device respectively commences.

6. The hydro-power generation system of claim 1, wherein the energy storage device is a super capacitor.

7. The hydro-power generation system of claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to discharge the energy storage device to a predetermined cutoff limit, and disable further discharge of the energy storage device in response to the discharge monitor line being indicative of the predetermined cutoff limit.

8. A hydro-power generation system comprising:

a hydro-power generator configured to be rotated by a flow of liquid to generate electrical power;

a processor configured to monitor the electric power output by the hydro-power generator; and

an energy storage device coupled with the processor, the processor configured to selectively cycle the energy storage device between a charged and discharged condition in accordance with the monitored electric power output by the hydropower generator, a monitored charge state of the energy storage device, and a determined charge threshold of the energy storage device, the energy storage device selectively charged by the processor using the hydro-power generator, and selectively discharged by the processor to supply a load.

9. The hydro-power generation system of claim 8, wherein the processor is further configured to regulate a voltage supplied to the load on an output line, the voltage supplied on the output line provided from at least one of the hydro-power generator and the energy storage device.

10. The hydro-power generation system of claim 8, wherein the processor is further configured to compare an input voltage supplied from the hydro-power generator to an output voltage supplied to the load on a load supply line, and selective enable and disable the energy storage device to supply voltage to the load supply line based on a desired level of output voltage being present on the load supply line.

11. The hydro-power generation system of claim 8, further comprising a power supply coupled between the processor and the hydro-power generator, the power supply operable to use the electrical power generated by the hydro-power generator to provide a regulated control voltage to supply power to the processor.

12. The hydro-power generation system of claim 8, wherein the processor is configured to selectively cycle the energy storage device to supply the load in addition to the electric power output of the hydro-power generator to satisfy a power requirement of the load that exceeds the electric power output of the hydro-power generator alone.

13. The hydro-power generation system of claim 8, wherein the determined charge threshold of the energy storage device comprises a discharge limit threshold and a discharge cutoff threshold, the discharge limit threshold indicative of depletion of the energy storage device to a first predetermined level below a fully charged condition, and the discharge cutoff threshold indicative of depletion of the energy storage device to a second predetermined level that is below the first predetermined level and is a maximum predetermined level of charge depletion of the energy storage device.

14. The hydro-power generation system of claim 13, wherein the processor is further configured, in response to depletion of the energy storage device to the discharge limit threshold, to selectively enable the hydro-power generator to charge the energy storage device, and the processor is further configured, in response to depletion of the energy storage device to the discharge cutoff threshold limit, to selectively disable the supply of power to the load.

15. A hydro-power generation system comprising:

an energy storage device;

a hydro-power generator configured to be rotated by a flow of liquid to generate electrical power; and

a processor configured regulate an output voltage supplied to a load, the output voltage supplied by at least one of the hydro-power generator and the energy storage device on a load supply line, and

the processor further configured to monitor the output voltage and a charge level of the energy storage device, and selectively charge the energy storage device with electrical power supplied from the hydro-power generator and discharge the energy storage device to supply the load in accordance with regulation of the output voltage supplied to the load.

16. The hydro-power generation system of claim 15, wherein the processor is further configured to enable supply of the electrical power from hydro-power generator to the energy storage device in response to the voltage on the load supply line exceeding a predetermined high voltage level, and the charge level of the energy storage device being depleted.

17. The hydro-power generation system of claim 15, wherein the processor is further configured to enable discharge of energy storage device to the load supply line in response to the voltage on the load supply line being less than a predetermined low voltage level, and the charge level of the energy storage device being above a predetermined charge threshold.

18. The hydro-power generation system of claim 15, further comprising a user interface, the processor further configured to provide a charge status output to the user interface, the user interface configured to display a state of charge of the energy storage device in response to receipt of the charge status output.

19. The hydro-power generation system of claim 15, wherein the processor is further configured with a timing capability used by the processor in conjunction with the charge level to determine a percentage of charge and a percentage of discharge of the energy storage device during respective charge and discharge of the energy storage device.

20. The hydro-power generation system of claim 15, wherein the processor is further configured to cease charge and discharge of the capacitors in response to the energy storage device being fully charged, and the output voltage on the load supply line be within a predetermined range.

21. The hydro-power generator of claim 15, further comprising a valve controlled with the processor to supply the flow of liquid, wherein the processor is configured to open the valve in response to the output voltage supplied to the load being below a predetermined desired output voltage, and the charge level of the energy storage device being depleted.