Wind and solar powered heat trace with homeostatic control

• US 9,774,198 B2
• Filed: 11/08/2010
• Issued: 09/26/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 11/08/2010
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Culver Industries, LLC
• Original Assignee: Culver Industries, LLC
• Inventors: Culver, Brandon
• Primary Examiner(s): STAPLETON, ERIC S
• Application Number:
  US12/927,101
• Publication Number:
  US 20120112546A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,514 Days
• Field of Search: 219201, 320138, 307 18, 307 19, 307 23, 307 65, 307 66, 136244, 136251, 136248, 136291, 290 55, 290 44, 606418, 60398, 310303, 310 10, 416 3, 416 23, 416 5
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00302 Overcharge protection
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0048 Detection of remaining charge capacity or state of charge [SOC]
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0049 Detection of fully charged condition
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/34 Parallel operation in networks using both storage and other dc sources, e.g. providing buffering H02J7/14 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/35 with light sensitive cells
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 9/06 with automatic change-over , e.g. UPS systems
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 10/70 Hybrid systems, e.g. uninterruptible or back-up power supplies integrating renewable energies

Abstract

A homeostatic heat trace powered by wind and solar electrical generators for preventing freeze-up of equipment at remote sites. A heat trace system wherein solar power may be used as backup when wind velocities are too low or high. A heat trace with a UPS backup for preventing freeze-up of equipment at remote sites during power failure. A homeostatic control system for maximizing the utilization of energy stored in a bank of batteries. A programmable logic controller with a homeostatic control system for maintaining battery charge. A homeostatic heat trace system powered by wind and backed up by solar power to prevent freeze-up of equipment at remote sites, including oil and gas wells.

Claims

1. A heat trace system comprising:

at least one aerogenerator (AG) in electrical communication with a means for controlling AG charge,

at least one solar panel (SG) in electrical communication with a means for controlling SG charge,

said means for controlling AG charge in electrical communication with a means for storing charge and with a first means for transducing direct current (DC),

said means for controlling SG charge in electrical communication with said means for storing charge and with a second means for transducing DC,

an uninterruptible power source (UPS) backup system with a UPS battery in electrical communication with a means for protecting bank voltage,

said means for storing charge in electrical communication with said means for protecting bank voltage, a third means for transducing DC and a means for converting DC into alternating current (AC),

a plurality of heat trace sections, each associated with a means for changing current input and a means for sampling device temperatures,

a means for sampling ambient temperature,

an effector that includes all of said means for changing current input,

a receptor that includes said means for sampling ambient temperature and all of said means for sampling device temperatures,

a programmable logic controller (PLC) with three analog input cards, each in electrical communication with one of said first, second, or third means for transducing DC current, a low voltage DC input in electrical communication with said means for protecting bank voltage, a sufficient number of receptor inputs to provide input from said means for sampling ambient temperature and all of said means for sampling device temperatures, a sufficient number of digital effector outputs to provide input to all of said means for changing current input, and a means for controlling homeostasis.

2. The heat trace system of claim 1 wherein said means for controlling AG and SG charge are charge controllers, said means for transducing DC are volt-to-analog signal transducers, said means for storing current is a bank of one or more deep cell storage batteries, said means for converting DC into AC is a DC to AC inverter, said means for protecting bank voltage is an uninterruptible power source (UPS), said means for changing current input are rheostats and/or relays, said means for sampling ambient and device temperature are thermostats, and said means for controlling homeostasis comprises changing current input from said receptor to activate said effector, thereby opening or partially opening one or more of said means for changing current input for as long as said associated heat trace section requires heat when E(in) and E(out) are in the vicinity of homeostasis, and to ration said current to and through said means for changing current input to obtain optimal use of available energy when E(in) and E(out) are not in the vicinity of homeostasis.

3. The heat trace system of claim 2 wherein said heat trace sections are used to protect equipment at an oil and gas well from freezing and at least one of said thermostats for sampling ambient temperature is internal.

4. The heat trace system of claim 3 with one solar panel mounted on a thirty foot teepee-style pole.

5. The heat trace system of claim 3 with two solar panels mounted on a twenty foot teepee-style pole servicing an offshore oil and gas well.

6. The heat trace system of claim 3 with two solar panels mounted on a forty foot pipe-style pole.

7. The heat trace system of claim 3 with three solar panels mounted on a thirty-five foot triangular-style pole.

8. The heat trace system of claim 3 with one solar panel mounted on a thirty foot hinged-style pole.

9. The heat trace system of claim 3 with one aerogenerator and one solar panel wherein said aerogenerator is a 5-blade wind turbine capable of generating 1350 watts of power, said solar panel is capable of generating 200 watts of power, said bank contains six (6) 12 VDC 104 Ah batteries, said DC to AC inverter is a 600 watt DC/AC inverter, said heat trace sections are five twenty (20) foot sections of 5 watt/foot trace, and said DC to AC inverter and said programmable logic controller consume twenty-five watts of DC power.

10. The heat trace system of claim 9 wherein said bank is “

charged”

when the voltage of said batteries in said bank exceeds 11.4 volts.

11. The heat trace system of claim 3 with one aerogenerator and one solar panel wherein said aerogenerator is a 5-blade wind turbine capable of generating 2000 watts of power, said solar panel is capable of generating 200 watts of power, said bank contains four (4) 24 VDC 205 Ah batteries, said DC to AC inverter is a 600 watt DC/AC inverter, said heat trace is five twenty (20) foot sections of 5 watt/foot trace, and said DC to AC inverter and said programmable logic controller consume twenty-five watts of DC power.

12. The heat trace system of claim 11 wherein said bank is “

charged”

when the voltage of said batteries in said bank exceeds 22.8 volts.

13. The heat trace system of claim 3 wherein said charge controllers may be maximum power point tracking (MPPT) or pulse width modulation (PWM) charge controller with or without meters.

14. The heat trace system of claim 9 in homeostasis when the charge of said batteries in said bank is between 11.6 and 12.0 volts.

15. The heat trace system of claim 11 in homeostasis when the charge of said batteries in said bank is between 22.8 and 24.0 volts.

16. A control apparatus comprising:

at least one means for transducing naturally occurring power into direct current (DC) in electrical communication with at least one means for controlling charge,

each of said means for controlling charge in electrical communication with a means for storing current, and each in electrical communication with a means for transducing DC,

at least one uninterruptible power source (UPS) backup system with a UPS battery in electrical communication with a means for protecting bank voltage,

said means for storing charge in electrical communication with said means for protecting bank voltage, a third means for transducing DC and a means for converting DC into alternating current (AC),

said means for converting DC into AC in electrical communication with a plurality of means for changing current input,

a homeostatic control center with analog inputs in electrical communication with said means for transducing DC, digital effector outputs in electrical communication with an effector, receptor inputs in electrical communication with a receptor, and a means for controlling homeostasis,

said receptor with means for sampling environmental parameters, and

said effector with said plurality of means for changing current input.

17. The homeostatic control system of claim 16 wherein said means for transducing naturally occurring power into DC are solar panel(s) and/or aerogenerator(s), said means for storing charge is a bank of one or more deep cell storage batteries, said means for controlling charge are charge controller(s) with or without meters, said means for converting DC into AC is a DC to AC inverter, said means for protecting voltage is a UPS, said means for transducing DC are volt-to-analog transducers, said means for changing current input are rheostats and/or relays, said means for sampling environmental parameters are thermostats, and said means for controlling homeostasis comprises changing current input from said receptor to activate said effector, thereby opening or partially opening one or more of said rheostats and/or relays for as long as power is required when E(in) and E(out) are in the vicinity of homeostasis, and to ration said power to and through said rheostats and/or relays to obtain optimal use of available energy when E(in) and E(out) are not in the vicinity of homeostasis.