Water conservation system

• US 9,857,803 B1
• Filed: 02/02/2017
• Issued: 01/02/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 02/02/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Water Dimmer, LLC
• Original Assignee: Water Dimmer, LLC
• Inventors: Abuda, Daniel, Dahlgren, Karl, Varma, Ken
• Primary Examiner(s): KEASEL, ERIC S
• Application Number:
  US15/423,123
• Time in Patent Office: 334 Days
• Field of Search: 1374875, 137 79, 137 80
• CPC Class Codes: E03B 7/04 Domestic or like local pipe systems domestic plumbing E03C1/02
• CPC Class Codes: E03B 7/071 Arrangement of safety devices in domestic pipe systems, e.g. devices for automatic shut-off
• CPC Class Codes: E03B 7/072 Arrangement of flowmeters
• CPC Class Codes: E03B 7/075 Arrangement of devices for control of pressure or flow rate
• CPC Class Codes: Y02A 20/15 Leakage reduction or detection in water storage or distribution

Abstract

In some embodiments, a water conservation system may include a main conduit which may be in fluid communication with a bypass conduit via a bypass inlet and a bypass outlet. An inlet isolation valve, a flow control valve, and an outlet isolation valve may be coupled in series on the main conduit. A pressure sensor may be coupled to the main conduit before the bypass conduit inlet and a flow meter may be coupled to the main conduit after the bypass conduit outlet. A processing unit may be in communication with an ambient temperature sensor and also in communication with the flow control valve, the pressure sensor, and the flow meter. The processing unit may operate the flow control valve to provide an unlimited range of programmable rates of water flows that can be achieved automatically and remotely for optimal supply in the facility in which the system is installed.

Claims

1. A water conservation system, the system comprising:

a main conduit in fluid communication with a supply conduit via a fluid inlet and a fluid outlet;

a bypass conduit in fluid communication with the main conduit via a bypass inlet and a bypass outlet;

an inlet isolation valve, a flow control valve, and an outlet isolation valve coupled in series on the main conduit between the bypass inlet and a bypass outlet

a bypass valve coupled to the bypass conduit

a pressure sensor coupled to the main conduit upstream of the bypass conduit inlet and configured to measure water pressure;

a flow meter configured to measure a water flow rate, the flow meter coupled to the main conduit and located downstream of the bypass conduit outlet and located downstream of the flow control valve thereby configured to measure water flow rates from water traveling through either the bypass conductor the flow control valve;

an ambient air temperature sensor configured to measure an ambient air temperature outside of the main conduit;

a processor in electronic communication with the flow control valve, the pressure sensor, ambient air temperate sensor, and the flow meter; and

a program operating on the processor, the program configured to variably adjust the flow control valve when at least one of the;

ambient temperature, the water pressure, and the water flow rate exceeds a threshold.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the inlet isolation valve is relatively closer to the fluid inlet and the outlet isolation valve relatively closer to the fluid outlet.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein water is able to bypass portions of the main conduit having the inlet isolation valve, flow control valve, and outlet isolation valve via the bypass conduit when the bypass valve is open.

4. The system of claim 1, further comprising a fluid modification provision selected from one of;

a water filter, a water softener, a water sanitizer, a water heater, a water cooler, and a salt dispenser.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the flow control valve is operable by the processor.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein processor controls the water pressure in the main conduit by operating the flow control valve.

7. The system of claim 6, further comprising a smartphone in electronic communication with the processing unit, and wherein the smartphone is used to operate the flow control valve.

8. A water conservation system, the system comprising:

a main conduit in fluid communication with a supply conduit via a fluid inlet and a fluid outlet;

a bypass conduit in fluid communication with the main conduit via a bypass inlet and a bypass outlet;

an inlet isolation valve, a flow control valve, and an outlet isolation valve coupled in series on the main conduit between the bypass inlet and a bypass outlet;

a bypass valve coupled to the bypass conduit;

a pressure sensor coupled to the main conduit before the bypass conduit inlet;

a flow meter coupled to the main conduit after the bypass conduit outlet and located downstream of the flow control valve thereby configured to measure water flow rates from water traveling through either the bypass conduit or the flow control valve;

an ambient air temperature sensor configured to measure an ambient air temperature outside of the main conduit;

a processor in electronic communication with the flow control valve, the pressure sensor, the ambient air temperature sensor, and the flow meter; and

a smartphone in electronic communication with the processor.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the inlet isolation valve is relatively closer to the fluid inlet and the outlet isolation valve relatively closer to the fluid outlet.

10. The system of claim 8, wherein fluid is able to bypass portions of the main conduit having the inlet isolation valve, flow control valve, and outlet isolation valve via the bypass conduit when the bypass valve is open.

11. The system of claim 8, further comprising a fluid modification provision selected from one of;

a water filter, a water softener, a water sanitizer, a water heater, a water cooler, and a salt dispenser.

12. The system of claim 8, wherein the flow control valve is operable by the processor.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the processor controls the water pressure in the main conduit by operating the flow control valve.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the smartphone is used to operate the flow control valve through communicating with the processor.