Self-powered utility delivery system
First Claim
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1. A self-powered utility delivery system, comprising:
- an inlet port configured to receive a utility at a first pressure, wherein the first pressure is a pressure supplied by a service provider;
an outlet port configured to supply the utility at a second pressure, wherein the utility is configured to flow between the inlet port and the outlet port, wherein the second pressure is a consumption pressure specified by a standard, a regulation, a specification, or any combination thereof;
an electronic utility meter providing one or both of processor-mediated communications or signal processing and configured to measure the utility supplied from the outlet port;
a regulator comprising a power harvester configured to generate electrical power from regulation of the utility from the first pressure to the second pressure, wherein the power harvester is configured to convert the first pressure into an intermediate form of energy and convert the intermediate form of energy into the electrical power via an electrogenerator, a thermoelectronic generator, a battery, piezoelectrics, microelectromechanical systems, or any combination thereof, and wherein the intermediate form of energy comprises thermal energy, mechanical energy, flow dynamic energy, piezoelectric energy, magnetic energy, vibration energy, chemical energy, or any combination thereof, wherein the power harvester is a thermoelectric device, and wherein a heat pipe is directly incorporated into the regulator such that the heat pipe does not contact a surrounding environment of the self-powered utility delivery system; and
an electrical connection between the electronic utility meter and the power harverster to provide the electrical power from the power harvester to the electronic utility meter.
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Abstract
The present disclosure relates to a self-powered utility delivery system that includes a regulator that decreases a pressure of the utility flowing through the self-powered utility delivery system while producing electrical energy as a result of pressure regulation. Additionally, the self-powered utility delivery system includes an electronic utility meter that monitors a quantity (e.g., volume) of utility that flows through the self-powered utility delivery system and toward a consumer.
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Citations
17 Claims
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1. A self-powered utility delivery system, comprising:
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an inlet port configured to receive a utility at a first pressure, wherein the first pressure is a pressure supplied by a service provider; an outlet port configured to supply the utility at a second pressure, wherein the utility is configured to flow between the inlet port and the outlet port, wherein the second pressure is a consumption pressure specified by a standard, a regulation, a specification, or any combination thereof; an electronic utility meter providing one or both of processor-mediated communications or signal processing and configured to measure the utility supplied from the outlet port; a regulator comprising a power harvester configured to generate electrical power from regulation of the utility from the first pressure to the second pressure, wherein the power harvester is configured to convert the first pressure into an intermediate form of energy and convert the intermediate form of energy into the electrical power via an electrogenerator, a thermoelectronic generator, a battery, piezoelectrics, microelectromechanical systems, or any combination thereof, and wherein the intermediate form of energy comprises thermal energy, mechanical energy, flow dynamic energy, piezoelectric energy, magnetic energy, vibration energy, chemical energy, or any combination thereof, wherein the power harvester is a thermoelectric device, and wherein a heat pipe is directly incorporated into the regulator such that the heat pipe does not contact a surrounding environment of the self-powered utility delivery system; and an electrical connection between the electronic utility meter and the power harverster to provide the electrical power from the power harvester to the electronic utility meter. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A self-powered utility delivery system, comprising:
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an inlet port configured to receive a utility at a first pressure, wherein the first pressure is a pressure supplied by a service provider; an outlet port configured to supply the utility at a second pressure, wherein the utility is configured to flow between the inlet port and the outlet port, wherein the second pressure is a consumption pressure specified by a standard, a regulation, a specification, or any combination thereof; an electronic utility meter providing one or both of processor-mediated communications or signal processing and configured to measure the utility supplied from the outlet port; a regulator configured to regulate the utility from the first pressure to the second pressure and comprising a power harvester configured to generate electrical power from regulation of the utility from the first pressure to the second pressure, wherein the power harvester is configured to convert the first pressure into an intermediate form of energy and convert the intermediate form of energy into the electrical power via an electrogenerator, a thermoelectronic generator, a battery, piezoelectrics, microelectromechanical systems, or any combination thereof, and wherein the intermediate form of energy comprises thermal energy, mechanical energy, flow dynamic energy, piezoelectric energy, magnetic energy, vibration energy, chemical energy, or any combination thereof, wherein the power harvester is a thermoelectric device, and wherein a heat pipe is directly incorporated into the regulator such that the heat pipe does not contact a surrounding environment of the self-powered utility delivery system; and
an adjustor configured to adjust the regulator to adjust the second pressure.
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Specification