Systems and Apparatus For Harvesting Energy

• US 20110278986A1
• Filed: 05/13/2010
• Published: 11/17/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 05/13/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Baker Hughes Holdings LLC (Baker Hughes Company)
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: Campbell, Lam
• Granted Patent: US 8,269,399 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 310/319
• CPC Class Codes: H02N 2/181 Circuits; Control arrangements or methods
• CPC Class Codes: H02N 2/186 Vibration harvesters

Abstract

A sensor assembly includes a transducer and a control module coupled with the transducer. The control module is configured to selectively switch the sensor assembly between a first mode of operation wherein the sensor assembly measures an amount of energy induced to the sensor assembly, and a second mode of operation wherein the sensor assembly stores an amount of energy induced to the sensor assembly.

Claims

1. A sensor assembly comprising:

a transducer; and

a control module coupled with said transducer, said control module configured to selectively switch said sensor assembly between a first mode of operation wherein said sensor assembly measures an amount of energy induced to said sensor assembly, and a second mode of operation wherein said sensor assembly stores an amount of energy induced to said sensor assembly.

2. A sensor assembly in accordance with claim 1, wherein said transducer comprises at least one of a piezoelectric material and a moving coil sensor.

3. A sensor assembly in accordance with claim 1, further comprising a secondary transducer coupled with said control module.

4. A sensor assembly in accordance with claim 1, wherein said transducer is oriented substantially parallel to a centerline extending axially through said sensor assembly such that said transducer at least one of detects and harvests energy from vibrations induced substantially parallel to the centerline.

5. A sensor assembly in accordance with claim 4, further comprising a secondary transducer configured to at least one of detect and harvest energy from vibrations induced at least one of substantially transverse and substantially axial to the centerline.

6. A sensor assembly in accordance with claim 1, further comprising a signal conditioning module coupled with said transducer and configured to at least one of rectify, synchronously switch, regulate, adjust a voltage level of, and convert to direct current a signal received from said transducer.

7. A monitoring system comprising:

at least one sensor assembly comprising a transducer;

at least one sensor node coupled with said at least one sensor assembly; and

a control module coupled with said transducer and configured to selectively switch said at least one sensor assembly between a first mode of operation wherein said at least one sensor assembly measures an amount of energy induced to said at least one sensor assembly, and a second mode of operation wherein said at least one sensor assembly stores an amount of energy induced to said at least one sensor assembly.

8. A monitoring system in accordance with claim 7, wherein said at least one sensor node comprises a communication module configured to:

receive a signal from said transducer when said at least one sensor assembly is operating in the first mode; and

transmit the signal to a remote system.

9. A monitoring system in accordance with claim 7, further comprising a storage device positioned within at least one of said at least one sensor node and said at least one sensor assembly, said storage device configured to receive a signal from said transducer when said at least one sensor assembly is operating in the second mode.

10. A monitoring system in accordance with claim 7, wherein said transducer comprises at least one of a piezoelectric material and a moving coil sensor.

11. A monitoring system in accordance with claim 7, wherein said at least one sensor assembly further comprises a secondary transducer coupled with said control module.

12. A monitoring system in accordance with claim 7, wherein said transducer is oriented substantially parallel to a centerline extending axially through said at least one sensor assembly such that said transducer at least one of detects and harvests energy from vibrations induced substantially parallel to the centerline.

13. A monitoring system in accordance with claim 12, wherein said at least one sensor assembly further comprises a secondary transducer configured to at least one of detect and harvest energy from vibrations induced at least one of substantially transverse and substantially axial to the centerline.

14. A monitoring system in accordance with claim 7, further comprising a signal conditioning module coupled with said transducer and configured to at least one of rectify, synchronously switch, regulate, adjust a voltage level of, and convert to direct current a signal received from said transducer.

15. A sensor assembly for use in detecting and harvesting vibrations within a machine, said sensor assembly comprising:

a transducer configured to generate a signal representative of an amount of vibrational energy detected within said sensor assembly;

a control module coupled with said transducer, said control module configured to selectively switch said sensor assembly between a sensing mode of operation and an energy harvesting mode of operation; and

a storage device coupled with said control module, said control module further configured to;

transmit the signal to a sensor node when said sensor assembly is operating in the sensing mode; and

transmit the signal to said storage device when said sensor assembly is operating in the energy harvesting mode.

16. A sensor assembly in accordance with claim 15, further comprising a signal conditioning module coupled with said transducer and configured to at least one of rectify, synchronously switch, regulate, adjust a voltage level of, and convert to direct current the signal received from said transducer.

17. A sensor assembly in accordance with claim 15, wherein said transducer comprises at least one of a piezoelectric material and a moving coil sensor.

18. A sensor assembly in accordance with claim 15, further comprising a secondary transducer comprising a piezoelectric material.

19. A sensor assembly in accordance with claim 15, wherein said transducer is oriented substantially parallel to a centerline extending axially through said sensor assembly such that said transducer at least one of detects and harvests energy from vibrations induced substantially parallel to the centerline.

20. A sensor assembly in accordance with claim 19, further comprising a secondary transducer configured to at least one of detect and harvest energy from vibrations induced at least one of substantially transverse and substantially axial to the centerline.