Method and apparatus for detecting stagnant water

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10184814-B2
Application number	US-201514978600-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 22, 2015
Priority date	Jan 14, 2015
Publication date	Jan 22, 2019
Grant date	Jan 22, 2019

Abstract

A method of detecting stagnant water includes flowing a water in a pipe and producing electrical energy via the flow of the water. The electrical energy is stored in an energy store. A change of state of the energy store is detected and information about possible stagnation of the water is obtained from the change of state of the energy store. An apparatus for detecting stagnant drinking water includes a generator for producing electrical energy, an energy store for storing that energy, a control and analysis unit which detects the charge state of the energy store and a signal transmitter which emits a signal depending on the charge state of the energy store.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A method of detecting stagnant water, comprising:
producing electrical energy in a pipe section by flowing a drinking water in the pipe section,
storing the electrical energy in an energy store,
discharging the energy store after a predetermined time period if the drinking water remains stationary in the pipe section, wherein the energy store is selected that a discharge time is shorter than a time period after which the drinking water is considered to be stagnant,
detecting a charge state of the energy store via a control and analysis unit, and
obtaining information about a stagnation condition of the drinking water from the charge state of the energy store.

2. A method as claimed in claim 1 , further comprising deriving information about a degree of freshness of the drinking water from information about the stagnation condition of the drinking water.

3. A method as claimed in claim 2 , further comprising indicating the degree of freshness of the drinking water by at least one of acoustically and visually.

4. A method as claimed in claim 2 , characterised in that when the energy store is discharged the drinking water is indicated, after a predetermined discharge time, as being “fresh”.

5. A method as claimed in claim 4 , characterised in that the discharge time is adjustable.

6. A method as claimed in claim 4 , characterised in that determining the discharge time comprises, discharging the drinking water once, measuring a water temperature during the step of discharging and setting the discharge time on the basis of a change in water temperature.

7. A method as claimed in claim 1 , characterised in that the energy store is constructed in the form of a capacitor.

8. A method of detecting stagnant water comprising:
flowing water in a pipe;
producing electrical energy via the flow of the water,
storing the electrical energy in an energy store;
fully discharging the electrical energy from the energy store after a predetermined time period if the water remains stationary in the pipe, wherein the energy store is selected that a discharge time is shorter than a time period after which the drinking water is considered to be stagnant;
detecting a charge state of the energy store via a control and analysis unit; and
wherein information about a stagnation condition of the water is obtained from the charge state of the energy store.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein the water is a drinking water.

10. The method of claim 8 further comprising detecting a temperature of the water and setting the discharge time on the basis of a change in water temperature.

11. The method of claim 8 further comprising indicating a degree of freshness of the water by at least one of acoustically and visually.

12. The method of claim 8 further comprising deriving information about a degree of freshness of the water from information about a stagnation condition of the water.

13. A method of detecting stagnant drinking water comprising:
providing a unit on an end member or an intermediate member of an outlet of a water pipe, the unit including a generator, an energy store and a signal transmitter,
flowing water in the water pipe;
producing electrical energy via the generator;
storing the electrical energy in the energy store;
fully discharging the electrical energy from the energy store after a predetermined time period if the water remains stationary in the water pipe, wherein the energy store is so selected that its discharge time is shorter than a time period after which the drinking water is considered to be stagnant;
detecting a charge of state of the energy store via a control and analysis unit; and
indicating a condition of the water via the signal transmitter in dependence on the charge state of the energy store.

Assignees

• Neoperl Gmbh

Inventors

• Ruhnke Christof

Classifications

• F24D17/0073

  Arrangements for preventing the occurrence or proliferation of microorganisms in the water · CPC title

• E03C1/10 Primary

  Devices for preventing contamination of drinking-water pipes, e.g. means for aerating self-closing flushing valves (vacuum-breakers in general F16K, F16L) · CPC title

• G01N33/18

  Water · CPC title

• E03C2201/40

  Arrangement of water treatment devices in domestic plumbing installations · CPC title

• F03B13/10

  Submerged units incorporating electric generators or motors · CPC title