Method of controlling a pump to convert non-potable to potable water from waste heat

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11235986-B2
Application number	US-201816118430-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 30, 2018
Priority date	Jun 27, 2014
Publication date	Feb 1, 2022
Grant date	Feb 1, 2022

Abstract

Waste heat generated by devices as a byproduct of their operation is utilized to increase and maintain the temperature of non-potable water to neutralize biological contaminants, thereby rendering such water potable. The potable water can then be utilized for evaporative cooling of the devices. A temperature sensor monitors the temperature of the non-potable water and a controller controls the pump to provide sufficient time for the water to remain in the heat exchanger above a predetermined temperature to neutralize biological contaminants and render such water potable. To the extent that different devices generate different quantities and intensities of waste heat, multiple heat exchangers are utilized, with lower intensity waste heat serving to preheat the water and, thereby, reduce the amount of time needed to reach the target temperature in a primary heat exchanger. Waste heat not utilized to generate potable water can be utilized for other heat-driven processes.

First claim

I claim:

1. A method of controlling a pump to pump water through piping, wherein heating of the water in the piping generates potable water from non-potable water, the method comprising the steps of:
receiving, by a controller implementing the method, a first temperature from a first temperature sensor, the first temperature sensor sensing the first temperature of water in a first portion of the piping, the first portion of the piping being thermodynamically coupled to a computing device such that the waste heat from the computing device is transferred to water in the first portion of the piping,
receiving, by the controller implementing the method, a second temperature from a second temperature sensor, the second temperature sensor sensing the second temperature of water in a second portion of the piping, the second portion of the piping being thermodynamically coupled to a power generation device such that the waste heat from the power generation device is transferred to water in the second portion of the piping, and
controlling, with the controller, the pump to pump the non-potable water into the first portion of the piping, thereby moving water from the first portion of the piping into the second portion of the piping, and thereby further expelling water from the second portion of the piping, the expelled water now being potable, based on:
(1) whether the first temperature has reached a first threshold temperature and
(2) whether the second temperature has been above a second threshold temperature for greater than a predetermined quantity of time;
wherein the first threshold temperature is based on a temperature of the waste heat from the computing device, the temperature of the waste heat from the computing device being insufficient to generate potable water from the non-potable water;
wherein the second threshold temperature and the predetermined quantity of time are sufficient to kill microbes in the non-potable water; and
wherein the second threshold temperature and the predetermined quantity of time are based on a maintenance of the water at or above the second threshold temperature for at least the predetermined quantity of time being sufficient to kill microbes in the water.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first portion of the piping is thermodynamically coupled to the computing device by being thermodynamically coupled to a first heat exchanger that is also thermodynamically coupled to a first heat transfer device, the first heat transfer device absorbing waste heat from the computing device; and
wherein further the second portion of the piping is thermodynamically coupled to the power generation device by being thermodynamically coupled to a second heat exchanger that is also thermodynamically coupled to a second heat transfer device, the second heat transfer device absorbing waste heat from the power generation device.

3. Digital memory comprising computer-executable instructions which, when executed by a processor cause the processor to perform steps comprising:
receive a first temperature from a first temperature sensor, the first temperature sensor sensing the first temperature of water in a first portion of the piping, the first portion of the piping being thermodynamically coupled to a computing device such that the waste heat from the computing device is transferred to water in the first portion of the piping;
receive a second temperature from a second temperature sensor, the second temperature sensor sensing the second temperature of water in a second portion of the piping, the second portion of the piping being thermodynamically coupled to a power generation device such that the waste heat from the power generation device is transferred to water in the second portion of the piping; and
generating a pump control output causing a pump to pump the non-potable water into the first portion of the piping, thereby moving water from the first portion of the piping into the second portion of the piping, and thereby further expelling water from the second portion of the piping, the expelled water now being potable, based on: (1) whether the first temperature has reached a first threshold temperature and (2) whether the second temperature has been above a second threshold temperature for greater than a predetermined quantity of time;
wherein the first threshold temperature is based on a temperature of the waste heat from the computing device, the temperature of the waste heat from the computing device being insufficient to generate potable water from the non-potable water;
wherein the second threshold temperature and the predetermined quantity of time are based on a maintenance of the water at or above the second threshold temperature for at least the predetermined quantity of time being sufficient to kill microbes in the water; and
wherein the computing device and the power generation device are thermodynamically independent heat sources.

4. The digital memory of claim 3 , wherein the first portion of the piping is thermodynamically coupled to the computing device by being thermodynamically coupled to a first heat exchanger that is also thermodynamically coupled to a first heat transfer device, the first heat transfer device absorbing waste heat from the computing device; and
wherein further the second portion of the piping is thermodynamically coupled to the power generation device by being thermodynamically coupled to a second heat exchanger that is also thermodynamically coupled to a second heat transfer device, the second heat transfer device absorbing waste heat from the power generation device.

5. The digital memory of claim 4 , wherein the first heat transfer device is a heatsink coupled to a processor of the computing device.

6. The digital memory of claim 4 , wherein the thermodynamic coupling between the first heat exchanger and the first heat transfer device comprise a closed loop of piping with a liquid inside.

7. The digital memory of claim 4 , wherein at least one of the first or second heat exchangers comprise two sets of inter-wound piping, a first set comprising the piping through which water is pumped and a second set comprising a thermodynamic connection to the first or second heat transfer devices.

8. The method of claim 2 , wherein at least one of the first or second heat exchangers comprise two sets of inter-wound piping, a first set comprising the piping through which water is pumped and a second set comprising a thermodynamic connection to the first or second heat transfer devices.

9. The method of claim 2 , wherein the first heat transfer device is a heatsink coupled to a processor of the computing device.

10. The method of claim 2 , wherein the thermodynamic coupling between the first heat exchanger and the first heat transfer device comprise a closed loop of piping with a liquid inside.

Assignees

• Microsoft Technology Licensing Llc

Inventors

• James Sean

Classifications

• C02F2103/023

  Water in cooling circuits · CPC title

• F24F2005/006

  receiving heat-exchange fluid from the drinking or sanitary water supply circuit · CPC title

• C02F1/02 Primary

  by heating (methods of steam generation F22B; preheating boiler feed-water or accumulating preheated boiler feed-water F22D) · CPC title

• C02F2209/02

  Temperature · CPC title

• F24F5/0035

  using evaporation · CPC title