Systems and methods for irrigation monitoring and leak detection

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12061102-B2
Application number	US-201716610331-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 1, 2017
Priority date	Jun 1, 2017
Publication date	Aug 13, 2024
Grant date	Aug 13, 2024

Abstract

Systems and methods for operating a fluid supply system. The methods comprise: using a micro-turbine and an Energy Harvesting Circuit (“EHC”) to harvest energy from a fluid flowing through a pipeline; operating a switch to disconnect the EHC from the micro-turbine when an amount of energy harvested reaches a threshold value; detecting by a sensor device an amount of natural fluid flow through the pipeline while the EHC is disconnected from the micro-turbine; and operating the switch to reconnect the EHC to the micro-turbine after the amount of natural fluid flow has been detected.

First claim

We claim:

1. A method of operating a fluid supply system, comprising:
converting, by a generator, mechanical energy of a micro-turbine which has been made to revolve by a fluid flowing through a pipeline to electric energy;
using the electric energy to charge an energy storage device of an Energy Harvesting Circuit (EHC);
operating a switch to open an electrical connection between the energy storage device of the EHC and the micro-turbine when an amount of said electric energy being stored during charging of the energy storage device reaches a threshold value, wherein the threshold value represents an amount of electric energy needed to power at least a sensor device electrically connected to the EHC, and the micro-turbine is disconnected from the energy storage device when the electrical connection is open such that the energy storage device is no longer being charged using the electric energy;
detecting by the sensor device an amount of natural fluid flow through the pipeline while the electrical connection between the energy storage device of the EHC and the micro-turbine is open;
operating the switch to close the electrical connection between the energy storage device of the EHC and the micro-turbine after the amount of natural fluid flow has been detected, wherein the micro-turbine is reconnected to the energy storage device when the electrical connection is closed such that the energy storage device is once again able to be charged using the electric energy; and
using an antenna for a dual purpose of (i) communicating information from the EHC to a remote device and (ii) concurrently detecting physical damage to the antenna and a sprinkler;
wherein the EHC is located along the pipeline adjacent to the sprinkler, and the antenna is electrically connected to the EHC and integrated into the sprinkler such that the antenna at least partially resides within a head or main body of the sprinkler.

2. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the fluid supply system comprises an irrigation system.

3. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising using the electric energy to power at least one electronic component of the sensor device at least while the EHC is disconnected from the micro-turbine.

4. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the amount of natural fluid flow is detected by counting a number of rotations of the micro-turbine that are caused by the flow of the fluid through the pipeline.

5. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the amount of natural fluid flow is detected based on an output a voltage signal from the generator.

6. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising determining whether the amount of natural fluid flow through the pipeline indicates that there has been a variation of fluid flow.

7. The method according to claim 6 , wherein the EHC is reconnected to the micro-turbine when the amount of natural fluid flow through the pipeline does not indicate that there has been a variation of fluid flow.

8. The method according to claim 6 , further comprising concluding that a possible leak exists in the pipeline when the amount of natural fluid flow through the pipeline indicates that there has been a variation of fluid flow.

9. The method according to claim 8 , further comprising taking at least one remedial measure in response to a conclusion that the possible leak exists, the remedial measure comprising outputting a notification or causing a person to be dispatched to the fluid supply system.

10. A fluid supply system, comprising:
a pipeline through which fluid is able to flow;
a device comprising:
a micro-turbine assembly comprising a generator configured to convert mechanical energy of a micro-turbine to electric energy as the micro-turbine is caused to rotate by the fluid while flowing through the pipeline;
an Energy Harvesting Circuit (“EHC”) electrically connected to the micro-turbine assembly and comprising an energy storage device configured to be charged by the electric energy;
a switch operative to selectively open an electrical connection between the EHC and the micro-turbine assembly when an amount of said electric energy being stored during charging of the energy storage device reaches a threshold value, the threshold value representing an amount of electric energy needed to power at least a sensor device electrically connected to the EHC; and

an antenna having a dual purpose of (i) communicating information from the EHC to a remote device and (ii) concurrently detecting physical damage to the antenna and a sprinkler, the antenna being integrated with the sprinkler such that the antenna at least partially resides within a head or main body of the sprinkler;
wherein the micro-turbine assembly is disconnected from the EHC when the electrical connection is open such that the electric energy is unable to be used to charge the energy storage device of the EHC;
wherein the sensor device is configured to detect an amount of natural fluid flow through the pipeline while the electrical connection between the EHC and the micro-turbine assembly is open; and
wherein the switch is operated to close the electrical connection after the amount of natural fluid flow has been detected, the micro-turbine assembly being reconnected to the EHC when the electrical connection is closed such that the electric energy is able to be used to charge the energy storage device of the EHC.

11. The fluid supply system according to claim 10 , wherein the fluid supply system comprises an irrigation system.

12. The fluid supply system according to claim 10 , wherein the electric energy is used to power at least one electronic component of the sensor device at least while the EHC is disconnected from the micro-turbine.

13. The fluid supply system according to claim 10 , wherein the amount of natural fluid flow is detected by counting a number of rotations of the micro-turbine that are caused by the flow of the fluid through the pipeline.

14. The fluid supply system according to claim 10 , wherein the amount of natural fluid flow is detected based on an output voltage signal from the generator.

15. The fluid supply system according to claim 10 , further comprising a processing circuit configured to determine whether the amount of natural fluid flow through the pipeline indicates that there has been a variation of fluid flow.

16. The fluid supply system according to claim 15 , wherein the EHC is reconnected to the micro-turbine when the amount of natural fluid flow through the pipeline does not indicate that there has been a variation of fluid flow.

17. The fluid supply system according to claim 15 , wherein the processing circuit is further configured to conclude that a possible leak exists in the pipeline when the amount of natural fluid flow through the pipeline indicates that there has been a variation of fluid flow.

18. The fluid supply system according to claim 17 , wherein the processing device is further configured to take at least one remedial measure in response to a conclusion that the possible leak exists, the remedial measure comprising outputting a notification or causing a person to be dispatched to the fluid supply system.

19. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the antenna is printed or deposited on an interior surface of the sprinkler using a conductive ink.

Assignees

• Florida Atlantic Univ Board Of Trustees

Inventors

• Hallstrom Jason O
• Zhai Jiannan
• Kelley Chancey
• Brown Michael
• Zwieten Andrew Van
• Salamon Don

Classifications

• H02K7/1823

  structurally associated with turbines or similar engines · CPC title

• G01M3/2807

  for pipes (G01M3/2892, G01M3/30 take precedence) · CPC title

• G01F15/0755

  involving digital counting · CPC title

• F03B13/10

  Submerged units incorporating electric generators or motors · CPC title

• A01G25/16

  Control of watering · CPC title