GB2257476A

GB2257476A - Water powered turbine and control system for a valve

Info

Publication number: GB2257476A
Application number: GB9113899A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Peter Waldron Allen
Original assignee: Airdri Ltd
Current assignee: Airdri Ltd
Priority date: 1991-06-26
Filing date: 1991-06-26
Publication date: 1993-01-13
Anticipated expiration: 2011-06-26
Also published as: GB9113899D0; GB2257476B

Abstract

A water powered control system comprises a water turbine 19 and a rotary power generator 27 coupled to the turbine, the turbine and generator being mounted in a common housing 11 having an inlet 13 and an outlet 14 adapted for mounting in a mains water supply pipe to enable a flow of water through the housing from inlet to outlet to cause rotation of the turbine whereby the power generator provides a power output. Typically the system includes one or more rechargeable batteries 35 fed from the generator by way of the voltage regulator 36 to maintain a pre-determined minimum voltage in the or each rechargeable battery. In a typical application the system is used to regulate a solenoid operated valve 37 by way of a control device 34 linking the system to the valve whereby the valve can be moved between first and second operating, typically respectively open and closed positions, in response to control inputs to the control device. <IMAGE>

Description

REGULATING SYSTEM This invention relate to a regulating system. It is particularly concerned with the regulation of a system subject to fluctuating usage.

Increasing use is being made of rechargeable batteries in office, factory and domestic locations particularly in relation to batteries used in connection with micro-processor applications for purposes of control, time keeping and security. Currently the use of such devices involves systems which either makes use of power provided by simple batteries or by rechargeable batteries which require periodic charging from a mains source. Both systems suffer from disadvantages.

On the one hand the use of simple batteries involves the eventual replacement of the batteries. Apart from the cost of such replacement the efficiency of modern batteries is such that the need for replacement will occur at relatively long time intervals so that replacement is relatively infrequent and consequently in practical terms the loss of power is not readily identified or acted on.

On the other hand a mains power supply is not necessarily easy to instal and in any event there is going to be a need for a transformer for the necessary voltage reduction and regulatory means for safe operation.

According to a first aspect of the present invention there is provided a regulating system comprising a water turbine and a rotary power generator coupled to the turbine, the turbine and generator being mounted in a common housing having an inlet and an outlet adapted for mounting in a mains water supply pipe to enable a flow of water through the housing from inlet to outlet top cause rotation of the turbine whereby the power generator is caused to provides a power output.

According to a first preferred version of the first aspect of the present invention the regulating system incorporates a voltage regulator to regulate the voltage or a related function of the power output.

According to the first preferred version of the first aspect of the present invention the housing of the regulating system incorporates or is adapted to incorporate one or more rechargeable batteries fed from the generator by way of the voltage regulator to maintain a pre-determined minimum voltage in the or each rechargeable battery.

According to a second aspect of the present invention there is provided a water control regulating system comprising: 1 a regulating system according to the first aspect or any preferred version thereof; 2 a solenoid operated valve; and 3 a control device linking the system to the valve whereby the valve can be moved between first and second operating positions in response to control inputs to the control device.

The present invention is particularly concerned with a regulating system providing for the automatic flushing of urinals in commercial and industrial premises to save water. In particular it is concerned with saving water when the premises are unoccupied. In known systems savings are sought by detecting users by passive infra-red detection units and controlling flushing when a particular urinal has been used. However this involves a fair amount of electrical power.

An exemplary embodiment of the invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings of a small scale water turbine power unit in use in a factory urinal: Figure 1 is a part sectioned view of the unit; and Figure 2 is a water system in which the unit of Figure 1 is incorporated.

Figure 1 The unit 10 has a housing 11, incorporating a through duct 12, with inlet 13 and outlet 14. Streamline capsule 15 is mounted within the duct 12 by spider arms 16, 17. At upstream end 18 of the capsule 15 there is mounted a turbine wheel 19 by way of a shaft 20. The shaft 20 enters the capsule 15 by way of a water tight seal 21.

Water flows through the duct 12 in the direction of the arrow F. Upstream of the wheel 19 on wall 22 of the duct 12 there are provided fixed vanes 23 to promote a rotary flow of water into the turbine wheel 19. The turbine wheel 19 is in the form of an array of radially extending vanes 25 each having a cross section, and set at an angle A to axis 26 of the wheel 19 so as to provide, for optimal driving efficiency at the normal rotational speed of the wheel 19.

Within the capsule 15 there is mounted a dynamo 27 which is driven by way of the shaft 20. Power generated by the dynamo 27 is fed out of the capsule 15 by way of cable 28 shrouded within spider arm 16 thereafter passing out to a regulator 29 which serves to regulate the generated power to give a battery charging output on supply cable 30.

Figure 2 The unit 10 is mounted in a conventional cold water supply pipe 31 at the downstream end of a substantially straight section 32 of pipe 31 to ensure maximum kinetic energy and minimum turbulence in water flow into the unit 10.

A bypass 33 provides for the isolation of the housing 10 from the water supply typically to enable the unit 10 to be maintained or replaced without terminating a water supply to the urinal.

The cable 30 links the regulator 29 to a control unit 34 for a wash room which has rechargeable batteries 35 to power a timer 36 used to govern, amongst other things, the operation of a mains powered solenoid 37. The solenoid 37 when energised opens a valve 38 to cause a supply of flushing water to flow along pipe 39 from a supply 40 to a urinal wash down nozzle 41.

Once the predetermined period has passed the power supply to the solenoid 37 is terminated and the valve 38 closes terminating the outlet of water from nozzle 41.

The batteries 35 are maintained charged by the power output generated by unit 10, governed by regulator 29 and fed to the batteries by way of cable 30.

The combination of turbine 19 and dynamo 27 are designed to provide an output of about 1.5 watts per hour which will be sufficient to charge modern rechargeable batteries for the function required.

It is not necessary for water to flow continuously along the pipe 31 through the unit 10. As long as water is being periodically drawn off from a point downstream of the unit 10 (for example due to flushing) the resulting intermittent generation of power by the unit 10 is estimated to be sufficient to keep battery 35 charged for reasonable use of the wash down system.

Given that there is a mains power failure so that valve 38 is kept shut then the battery 35 is able to maintain the control unit 34 operational. A program in the unit control 34 (such as is readily incorporated in a micro-processor chip) ensures that, on restoration of the power supply, the solenoid 37 is caused to operate promptly on a predetermined program to ensure that the system is restored to normal as soon as possible.

The stored program is made to be selective. Typically if mains failure occurs out of working hours there is no need for any further operation until the start of normal working time. However if the failure occurred in working hours a number of-stored checks are undertaken automatically before the normal working program is resumed. In the event that a problem exists the control unit causes an alarm signal to be displayed either locally or at a operation centre.

For convenience a unified power supply unit can be provided in a single enclosure made up of the unit 10 (with water supply inlet 13 and outlet 14), the batteries 35 and timer 36 and a pair of outlet terminals. Such a unified unit is readily connected into a water pipe similar to supply pipe 31. It then merely requires the outlet terminals to be connected to the solenoid of a valve such as valve 38 to enable the benefits of the invention to be achieved even in an existing installation. Such a unified unit would be particularly useful for an existing installation which is to be modified to take advantage of the invention.

It will be apparent that the system of the present invention provides a light, economical and efficient system incorporating modern materials, equipment and control elements to provide a reliable and long lasting regulating unit. It has a built in power generating means which is inherently safe in contrast to conventional mains supplies and more economical in running costs, and more reliable, than batteries.

Claims

1 A water powered control system comprising a water turbine and a rotary power generator coupled to the turbine, the turbine and generator being mounted in a common housing having an inlet and an outlet adapted for mounting in a mains water supply pipe to enable a flow of water through the housing from inlet to outlet to cause rotation of the turbine whereby the power generator is caused to provides a power output.

2 A water powered control system as claimed in Claim 1 incorporating a voltage regulator to regulate the voltage or a related function of the power output.

3 A water powered control system as claimed in Claim 2 having a housing incorporating or adapted to incorporate one or more rechargeable batteries fed from the generator by way of the voltage regulator to maintain a pre determined minimum voltage in the or each rechargeable battery.

4 A water control water powered control system comprising: I a water powered control system according as claimed in any preceding claim;

2 a solenoid operated valve; and

3 a control device linking the system to the valve whereby the valve can be moved between first and second operating positions in response to control inputs to the control device.

5 An installation comprising a unit requiring a periodic supply of water such as a urinal, water closet or bidet, to which a supply of pressurised water can be fed by way of a pipe characterised by a water control unit as daimed in Claim

4 characterised by:

1 an outlet from the pipe to the unit,

2 the solenoid valve being located upstream of the outlet from the pipe for operation between the first position where the valve acts to inhibit flow along the pipe to the second position where the valve acts to allow the flow of water along the pipe; and

3 the water turbine being located upstream of the solenoid valve ber adapted for being driven by a flow of water along the pipe as aforesaid.

6 An installation as claimed in Claim 5 incorporating a water bypass so that water can be caused to flow along the pipe to the outlet either through the turbine or be diverted to flow through the bypass around the turbine.

7 A water control regulating system as hereinbefore described with reference to Figure 1 or Figure 2 of the accompanying drawings.