GB2581950A

GB2581950A - Welfare unit with electricity producing means

Info

Publication number: GB2581950A
Application number: GB1900660.0A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Fletcher Simon
Original assignee: Easycabin Holdings Ltd
Current assignee: Easycabin Holdings Ltd
Priority date: 2019-01-17
Filing date: 2019-01-17
Publication date: 2020-09-09
Anticipated expiration: 2039-01-17
Also published as: GB201909507D0; GB2593124A; GB2593124B; GB201900660D0; GB2581950B

Abstract

The welfare unit 1 comprises a self-contained cabin and a fuel cell. The fuel cell may be a hydrogen fuel cell. The unit may comprise a further electricity producing means using a renewable energy source such as solar panels 23 or a wind turbine. The unit may have a battery which is charged by the fuel cell and renewable source. The unit may have a circuit to which the fuel cell, renewable source and battery are connected. The fuel cells and battery may directly power electrical devices connected to the circuit. A control means may monitor the charge level of the battery and real-time power demand from the circuit, and control the supply of power from the fuel cell. The control means may switch on the fuel cell automatically when the charge level of the battery drops below a predetermined value and real-time power demand from the electric circuit is above a predetermined value. The welfare unit may be free standing. It may be a trailer and have its own wheels 3, or transportable using a flat-bed vehicle. The electric devices may be proximity sensors, lighting, water boiler, kettle, or microwave.

Description

Welfare Unit with Electricity Producing Means The present disclosure relates to a welfare unit. In particular to welfare unit comprising electricity producing means.

Welfare units are movable enclosures, typically in the form of self-contained cabins, providing temporary accommodation and welfare facilities, such as basic sanitary and kitchen facilities, to site personnel at work locations, such as building sites or similar, where no other accommodation or welfare facilities may be provided.

With recent changes to health and safety legislation, virtually all outside work sites will have to provide temporary accommodation and welfare facilities for site personnel.

Welfare units are commonly powered using generators that are powered by 15 non-renewable energy sources, such as diesel generators. The generators are housed within the welfare units themselves. Such generators, whilst offering a reliable source of power, tend to be noisy and pollute the environment.

The present invention arose in a bid to provide an improved welfare unit, 20 offering reliable power but a reduced impact on the environment. By the present invention, a zero carbon solution is uniquely provided.

According to the present invention in a first aspect, there is provided a welfare unit as recited by Claim 1.

Further, preferred, features are presented in the dependent claims.

The present invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 shows a perspective view of a welfare unit according to a first embodiment of the present invention; Figure 2 shows a partially cut away perspective view of the welfare unit of Figure 1; and Figure 3 shows an exemplary layout for a power system of the welfare unit of Figure 1.

In accordance with a first embodiment there is provided, in broadest terms, a welfare unit 1 comprising a self-contained cabin provided with a fuel cell (2, Figure 3). The fuel cell 2 is preferably a hydrogen fuel cell that is preferably fuelled by replaceable hydrogen tanks. The fuel cell provides reliable zero emission energy. The fuel cell is housed within the welfare unit.

The welfare unit 1 may be used on building sites, or the like, in particular where lavatory facilities are not otherwise available. The cabin may be free standing and transportable. It may be formed as a trailer and provided with its own wheels 3, as is the case with the depicted arrangement. It may otherwise be arranged to be transported using a flat-bed vehicle. It could, less preferably, be arranged to be permanently located (by the connection to services, such as plumbing). The welfare unit preferably comprises a typical rectangular box shape.

It may be equipped, as will be readily appreciated by those skilled in the art, in accordance with any conventional welfare unit. It may, for example, be provided with one or more toilets and/or showers. It may comprise kitchen facilities. It may be configured as an office or as living accommodation. The present invention is not to be limited to any specific configuration. In the depicted exemplary arrangement, the welfare unit is partitioned into three rooms 4, 5, 6. The first room 4 exemplarily comprises a kitchen, which comprises a work top 7, a sink 8 supplied with water from a water tank 9, a kettle 10 and a microwave 11, and seating area, which is provided with a table 12 and seats 13, which may comprise benches, as shown, chairs or otherwise. The second room 5 comprises a toilet, which may comprise a conventional chemical toilet 14, or otherwise and a sink 15 supplied with water by a water tank 16. The third room 6 comprises a drying room, which comprises a heater 17 and a number of hooks 18. Each of the rooms is accessible by an external door 19, 20, 21, although this need not be the case, one or more internal doors could be provided. Various storage areas are provided for containing the required electrical installation, as discussed below with reference to the exemplary power system layout, and the fuel cell and gas tanks. In the present arrangement, a storage area 22, which contains the fuel cell and gas tanks is provided underneath the kitchen counter 7. The storage area is accessible by an external door (not shown) for ease of replacement of the gas tanks, etc. Numerous other arrangements, layouts and provided facilities will be possible, including arrangements with a single room or alternative partitioning into more or less individual rooms/storage areas. Irrespective of the layout/facilities, the welfare unit will feature at least one electrical device connected to an electric circuit. There will most likely be a plurality of connected electrical devices and a plurality of plug sockets. Electrical devices may be hard wired to the electric circuit or connected via plug sockets, and may include, for example, any combination of electric lighting, proximity sensors, a water boiler, a heating and/or cooling unit, any of those devices present in the current depicted arrangement and mentioned above, or otherwise. A sensor (not shown) may be provided for detecting entry of a user into the cabin. The sensor may automatically activate an electric light within the cabin when a user enters the cabin and deactivate the light when the cabin is vacated. Such an arrangement will further enhance the energy efficiency of the welfare unit.

The fuel cell 2 is connected to the electric circuit for providing power to the one or more electrical devices.

In the present arrangement, as is preferred, there is further provided an electricity producing means 23, which uses a renewable energy source. The electricity producing means is also connected to the electric circuit for providing power to the one or more electrical devices. The electricity producing means preferably comprises a plurality of solar panels made up of a plurality of photovoltaic cells. The solar panels are preferably located on the roof of the cabin, as shown in Figure 1. They could be provided in addition or alternatively on the sides of the cabin, or elsewhere. It is possible that a single solar panel is provided in place of the plurality. It should be noted that whilst the use of one or more solar panels is preferred, the invention is not to be limited as such. The electricity producing means may be arranged to use any alternative renewable energy source. For example, the electricity producing means could comprise a wind turbine connected to a dynamo, or otherwise, as will be appreciated by those skilled in the art.

At least one battery 24 is preferably provided that is connected to the electrical circuit for storing electrical energy generated by the fuel cell 2 and/or the electricity producing means 23, in order to supply electrical power on demand to devices within the cabin through the electric circuit. In the present arrangement both the fuel cell 2 and the electricity producing means 23 provide electrical energy to the battery to charge it. Arrangements are, however, possible where only the electricity producing means 23 provides power to charge the battery with the fuel cell 2 providing power to electrical devices directly through the electric circuit, rather than via the at least one battery 24. There is preferably a battery bank provided that comprises a plurality of batteries. A plurality of batteries may be provided in any conventional array/configuration.

It must be appreciated that arrangements are possible that exclude the electricity producing means 23, in which case the fuel cell 2 will comprise the only source of electrical power for providing power to the electric circuit. In such arrangement, the at least one battery 24 may be included or omitted.

Figure 3 shows an exemplary layout for a power system for the welfare unit. The power system forms part of the electrical circuit for providing on demand power to the one or more electrical devices. The power system comprises the control means. The power system comprises the fuel cell 2, a smart controller 25, a battery charger 26, a battery guard 27, the battery bank 24, a battery monitor 28, a DC-DC converter 29, an inverter 30 and a distribution board 31.

The smart controller 25 allows for remote monitoring/control through a computer, smartphone or tablet. The smart controller is connected to a cellular router 32 to allow for remote connection.

Numerous alternative circuit layouts will be readily appreciated by those skilled in the art. The present invention is not to be limited in this regard.

The functioning and operation of the control means/power system will now be discussed in the context of the preferred arrangement, which comprises the fuel cell 2, electricity producing means (solar panels) 23 and battery 24.

Use of the fuel cell will be kept to a minimum. The fuel cell will only be used when the power generated by the solar panels is insufficient. The fuel cell is present as a reliable energy source, always available irrespective of environmental conditions. In normal operation, therefore, the solar panels will provide power to recharge the battery bank. The battery bank will provide on demand power to electrical devices connected to the electric circuit. The fuel cell will remain switched off. The fuel cell will be switched on only when the detected charge level of the battery bank falls below a predetermined level. Operation of the fuel cell will be automatically controlled by the control means. The fuel cell will preferably be arranged to provide power directly to the electrical devices connected to the electric circuit and to provide power for charging the battery bank. In alternative arrangements, it may be provided to either only provide direct power to the electrical devices or to recharge the battery bank.

There may be arrangements wherein control of the fuel cell is dependent upon more than the charge level of the battery bank. For example, the control of the fuel cell may be additionally dependent on the on the real-time power demand of the electric circuit.

Numerous modifications and alterations will be readily appreciated by those skilled in the art, within the scope of the claims that follow.

Claims

Claims 1. A welfare unit comprising a self-contained cabin that comprises a fuel cell.
2. A welfare unit as claimed in Claim 1 further comprising an electricity producing means using a renewable energy source.
3. A welfare unit as claimed in Claim 2, wherein the electricity producing means comprises one or more solar panels made up of a plurality of photovoltaic cells.
4. A welfare unit as claimed in any preceding claim further comprising at least one battery.
5. A welfare unit as claimed in Claim 4, wherein the fuel cell is arranged to charge the at least one battery.
6. A welfare unit as claimed in Claim 4 or 5, when dependent on Claim 2 or 3, wherein the electricity producing means is arranged to charge the at least one battery.
7. A welfare unit as claimed in Claim 6 comprising an electric circuit, wherein the fuel cell, electricity producing means and the at least one battery are all connected to the electric circuit.
8. A welfare unit as claimed in Claim 7 further comprising at least one electrical device connected to the electrical circuit.
9. A welfare unit as claimed in Claim 8, wherein the electric circuit is arranged such that the fuel cell can provide power directly to the at least one electrical device and can provide power to the at least one electrical device via the at least one battery.
10. A welfare unit as claimed in any of Claims 7 to 9, wherein a control means is provided for monitoring the charge level of the at least one battery and/or for monitoring real-time power demand from the electric circuit and/or for controlling the supply of power from the fuel cell.
11. A welfare unit as claimed in Claim 10, wherein the control means is arranged to switch on the fuel cell automatically when the charge level of the at least one battery has dropped to below a predetermined threshold value.
12. A welfare unit as claimed in Claim 10, wherein the control means is arranged to switch on the fuel cell automatically when the charge level of the at least one 10 battery has dropped to below a predetermined threshold value and real-time power demand from the electric circuit is above a predetermined threshold value.
13. A welfare unit as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the fuel cell is a hydrogen fuel cell.
14. A welfare unit as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the fuel cell is fuelled by one or more fuel tanks housed within the welfare unit.
15. A cabin as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein a sensor is provided for detecting entry of a user into the cabin.
16. A cabin as claimed in Claim 15, when dependent on any of wherein the sensor automatically activates an electric light within the cabin when a user enters the cabin and deactivates the light when the cabin is vacated.