Granted Patent B2

US 8,008,806 · App. 12/878,740 · Granted Aug 30, 2011

Abstract

Claims (39)

1. A chemical dosing system comprising:

a metering pump; and

a power supply system electrically connected to the metering pump for supplying all electrical power requirements of the metering pump and supplying electrical power solely for operation of the metering pump, the power supply system comprising:

an energy generator comprising a wind turbine and a solar panel, wherein the energy generator is electrically connected to the metering pump and is a main power source for the metering pump; and

an energy storage system comprising a regulator and a battery, wherein the energy storage system is electrically connected to both the energy generator and the metering pump, and wherein the energy storage system provides power to the metering pump only when the metering pump requires power in excess of power provided by the energy generator.

2. The chemical dosing system of claim 1 , and further comprising:

a frame connected to the metering pump, the wind turbine, the solar panel, and the energy storage system.

3. The chemical dosing system of claim 1 , wherein the energy storage system is sized to supplement an expected minimum power output for the energy generator during a 24 hour period so that power demanded by the metering pump is met during the 24 hour period.

4. The chemical dosing system of claim 3 , wherein the expected minimum power output for the energy generator is based upon historical wind and solar intensity data for a location of the chemical dosing system.

5. The chemical dosing system of claim 4 , wherein the energy storage system is sized for operation in a location where an amount of solar energy available for harvesting by the solar panel plus an amount of wind energy available for harvesting by the wind turbine is expected to be greater than zero at all times.

6. The chemical dosing system of claim 4 , wherein the energy storage system is sized for operation in a location where an amount of solar energy available for harvesting by the solar panel plus an amount of wind energy available for harvesting by the wind turbine is expected to be greater than zero, 40% of the time in any 24 hour period.

7. The chemical dosing system of claim 1 , wherein the metering pump comprises a motor that operates at less than a maximum capacity over 50% of the time.

8. The chemical dosing system of claim 1 , wherein the metering pump comprises a solenoid pump that operates at a maximum power draw for brief intervals spaced by intervals of reduced power draw.

9. The chemical dosing system of claim 1 , wherein the energy generator supplies power to the energy storage system when the energy generator generates power in excess of the power required by the metering pump.

10. The chemical dosing system of claim 1 , wherein the solar panel, the wind turbine, the energy storage system, and the metering pump are electrically connected to a power bus in parallel.

11. The chemical dosing system of claim 1 , and further comprising:

an inverter for converting DC (direct current) power provided by the energy generator and the energy storage system into AC (alternating current) power for use by the metering pump.

12. A chemical dosing system comprising:

a frame;

a metering pump mounted to the frame; and

a power supply system electrically connected to the metering pump, the power supply system comprising:

a green energy generator mounted to the frame, wherein the green energy generator is electrically connected to the metering pump and is a main power source for the metering pump; and

an energy storage system comprising a regulator and a battery, wherein the energy storage system is electrically connected to both the green energy generator and the metering pump, and wherein the energy storage system provides power to the metering pump when the metering pump requires power in excess of power provided by the green energy generator.

13. The chemical dosing system of claim 12 , wherein the green energy generator comprises:

a solar panel mounted to the frame; and

a wind turbine mounted to a mast which is mounted to the frame.

14. The chemical dosing system of claim 12 , wherein the energy storage system is sized to power only the metering pump by supplementing a predicted power generation performance for the energy generator so that power demanded by the metering pump is met during all operating periods of the metering pump.

15. A method for designing a power supply system for a metering pump, the method comprising:

determining an expected energy consumption of the metering pump;

selecting components for a green energy generator to operate as a primary power source for the metering pump and only for the metering pump; and

selecting components for an energy storage system, sized to provide supplemental power to the metering pump during all times when the green energy generator is unable to meet the expected energy consumption of the metering pump, and sized to provide power only to the metering pump.

16. The method of claim 15 , wherein the components for both the green energy generator and the energy storage system are selected to meet the expected energy consumption at a particular location of operation.

17. The method of claim 16 , and further comprising the step of:

referencing wind and solar intensity charts for the particular location of operation for selection of the components of the green energy generator.

18. The method of claim 15 , wherein the expected energy consumption is determined for a particular operation selected from the group consisting of: remote water treatment, water disinfection, odor control, use on an oil pipeline, and use on a gas pipeline.

19. The method of claim 15 , and further comprising the step of:

selecting a solar panel and a wind turbine as components for the green energy generator.

20. The method of claim 15 , and further comprising the step of:

mounting the metering pump, the green energy generator, and the energy storage system to a frame.

Assignments (8)