Self-powered utility delivery system
View Patent ↗The present disclosure relates to a self-powered utility delivery system that includes an energy generator that produces electrical energy and consequently regulates a pressure of utility flowing through the self-powered utility delivery system. Additionally, the self-powered utility delivery system includes an electronic utility meter that monitors a quantity (e.g., volume) of utility that flows through the self-powered utility delivery system and toward a consumer.
1. A self-powered utility delivery system, comprising:
an inlet port configured to receive a utility flowing through the self-powered utility delivery system at a first pressure;
an outlet port configured to supply the utility at a second pressure, wherein the utility is configured to flow between the inlet port and the outlet port;
an electronic utility meter providing one or both of processor-mediated communications or signal processing and configured to measure the utility supplied from the outlet port;
an energy generator configured to convert a pressure of the utility to generate electrical power and consequently to regulate the pressure of the utility from the first pressure to the second pressure, wherein the second pressure is predetermined, wherein the energy generator supplies a portion of the electrical power to an energy storage device; and
a processor operatively coupled to the energy generator, wherein the energy generator comprises an adjustor configured to control an amount of the electrical power generated in response to feedback received by the processor.
2. The self-powered utility delivery system of claim 1 , wherein the first pressure is a pressure supplied by a service provider and the second pressure is a consumption pressure specified by a standard, a regulation, a specification, or any combination thereof.
3. The self-powered utility delivery system of claim 2 , wherein the outlet port is configured to supply the utility at a flow rate conforming to flow consumption specifications.
4. The self-powered utility delivery system of claim 1 , wherein the electronic utility meter is configured to measure one or both of a volume and a flow rate of the utility supplied from the outlet port.
5. The self-powered utility delivery system of claim 1 , wherein the one or both of processor-mediated communications or signal processing comprises electronic measurement, flow sensing, volume flow metering, volume conversion to base condition processing, self-diagnostics, electronic display, meter correction, communication of meter output, automatic meter reading, another form of electrical processing, or any combination thereof.
6. The self-powered utility delivery system of claim 1 , comprising a housing configured to receive the electronic utility meter and the energy generator, and wherein the housing is coupled to the inlet port and the outlet port.
7. The self-powered utility delivery system of claim 1 , wherein the electrical power is sufficient to power the electronic utility meter.
8. The self-powered utility delivery system of claim 1 , wherein the energy storage device comprises an electrical storage device, a chemical storage device, a mechanical storage device, an electromagnetic storage device, a betavoltaic storage device, or any combination thereof.
9. The self-powered utility delivery system of claim 1 , wherein the processor is operatively coupled to at least one sensor.
10. The self-powered utility delivery system of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the electronic utility meter and the energy generator comprise the processor.
11. The self-powered utility delivery system of claim 1 , wherein the adjustor is configured to modify an amount of the electrical power based at least on a measure of one or more of the second pressure, a flow rate, or a flow volume of the utility supplied from the outlet port received by the processor.
12. The self-powered utility delivery system of claim 11 , wherein at least one sensor operatively coupled to the processor provides the measure of one or more of the second pressure, the flow rate, or the flow volume of the utility supplied from the outlet port to the processor.
13. The self-powered utility delivery system of claim 1 , wherein the energy generator comprises the electronic utility meter.
14. The self-powered utility delivery system of claim 1 , wherein the utility is natural gas.
15. The self-powered utility delivery system of claim 1 , wherein the energy generator is configured to generate the electrical power by converting a pressure change of the utility into an intermediate form of energy, and wherein the intermediate form of energy comprises thermal energy, mechanical energy, flow dynamic energy, piezoelectric energy, magnetic energy, vibration energy, chemical energy, or any combination thereof.
16. The self-powered utility delivery system of claim 15 , wherein the pressure change of the utility is a pressure drop internal to a housing, and wherein the pressure drop is a difference between the first pressure and the second pressure.
17. The self-powered utility delivery system of claim 1 , wherein the energy generator generates a pressure change by converting the first pressure into an intermediate form of energy and converting the intermediate form of energy into the electrical power, and wherein the intermediate form of energy comprises thermal energy, mechanical energy, flow dynamic energy, piezoelectric energy, magnetic energy, vibration energy, chemical energy, or any combination thereof.
18. The self-powered utility delivery system of claim 1 , wherein the energy generator is configured to provide the electrical power to sensors, and wherein the sensors are configured to be used in the electronic utility meter.
19. A method, comprising:
receiving a utility through an inlet port, wherein the utility is at a first pressure;
converting a pressure of the utility and thereby generating electrical power using a power generator and consequently regulating the pressure of the utility from the first pressure to a predetermined second pressure, wherein the power generator supplies a portion of the electrical power to an energy storage device;
operatively coupling a processor to the power generator, wherein the power generator comprises an adjustor configured to control an amount of the electrical power generated in response to feedback received by the processor;
supplying the electrical power to an electronic utility meter, wherein the electronic utility meter is configured to provide one or both of processor-mediated communications or signal processing;
monitoring a volume of the utility supplied to a consumer using the electronic utility meter; and
supplying the utility to the consumer at the second pressure through an outlet port.