Patent Document

FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     This invention is directed toward a pressure powered generator system capable of generating a sufficient quantity of electricity to fuel a furnace and HVAC system in the event of a power outage during below freezing weather so as to prevent the freezing of a domestic water supply line. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     One of the most common causes of a power outage is a sudden snow or ice storm. Such inclement weather will often cause the downing of power lines (due largely to the weight of the snow or ice) and other municipal infrastructure within the electrical grid used to supply residential electricity. Because such snow and ice storms also cause downed trees and blockage of roads, municipal authorizes often must wait several hours (often days) in order to repair this infrastructure. During such wait time, residential homes may be without electricity for prolonged periods of times often with temperatures dipping below freezing. 
     A residential home may not be able to maintain heat during these prolonged power outages—even when a furnace is based upon propane, natural gas, fuel oil or other fossil fuel. This is because there will be no electrical source to maintain the controls necessary to regulate the furnace, as well as no ability to maintain an ignition source for such heat supply. Thus, even though there is a steady supply of fuel available during this inclement weather—such as a repository of propane—maintained at the home—there is no ability to fuel the home because there is no sufficient level of electricity to regulate the furnace or ignite the fuel routinely to maintain a comfortable temperature in the home. 
     Without the ability to regulate the temperature of the home, the foundation of the home will likewise begin to loose heat. This in turn may result in the freezing of water supply lines into the home. Therefore, once the electrical grid is repaired and power restored, there may nonetheless be the secondary issue of a loss of water supplied to the home. While a secondary issue caused by a snow or ice storm, the loss of water supply is often more difficult to repair and may cause larger damage and inconvenience to the home owner. 
     Very little has been done to create cost effective means for home owners to plan for a power outage cause by a snow or ice storm. One solution available today is the purchase of a self-contained electrical generator that may supply electricity for a short period of time to the furnace and other essential components of a home. However, electrical generators are limited in the amount of fuel that they can carry, the amount of electricity that they supply—plus you often have to run multiple extension cords throughout the home to supply energy. Moreover, such generators are expensive and cumbersome to store. 
     Another solution is to equip a furnace with a large electrical battery. However, this is not only cumbersome, but it still has the limitation as to life expectancy. Should a power outage be prolonged, a mere electrical battery may not have a sufficient amount of energy to power both the control and ignition source for the fossil fuel powered furnace. Moreover, a simple battery will not be able to supply power to other necessary appliances such a refrigerator. 
     Accordingly, there is a need in the art of heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) systems for a device capable of providing sufficient electrical power to both a furnace and other key appliances in the event of a power outage during a cold weather event such as a snow or ice storm. Such system should be cost effective, robust and capable of supplying this level of electricity for prolonged periods of time sufficient to allow municipal authorities to identify and fix any problems. Lastly, the system should help reduce risk of the freezing of water supply lines during such cold weather event. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     This invention is directed to a system that generates a sufficient level of electricity through access to a municipal water supply line that may run a furnace during below freezing temperatures. The system may include an inlet that draws water from a water supply line. A first conduit, in communication with the inlet, transports the water into a generator that includes an impeller to generate electricity. Water is then removed from the generator through a second conduit that then returns the water to the water supply line through an outlet. 
     A solenoid valve may be positioned between the inlet and first conduit which remains closed when the electric grid runs normally but will open during a power outage to supply water to the generator. A lithium battery stores power created by the generator, which may include a voltage regulator and inverter or rectifier to convert to DC (as desired). 
     The invention is also directed to a method of powering a furnace in the event of a power failure during below freezing temperatures. The method of using the system first includes the normal flow of water through a water supply line during receipt of power from an electric grid (usually from a municipality). The method may next include opening a solenoid valve (positioned proximate the intake) during the event of a power outage. 
     As a third step, the water is engaged within a generator that may communicate with the first conduit to generate electricity. Upon creating power, the water re-routed into a second conduit for returning the water to the water supply line through an outlet in communication with the second conduit. 
     Optionally, the method may include regulating electricity through use of a voltage regulator to create a uniform voltage of power created by the generator. In addition, such method may include inverting the power created by the generator into DC and then storing the DC in a battery for later use and supply to a furnace. Later, this stored power within the battery may be retrieved through a Logic network. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       For a fuller understanding of the invention, reference is made to the following detailed description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings illustrating various embodiments of the present invention, in which: 
         FIG. 1  is a front view illustrating placement of the system in light of a residential home; 
         FIG. 2  is a front view showing the salient components of the system, including a DC generator; and 
         FIG. 3  is a flow chart that illustrates the various steps the system uses to maintain power to the furnace and necessarily appliances in the event of a power outage. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS 
     The present invention will now be described more fully hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which preferred embodiments of the invention are shown. This invention may, however, be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein. Rather, these embodiments are provided so that this disclosure will be thorough and complete, and will fully convey the scope of the invention to those skilled in the art. Like numbers refer to like elements throughout. 
     As shown in both  FIG. 1  and  FIG. 2 , the invention is directed to a self-contained system  200  which is positioned within a home in direct communication with a municipal water supply line  100 . Through direct access of water  110  passing through the municipal water supply line  100 , the system  200  generates electricity  101 . This power in turn is supplied to the furnace  300  and any critical appliances  400  (such as a refrigerator, range, etc.). Accordingly, the system  200  not only functions to maintain an acceptable temperature within the home during a power outage (by allowing the furnace  300  to run), but also allows food to stay refrigerated and allow use of other appliances to warm food and provide for other necessities. 
     The system  200  is small, modular, and lightweight. One embodiment as herein described by way of example is approximately sixteen inches wide by sixteen inches long by sixteen inches tall. Moreover, the system  200  can easily be installed proximate the water supply line  100 . The system  200  is designed to be robust, water proof and not susceptible to corrosion. 
     Placement of the System 
       FIG. 1  illustrates, by way of example, one manner of placing the system  200  to engage a water supply line  100  to generate electricity  101  in case of a failure of the electrical grid. First,  FIG. 1  shows how a typical residential home will feature a water supply line  100  positioned below or proximate the home, which communicates with a water intake  500 . This water intake  500  allows for use and enjoyment of municipal water  110  for use in cooking, plumbing, sanitation, irrigation and other domestic uses. Water  110  drawn from the water supply line  100  is typically read by a water meter and charge accordingly to the household by the municipality. 
     Further illustrated in  FIG. 1  are typical features of a home, including a furnace  300  and appliances  400 . In this application, the furnace  300  runs on some form of fossil fuel, such as propane, natural gas, fuel oil or related hydrocarbon. Such fossil fuel may be housed and maintained within a central receptacle near the home (i.e., a propane tank) or may be offered by a supply line  100  (i.e., city gas line). Accordingly, such furnace  300  needs very little electricity to offer heat to the home, as the main source of energy is the gas or liquid fossil fuel. Optionally, the furnace  300  may be part of a co-generation system that allows use of applicable heat for other purposes, including but not limited to preheating water  110  prior to entry into a flash heater. 
     Both the appliances  400  and the furnace  300  (and/or co-generation system) may be supplied electricity  101  from a municipal power source. As further shown in  FIG. 1 , electricity  101  from the electric grid is provided to a power pole  610  located proximate the home. A power line  620  connects the power pole  610  to a power meter  600  affixed to the home. In turn, the power meter  600  supplies electricity  101  to both the furnace  300  and appliances  400  when the electricity grid is properly functioning. The power meter  600  records the amount of electricity  100  consumed by the home. 
     Unlike the traditional home,  FIG. 1  further shows addition of the system  200  in direct communication with the water supply line  100 . As shown, such system  200  is positioned below or proximate to the base of the home, near the foundation block and/or basement below the firmament. Water  110  is capable of being diverted from the water supply line  100  into the system  200  for later return to the water supply line  100 . Accordingly, the system  200  will not actually remove or spend any of the water  110  present in the water supply line  100  and thus will not affect the water bill. 
     Components of the System 
     While  FIG. 1  illustrated the placement of the system  200 ,  FIG. 2  shows its salient components. First, an intake  210  is positioned within the water supply line  100 . This intake  210  diverts a portion of water  110  from the water supply line  100  into the system  200 . Normally, the water  110  from the intake  210  does not flow through the system  200 , due to solenoid valve  220 . The solenoid valve  220  only opens when there is a determination that there is a lapse in power supplied by the electrical grid. 
     Upon a breach of the power supply received from the power meter  600  (shown in  FIG. 1 ), the solenoid valve  200  within the system  200  opens and allows entry of water  110  diverted from the water supply line  100 . Water  110  then will flow through the solenoid valve  220  and into a first conduit  230  which is in direct communication with the DC generator  240 . While a variety of generation systems may be used within the DC generator  240  to create electricity, the invention contemplates use of an impeller  245 . However, other electrical generator systems are contemplated, including use of a turbine. 
     Through spinning the impeller  245  via flow of water  110  supplied by the first conduit  230 , electric current is generated by the DC generator  240 . Water  110  exits via the second conduit  250 , which feeds an outlet  260 . The outlet  260  returns the water  110  to the water supply line  100 , which may be then used by the home for water. 
     As further shown in  FIG. 2 , a voltage regulator  270  helps create more uniform electrical current based upon supply from the DC generator  240  (or optionally an AC generator). Electricity flows from the voltage regulator  270  into an inverter or rectifier  275  (if needed) to create DC. This power is stored within a self contained electrical power supply, which may take the form of a battery  280 . Any battery  280  may be used, but it is preferably lithium ion (more specifically lithium phosphate). Regardless of form, the battery  280  communicates with a Logic network  290 . The Logic network  290  functions as a controller to determine when and how much electricity  101  shot be supplied to both the furnace  300  and various appliances  400  connected to the system  200 . 
     Through the energy created by the DC generator  240 , the Logic network  290  will routinely allow electricity to be supplied to the furnace  300  to maintain a comfortable temperature within the home. Likewise, such Logic network  290  will supply key appliances  300  with enough electricity to run. 
     Method of Use 
     The invention not only contemplates an apparatus, but also a method of using a system  200  to supply electricity  101  in the event of a power outage caused by a snow or ice storm.  FIG. 3  illustrates, by way of example, one method for using the system  200  to provide a sufficient level of power to supply energy to a furnace  300  to allow ignition of fossil fuels to maintain the home at a sufficient temperature. 
     As shown in  FIG. 3 , the process starts (at  700 ) with allowing normal flow of water  110  (at  710 ) through water supply line  100 , which in turn may allow transfer into the water intake  500  for normal consumption and use. Next, the system  200  determines (at  720 ) whether there has been a power outage. Such power outage could be due to, among other things, a winter storm which may have caused downed power lines. Optionally, this step may include checking the outside and/or ground temperature to assess if there is a risk that the pipes may freeze without resuming power. 
     If there is no power outage, the system  100  continues with normal operations. Otherwise, the system  100  calls for opening (at  730 ) a solenoid valve  220  to allow entry of water  110  from the intake  210 . Water  110  then flows from the intake  210  through a first conduit  230  which then engages (at  740 ) an impeller  245  operable within a DC generator  240  to create electricity  101 . By spinning the impeller  245  electricity  101  is created which is then regulated (at  750 ) by a voltage regulator  270 . 
     As further shown in  FIG. 3 , power may be then converted (at  760 ) into DC by an inverter  275  (if necessary). Once inverted, power is stored (at  770 ) in a battery  280 , which may be made of lithium ion. Next, the method contemplates retrieving (at  780 ) the electricity  101  from the battery  280  through a LOGIC network  290 . Such LOGIC network  290  then allows a sufficient level of power to be supplied to the furnace  300  and other necessary appliances  400 . 
     As further shown in  FIG. 3 , once water  110  engages the impeller  245  of the DC generator  240 , the fluid is transported (at  745 ) via a second conduit  250  into the outtake  260 . Lastly, the water  110  flows (at  747 ) out of the outtake for return to the water supply line  100

Technology Category: 5