Waste energy source utilization circuit and method
OwnerAlan W. Wilkersoninventor
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Abstract
A switching circuit, typically a thyristor bridge, is connected to a source of waste energy. The source can be waste energy occurring as a by-product of man's activities such as waste heat energy, stored water, or the potential mechanical energy of elevated objects. The source provides d.c. power either directly or through conversion. The switching circuit is also connected to an a.c. load and across a.c. power mains energizing the load. The switching circuit is operable to periodically connect the waste energy source to the a.c. load in a power supplying manner. The a.c. mains impart suitable voltage and frequency characteristics to the electrical power so supplied. In the event the supplied power exceeds the power required by the a.c. load, the difference is taken by the a.c. power mains.
Claims78
A waste energy utilization circuit for energizing an a.c. load coupled to a.c. power mains from a source of waste energy occurring as a by-product of man's activities, said waste energy being applied to said circuit in the form of a corresponding amount of electrical power having a unipolarity voltage characteristic, said circuit comprising:
- switching means having a first terminal means couplable to said waste energy source and a second terminal means connectable to the a.c. load and across the a.c. power mains for receiving a periodically varying voltage from the a.c. power mains, said switching means including controllable current conduction means interposed between the first and second terminal means for allowing the polarity of the unipolarity voltage to remain unchanged and for conducting current between said first terminal means and said second terminal means;
- and
- control means coupled to said switching means for rendering said controllable current conduction means conductive for establishing a current flow at said second terminal means during periods when the voltage on said second terminal means causes said utilization circuit to comprise an electrical power source for the a.c. load for providing a net supply of power from the utilization circuit to the a.c. load.
A method of utilizing waste energy, occurring as a by-product of man's activities to power an a.c. load coupled to a.c. power mains providing a periodically varying voltage, said waste energy being provided as d.c. electrical power having unipolarity voltage and undirectional current properties, said method comprising the steps of:
- determining, by means of the electrical characteristics of the d.c. power and of the a.c. power mains, periods during which transfer of the d.c. power to the a.c. load may occur;
- and
- transferring power to at least one of the a.c. load and a.c. mains during such periods in accordance with the instantaneous amount of power available from the waste energy.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.