Patent Application
20120152319
Many remote bases or other facilities utilize fuel cells for the generation of power. For example, in military applications, forward operating bases are often set up at remote locations not serviced by a fixed power grid. Fuel cells provide one means for supplying the necessary power to sustain the base operations. Similarly, in civilian applications such as disaster response scenarios, power generation is a critical consideration for response teams since permanent power grids and heated water are commonly unavailable. Like power, heated water is another integral component for sustaining operations at many remote locations. Many remote locations do not have the functional infrastructure to provide electricity or heated water.
Due to the lack of suitable infrastructure at many of these locations, fuel must be transported to the forward operating bases or emergency response locations, often over great distances. Transporting fuel via aircraft, trains, ships, trucks and/or other vehicles is a costly and often dangerous operation. In the military context, for example, fuel makes up a significant portion of the cargo that is transported to remote bases. The convoys associated with these shipments not only operate at a significant expense, but also expose personnel to hazards associated with operating in hostile environments.
It is with respect to these considerations and others that the disclosure made herein is presented.
It should be appreciated that this Summary is provided to introduce a selection of concepts in a simplified form that are further described below in the Detailed Description. This Summary is not intended to be used to limit the scope of the claimed subject matter.
Methods and systems described herein provide for the creation of power and heated water utilizing a portable solar power generator and water heating system. According to one aspect of the disclosure provided herein, solar radiation is used to heat a liquid filled bladder. The heated liquid is used to heat stored water via a heat exchanger. The heated water is provided for use within these and other systems, or for general consumption.
According to another aspect, a portable solar power generator and water heating system includes one or more photovoltaic collectors and one or more batteries. Sunlight (solar radiation) is collected by the one or more photovoltaic collectors. The collected solar radiation is converted to power for storage in a battery. The power is provided for use within these and other systems, heating water, or for general consumption.
According to yet another aspect, both the liquid filled bladder and one or more photovoltaic collectors and batteries are utilized. Accordingly, heated water and power are provided for use within these and other systems, or for general consumption.
The features, functions, and advantages that have been discussed can be achieved independently in various embodiments of the present invention or may be combined in yet other embodiments, further details of which can be seen with reference to the following description and drawings.
The following detailed description is directed to methods and systems for generating power and heated water from solar radiation in a portable manner. As discussed briefly above, transporting fuel to forward operating bases and other remote locations is a costly, inefficient, and often dangerous process. Utilizing the concepts and technologies described herein, solar radiation is used to generate power and create heated water for consumption.
Throughout this disclosure, the various embodiments will be described with respect to use with a military forward operating base, such as would be used by military forces on a temporary or semi-permanent basis at a remote location that does not have permanent infrastructure capable of providing power and heated water. However, it should be understood that the disclosure provided herein is equally applicable to any type of application in which it is desirable to generate power and heated water in a portable and efficient manner that decreases the quantity of fuel that is required to be transported to the use location from a source location. Similarly, the various embodiments are also suitable for any implementations in which the transportation of resources is not an issue, but in which it is desirable to operate at a lower cost or weight, as will be described in detail below.
In the following detailed description, references are made to the accompanying drawings that form a part hereof, and which are shown by way of illustration, specific embodiments, or examples. Referring now to the drawings, in which like numerals represent like elements through the several figures, the portable generation of power and heated water via solar radiation, will be described.
The portable solar power generator and water heating system 100 is a portable system that may provide power and heated water for consumption. The concepts described herein allow for the rapid deployment of a portable solar power generator and water heating system 100 at a remote location. The solar power generator and water heating system 100 may be of a size and weight that is capable of being transported by several individuals. The entire system fits easily on a conventional pallet that can be carried to the optimal location and deployed. Deployment of the system may include unrolling a photovoltaic (PV) bladder 102, which will be described in detail below, and connecting inlet and outlet water connections, as well as any supplemental power that may be used if the power generated by the system is not used to entirely power the system. Throughout this disclosure, embodiments will be described in which the PV bladder 102 is “rolled” or “unrolled.” It should be appreciated that the terms “rolled” or “unrolled” may be interchanged with the terms “folded” or “un-folded” or any other terms related to stowing or deploying an item.
The solar power generator and water heating system 100 may include the PV bladder 102. As will be described in detail below, the PV bladder 102 absorbs solar radiation, for example, infrared and visible light, and uses the absorbed radiation to heat a fluid within the bladder as well as to generate electrical power. The heated fluid within the bladder, or heat transfer fluid as it is referred to herein, is then used to heat stored water for consumption at the remote location or location of use. The PV bladder 102 may include two primary components, a heat transmission bladder 103 and a PV collector backing 105. The heat transmission bladder 103 is a flexible container through which heat transfer fluid may be routed to collect heat from the absorbed solar radiation. The heat transmission bladder may be created from any suitable material that can be rolled or folded and that is transparent or translucent to allow for the transmission of visible light.
The heat transmission bladder 103 may include one or more channels for routing a heat transfer fluid into and through the heat transmission bladder 103. The heat transmission bladder 103 may be made of a fluoride polymer, for example, ethylene tetrafluroethylene (ETFE). The fluoride polymer used to create the heat transmission bladder 103 may be a fluoride polymer that tends to transmit greater than 50% of the visible spectrum of light through the fluoride polymer. Since the heat transmission bladder 103 resides on top of the PV backing 105 of the PV bladder 102 and is transparent or translucent, the PV bladder 102 can utilize infrared radiation for heating the heat transfer fluid and visible light for power generation. The heat transmission bladder 103 and the PV backing 105 of the PV bladder 102 may be attached or integrated in any suitable manner that allows sunlight to be received by both the heat transmission bladder 103 and the PV backing 105.
The heat transmission bladder 103 absorbs infrared radiation through the heat transfer fluid contained in the heat transmission bladder 103. The heat transfer fluid in the heat transmission bladder 103 may be any fluid capable of being heated by solar radiation, for example, water. The heat transmission bladder 103 may circulate the heat transfer fluid through a heat exchanger 104 using a pump 114 that may be controlled by a system control block 107. The heat exchanger 104 transfers heat received from the heat transfer fluid to use water 110 in order to heat the use water 110 for subsequent consumption. Pump 114 may be used to provide water pressure to heated use water 110 for extraction and use. The pump 114 may also be used to transfer ambient water to the use water 110 for subsequent heating and be used to transfer heated water for use via a heated water outlet.
The PV backing 105 of the PV bladder 102 may be made from a variety of durable and flexible materials configured with photovoltaic cells for the creation of electrical power from the collected solar radiation. Example materials include but are not limited to, copper indium gallium selenide (CIGS), copper indium selenide (CIS), tandum junction amorphous silicon (a-Si), cadmium telluride (CdTe), organic photovoltaics or any other suitable thin film photovoltaic. The PV collector backing 105 is dark for optimal absorption of solar radiation through the transparent or translucent heat transmission bladder 103 to which it is attached. The PV backing 105 is capable of collecting visible light due to the transparent or translucent nature of the heat transmission bladder 103. The PV backing 105 transfers created power to a battery 106 for storage via the system control block 107 that controls power exchanged between components within the solar power generator and water heating system 100. The battery 106 may be a 24-volt direct current (DC) battery and may include an outlet for consuming the stored power.
The solar power generator and water heating system 100 may also include a PV panel 108. The PV panel 108 may be made from materials similar to that of the PV backing 105. The PV panel 108 may also convert visible light to power for consumption by the solar power generator and water heating system 100 or general use. Power generated from the PV backing 105 and/or the PV panel 108 may be used to power one or more heating elements 112. The heating elements 112 may be used to generate heat in order to heat the use water 110. In one embodiment, the heating elements 112 may be direct current (DC) heating elements.
As shown in
The solar power generator and water heating system 100 may use a container 120 to house the pump 114, use water 110, heat exchanger 104, battery 106, heating elements 112, system control block 107, and PV panel 108. During transport or non-use, the container 120 may also be used to stow the PV bladder 102. According to one embodiment, the container 120 may be a conventional pallet of any size commonly used for the transport and storage of equipment and goods. The container 120 may also be specifically configured or customized for hand carrying, pushing, or pulling by multiple individuals, including handles and/or wheels or skids.
Any heat collected through the absorption of solar radiation by the PV bladder 202 may be transferred to water storage tanks 210 and 212 by circulating the heat transfer fluid in the PV bladder 202 through a heat exchanger 206 that may be in thermal contact with the water storage tanks 210 and 212. The portable solar power generator and water heating system 200 may use one or more water pumps 208 to circulate the heat transfer fluid through the heat exchanger 206 via heated fluid transfer conduit 230. The portable solar power generator and water heating system 200 may also use the one or more water pumps 208 to circulate exchanged heat transfer fluid from the heat exchanger 206 back to the PV bladder 202 via ambient fluid transfer conduit 232. The heat exchanger 206 may be a flat plate heat exchanger or any other suitable instrument for exchanging heat.
The water storage tanks 210 and 212 may be filled with water via an ambient water inlet (not shown). The water storage tanks 210 and 212 may be interconnected and water may be exchanged between the water storage tanks 210 and 212. The water storage tanks 210 and 212 may be the same size or, alternatively, may vary in size. For example, water storage tank 210 may be smaller in comparison to water storage tank 212. The water storage tank 210 may be used to provide heated water for use more rapidly than the water storage tank 212 due to the volume of water being heated in both tanks Accordingly, the water storage tank 210 may provide some amount of heated water, for example, six gallons, for consumption in a shorter period, for example, five hours, while the larger water storage tank 212 is being heated. One or more heating elements (not shown) may be used with the water storage tank 210 to further reduce the water heating time. The one or more water pumps 208 may also be used to provide water pressure to extract the heated water from the water storage tank 210 and/or water storage tank 212 at a heated water outlet 218 that is connected to water storage tank 210 (not shown) and/or water storage tank 212.
Any power generated through the absorption of visible light by the PV bladder 202 may be transferred to a direct current (DC) power unit 222 via a power control block (not shown) and a power conduit 236. The DC power unit 222 may include power control logic and one or more power outlets. The power generated through the absorption of visible light by the PV bladder 202 may also be used for general consumption by and/or operating the solar power generator and water heating system 200 via the power control block.
The portable solar power generator and water heating system 200 may also include one or more foldout PV collectors 204. The foldout PV collectors 204 may be made of a material similar to the material used to create the PV backing of the PV bladder 202. In one embodiment, each of the PV collectors 204 may be 6.5 feet by 13 feet, thereby providing an additional collection area of about 170 square feet. The foldout PV collectors 204 may collect visible light that is converted, together with the visible light collected by the PV bladder 202, to power which may be used to charge DC power unit 222 via the power control block and power conduit 236.
In addition to the foldout PV collectors 204, the portable solar power generator and water heating system 200 may also include a rigid PV panel 220. The PV panel 220 may vary in size. For example, the PV panel 220 may have the dimensions of 6.4 feet by 5.4 feet, thereby providing an additional collection area of about 35 square feet. The PV panel 220 may be rotatable in order to tilt the PV panel 220 in a direction of incoming sunlight. The PV panel 220 may be positioned to shade the various components of the portable solar power generator and water heating system 200 during daylight hours and provide insulation for the water storage tanks 210 and 212 during the night. Converted power created by the PV panel 220 may also charge the DC power unit 222 via the power control block. The power generated by the PV backing of the PV bladder 202, the one or more foldout PV collectors 204, and the PV panel 220 may also be used to operate the one or more pumps 208, transfer water between water storage tanks 210 and 212, and operate one or more heating elements 112 (not shown).
For example, the PV backing of the PV bladder 202, the foldout PV collectors 204, and PV panel 220 may convert approximately nine kilowatt-hours of energy within a 24-hour period in a given location. This energy could be used to operate the one or more water pumps 208, which may use four or more kilowatt-hours of energy to operate within a 24-hour period in a given location. A portion of the nine kilowatt-hours of collected energy may also be used to operate heating elements that may be attached to the water storage tanks 210 and 212, which may use three or more kilowatt-hours of energy to operate. A portion of the nine kilowatt-hours of energy may be used to operate various valves and controls of the portable solar power generator and water heating system 200. The remaining energy from the nine kilowatt-hours of collected energy may be stored in the DC power unit 222. Using the heating elements 112 and heat exchanged from the heat transmission bladder of the PV bladder 202, the portable solar power generator and water heating system 200 may heat water to a given temperature for consumption, for example, fifty gallons at 100 degrees Fahrenheit (F).
The portable solar power generator and water heating system 200 may utilize a second PV bladder 202 and a second set of foldout PV collectors 204, illustrated in a stowed configuration 250, to also provide heated water and power for use. When both sets of PV bladders 202 and foldout PV collectors 204 are in a stowed configuration 250, the overall size of the portable solar power generator and water heating system 200 is reduced easing the logistics for transporting the portable solar power generator and water heating system 200. Accordingly, when in the stowed configuration 250, the portable solar power generator and water heating system 200 may be housed on a container 240 for transport.
In one embodiment, the portable solar power generator and water heating system 200 may be used without filling the PV bladder 202 with the heat transfer fluid. In this configuration, the portable solar power generator and water heating system 200 may provide heated water using the heating elements 112 (shown in
The portable solar power generator system 300 may utilize a second PV collector 302 and a second set of foldout PV collectors 204, illustrated in a stowed configuration 350, to provide power for use. When both sets of PV collectors 302 and foldout PV collectors 204 are in a stowed configuration 350, the overall size of the portable solar power generator system 300 is reduced easing the logistics for transporting the portable solar power generator system 300. Accordingly, when in the stowed configuration 350, the portable solar power generator system 300 may be housed on a container 240 for transport.
The routine 400 begins at operation 402, where the PV bladder 202 and the one or more foldout PV collectors 204 are deployed. At operation 404, the PV bladder 202, the one or more foldout PV collectors 204 and the PV panel 220 receive solar radiation, for example, infrared radiation and visible light, via the heat transfer fluid and the PV material used by the PV bladder 202, the one or more foldout PV collectors 204 and the PV panel 220. At operation 406, solar radiation absorbed by the PV bladder 202, the PV collectors 204, and the PV panel 220 is converted to power. At operation 408, the converted power is provided for use by the components of the portable solar power generator and water heating system 200, for example, to operate the water pumps 208 and the heating elements 112, and a portion of the converted power is stored in the DC power unit 222. At operation 410, the converted power is also provided for general consumption via a power outlet. At operation 412, the heat transfer fluid is routed through the heat exchanger 206 to transfer heat from the heat transfer fluid to water stored in the water storage tanks 210 and 212. At operation 414, the heated water is provided for general consumption. The operation 400 subsequently ends.
It should be clear from the above disclosure that the portable solar power generator and water heating system 100, the portable solar power generator and water heating system 200, and the portable solar power generator system 300 described herein and encompassed by the claims below provide an improvement in operating efficiency over conventional systems, effectively reducing operating costs, reducing logistical costs associated with transporting fuel, and decreasing the casualty risks corresponding with the hazardous transportation of fuel to forward operating bases. The portable solar power generator and water heating system 100, the portable solar power generator and water heating system 200, and the portable solar power generator system 300 utilizes solar radiation to provide heated water and/or provide power at a base, reducing fuel consumption rates of the base as compared to traditional generator sets. The portable solar power generator and water heating system 100, the portable solar power generator and water heating system 200, the portable solar power generator system 300 may be modular and components of each system may be exchanged or interchanged.
The subject matter described above is provided by way of illustration only and should not be construed as limiting. Various modifications and changes may be made to the subject matter described herein without following the example embodiments and applications illustrated and described, and without departing from the true spirit and scope of the present invention, which is set forth in the following claims.
