Flow controller for liquids, having an energy supply by means of the flow

Abstract

The invention relates to a flow controller for fluids, having an energy supply by means of the flow of said fluid. Said flow controller consists of a supply line for the fluid and a turbine wheel which is rotationally mounted and through which the fluid flows and which drives an electric generator which charges the energy accumulator and a consumption point for the fluid. The forwarding of the liquid can be blocked by a shut-off valve which can be electrically controlled by control electronics which use at least one sensor and which can be adapted to various types of sensors and to the characteristics of the various types of consumption points and the shut-off valve, the control electronics and the sensor can be supplied with electric energy by the energy accumulator.

1 . Flow controller for liquids having an energy supply by means of the flow of said liquid, consisting of:
 a supply line for the liquid and   a turbine wheel,   which is rotationally mounted and   through which the liquid can flow, and   which drives an electrical generator, which charges an energy accumulator and   a consumption point for the liquid, characterized in that   transmission of the liquid can be blocked by a shut-off valve,   which can be electrically actuated by control electronics,   which is evaluated by at least one sensor, and   which can be adapted to various types of sensors and the characteristics of different types of consumption points, and   the shut-off valve and control electronics and sensor can be supplied with electrical energy by the energy accumulator.   
     
     
         2 . Flow controller according to  claim 1 , characterized in that the control electronics has at least one input for a second sensor, of which the signal
 can be evaluated by the control electronics and   can be taken into account in the adaptation to the consumption point in each case during actuation of the shut-off valve.   
     
     
         3 . Flow controller according to  claim 1 , characterized in that the consumption point is
 a washbasin or   a toilet flush   a shower or   a bathtub or   another sanitary object or   a radiator or   a cooling element or   another temperature-control device or   a beverage dispenser or   another liquid discharge or   a plant to be watered or   another agricultural or forestry device.   
     
     
         4 . Flow controller according to  claim 1 , characterized in that the turbine wheel is a thin-walled hollow cylinder,
 which is rotationally mounted on its outside and   which is equipped on its inside with radially oriented guide vanes.   
     
     
         5 . Flow controller according to  claim 1 , characterized in that there are fastened on the outside of the turbine wheel permanent magnets.
 which are disposed at very low distances from the stationary electrical coils and   thereby emit an electrical current when the turbine wheel is rotated.   
     
     
         6 . Flow controller according to  claim 1 , characterized in that for sanitary applications
 an ultrasound sensor or   an infrared sensor or   a light barrier   registers the presence of a hand or another body region.   
     
     
         7 . Flow controller according to  claim 1 , characterized in that, for sanitary applications, the control electronics, by means of a multistage or analogue sensor, changes the pressure of the outflowing liquid in dependence on the distance from the body part that is perceived as nearest. 
     
     
         8 . Flow controller according to  claim 1 , characterized in that, for sanitary applications, the control electronics, registers the signals of a second sensor for temperature control,
 the second sensor registering a space that is located outside the consumption point and   the ingress of a body part and/or an object into a first edge region of the space increases the temperature and   the introduction into a second edge region of the space reduces the temperature.   
     
     
         9 . Flow controller according to  claim 8 , characterized in that the temperature is varied by mixing two liquids with temperatures that differ from one another in each case. 
     
     
         10 . Flow controller according to  claim 8 , characterized in that the varying of the setpoint value for the temperature is also possible without flow of the liquid. 
     
     
         11 . Flow controller according to  claim 1 , characterized in that the setpoint value and/or the actual value for the temperature can be indicated by means of a display, for example in stages or as a numerical value. 
     
     
         12 . Flow controller according to  claim 8 , characterized in that the control electronics evaluates a second sensor as temperature sensor, and regulates the temperature in dependence on this measurement and the set temperature setpoint value. 
     
     
         13 . Flow controller according to  claim 1 , characterized in that:
 the supply line for the hot liquid can be changed over by the control electronics to a removing circulation line   on the start command for a supply of liquid to the consumption point, a second sensor registers the temperature in the supply line and   the control electronics only releases the supply to consumption point and blocks the circulation line when the temperature setpoint value has been reached.   
     
     
         14 . Flow controller according to  claim 1 , characterized in that the shut-off valve can be shifted by means of a current pulse in each case into a particular position and remains in this position without energy supply. 
     
     
         15 . Flow controller according to  claim 14 , characterized in that the shut-off valve only has the two positions “open” and “closed.” 
     
     
         16 . Flow controller according to  claim 1 , characterized in that the liquid flows through a first shut-off valve, which is disposed in the vicinity of the turbine wheel and which only has the positions “open” and “closed” and the liquid flows from there into an intermediate vessel, of which the outlet can be closed by means of a second shut-off valve with a plurality of positions. 
     
     
         17 . Flow controller according to  claim 1 , characterized in that the voltage of the energy accumulator can be monitored by the control electronics and if the voltage of the energy accumulator sinks below a particular minimum value, the control electronics opens the shut-off valve and keeps it open until the electrical generator has increased the voltage of the energy accumulator by a particular amount. 
     
     
         18 . Flow controller according to  claim 1 , characterized in that the sensor is a contact on the cover of a toilet, which can be registered by the control electronics and the turbine wheel is installed in a supply line of the flush tank and the shut-off valve is disposed in the outlet line of the liquid from the flush tank and after the cover of the toilet has been closed, the shut-off valve is opened for a particular time or until a particular liquid amount has flowed through. 
     
     
         19 . Flow controller according to  claim 18 , characterized in that, by means of a further sensor, the weight of a mass lying in the toilet bowl can be registered, which can be evaluated by the control electronics and, with increasing mass, the amount of the amount of liquid that is outlet from the flush tank for flushing is also increased. 
     
     
         20 . Flow controller according to  claim 1 , characterized in that, in the case of a consumption point, as a radiator that is to be heated or cooled by means of liquid, the sensor is a temperature sensor and
 below a settable minimum temperature, the shut-off valve can be opened and   remains open until an adjustable maximum temperature has been reached and   a temperature setpoint value, which lies approximately midway between these two extremes, can be externally entered into the control electronics.   
     
     
         21 . Flow controller according to  claim 10 , characterized in that the control electronics varies the temperature setpoint value in dependence on the time of day and/or the day of the week and/or the opening of windows and/or doors. 
     
     
         22 . Flow controller according to  claim 1 , characterized in that:
 the consumption point is at least one plant in the soil or in another substrate and   the sensor is a moisture sensor and the liquid serves for watering the plant.   
     
     
         23 . Flow controller according to  claim 1 , characterized in that:
 the consumption point is a vessel that can be filled with the liquid and   the supply line has a U-shaped end portion that can be mounted on the edge of the vessel and   the first sensor is disposed on the U-shaped end portion and   during mounting of the end portion on the edge of the vessel, the shut-off valve can be opened by the control electronics and   the second sensor is also disposed on the end portion and   registers the fact that the level of the liquid has reached a particular distance from the edge of the vessel and   at this level, the shut-off valve can be closed by the control electronics.   
     
     
         24 . Flow controller according to  claim 1 , characterized in that the control electronics is disposed on a circuit board, which can be formed into a hollow cylindrical segment or into a polygonal hollow column. 
     
     
         25 . Flow controller according to  claim 1 , characterized in that further electrical consumers can be connected to the energy accumulator or to the control electronics and supplied, such as, for example:
 lighting elements and/or   heating and/or other electrical equipment.   
     
     
         26 . Flow controller according to  claim 1 , characterized in that the turbine wheel and the shut-off valve are disposed in the outflow line of a central water accumulator of a watering system and the turbine wheel and the electrical generator are dimensioned so large that, besides the shut-off valve, further electrical consumers can be operated, such as, for example, lighting elements or heating for plants to be watered.