A wading device with a self-power supply system

Abstract

This disclosure relates to the field of power supply technology and provides a water-using device with a self-powered system. The self-powered system includes: a power generation module for generating electricity from water flow in a water supply pipeline, the power generation module including a water turbine and a permanent magnet DC generator; a power generation and energy storage module for storing the electricity generated by the power generation module in a rechargeable battery via a charging circuit, wherein the circuit components used in the charging circuit are pre-determined based on the estimated power consumption of the water-using device, wherein the estimated power consumption of the water-using device is determined by: determining multiple estimated power consumption results based on multiple power consumption estimation methods, and determining the estimated power consumption value of the water-using device based on the multiple estimated power consumption results; and a data processing module for determining the operating mode of each working state of the water-using device based on the current remaining power of the rechargeable battery. This solution enables the water-using device to provide autonomous power.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This disclosure relates to the field of power supply technology, and more specifically, to a water-using device with a self-powered system. Background Technology

[0002] Water-related equipment with a self-powered system refers to equipment that can use hydropower to maintain its operation, such as self-generating water meters and self-generating valves.

[0003] The design of the charging circuit is one of the core components for the stable operation of water-related equipment with a self-powered system. The compatibility and stability of the charging circuit of the self-powered system of water-related equipment designed in related technologies are poor, resulting in a low actual service life of the energy storage components.

[0004] It should be noted that the information disclosed in the background section above is only used to enhance the understanding of the background of this disclosure, and therefore may include information that does not constitute prior art known to those skilled in the art. Summary of the Invention

[0005] The purpose of this disclosure is to provide a water-wading device with a self-powered system, thereby improving the adaptability and stability of the charging circuit of the water-wading device with a self-powered system to at least a certain extent, and extending the service life of the energy storage element in the self-powered system.

[0006] Other features and advantages of this disclosure will become apparent from the following detailed description, or may be learned in part from practice of this disclosure.

[0007] This disclosure provides a water-using device with a self-powered system. The self-powered system includes: a power generation module for generating electrical energy using water flow in a water supply pipeline; the power generation module includes a water turbine and a permanent magnet DC generator; the water turbine is the best-performing water turbine selected from multiple candidate water turbines through pre-modeling and analysis; the permanent magnet DC generator is used to convert the mechanical energy transmitted by the water turbine into electrical energy; a power generation and energy storage module for storing the electrical energy generated by the power generation module into a rechargeable battery through a charging circuit; the circuit components used in the charging circuit are pre-determined based on the estimated power consumption of the water-using device; the estimated power consumption of the water-using device is determined by: determining multiple estimated power consumption results of the water-using device based on multiple power consumption estimation methods, and determining the estimated power consumption of the water-using device based on the multiple estimated power consumption results; and a data processing module for determining the operating mode of each working state of the water-using device based on the current remaining power of the rechargeable battery; the operating states include communication operating state, data display operating state, and metering operating state.

[0008] As can be seen from the above technical solutions, the water-using equipment with a self-powered system in the exemplary embodiments of this disclosure has at least the following advantages and positive effects:

[0009] In some embodiments of the present disclosure, the technical solutions provided include, on the one hand, estimating the power consumption of the water-using equipment and determining the circuit components used in the charging circuit based on the power consumption estimation results, thereby improving the adaptability of the charging circuit to the actual energy demand, ensuring power supply stability, extending the service life of energy storage components such as rechargeable batteries, avoiding unnecessary waste, and reducing the cost of the self-powered system; on the other hand, controlling the working mode of the water-using equipment by the current remaining power of the rechargeable battery can improve the battery life of the water-using equipment, ensure the data reliability and integrity of the water-using equipment, and reduce manual maintenance costs.

[0010] It should be understood that the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are exemplary and explanatory only, and are not intended to limit this disclosure. Attached Figure Description

[0011] The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and form part of this specification, illustrate embodiments consistent with this disclosure and, together with the description, serve to explain the principles of this disclosure. It is obvious that the drawings described below are merely some embodiments of this disclosure, and those skilled in the art can obtain other drawings based on these drawings without any inventive effort.

[0012] Figure 1 A block diagram of a self-powered system according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure is shown;

[0013] Figure 2 A block diagram of another self-powered system according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure is shown;

[0014] Figure 3 A flowchart illustrating a method for determining the estimated power consumption of water-related equipment according to an exemplary embodiment of this disclosure is shown.

[0015] Figure 4 This illustration shows a flowchart of a method for determining the circuit elements used in a charging circuit according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure. Detailed Implementation

[0016] Example embodiments will now be described more fully with reference to the accompanying drawings. However, example embodiments can be implemented in many forms and should not be construed as limited to the examples set forth herein; rather, these embodiments are provided to make this disclosure more comprehensive and complete, and to fully convey the concept of the example embodiments to those skilled in the art. The described features, structures, or characteristics can be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments. In the following description, numerous specific details are provided to give a full understanding of embodiments of this disclosure. However, those skilled in the art will recognize that the technical solutions of this disclosure can be practiced with one or more of the specific details omitted, or other methods, components, apparatus, steps, etc., can be employed. In other instances, well-known technical solutions are not shown or described in detail to avoid obscuring various aspects of this disclosure.

[0017] The terms “a,” “an,” “the,” and “the” are used in this specification to indicate the presence of one or more elements / components / etc.; the terms “including” and “having” are used to indicate an open-ended inclusion and to mean that there may be other elements / components / etc. in addition to the listed elements / components / etc.; the terms “first” and “second” are used only as markings and are not a limitation on the number of objects.

[0018] Furthermore, the accompanying drawings are merely illustrative of this disclosure and are not necessarily drawn to scale. The same reference numerals in the drawings denote the same or similar parts, and therefore repeated descriptions of them will be omitted. Some block diagrams shown in the drawings are functional entities and do not necessarily correspond to physically or logically independent entities. These functional entities may be implemented in software, in one or more hardware modules or integrated circuits, or in different network and / or processor devices and / or microcontroller devices.

[0019] In this embodiment, a water-wading device with a self-powered system is provided. The power supply system 100 in the water-wading device refers to a system capable of autonomously supplying power to the water-wading device. This self-powered system may include a power generation module 110, a power generation and energy storage module 120, and a data processing module 130. Specifically: the power generation module 110 is used to generate electrical energy using water flow in a water supply pipeline. The power generation module includes a water turbine and a permanent magnet DC generator. The water turbine is the best-performing water turbine selected from multiple candidate water turbines through pre-modeling and analysis. The permanent magnet DC generator is used to convert the mechanical energy transmitted by the water turbine into electrical energy. The power generation and energy storage module 120 is used to store the electrical energy generated by the power generation module into a rechargeable battery through a charging circuit. The circuit components used in the charging circuit are predetermined based on the estimated power consumption of the water-using device. The estimated power consumption of the water-using device is determined by: determining multiple estimated power consumption results of the water-using device based on multiple power consumption estimation methods, and determining the estimated power consumption of the water-using device based on the multiple estimated power consumption results. The data processing module 130 is used to control the working mode of each working state of the water-using device according to the current remaining power of the charging battery. The working states include communication working state, data display working state, and metering working state.

[0020] exist Figure 1 In the technical solution provided by the illustrated embodiment, on the one hand, by estimating the power consumption of the water-using equipment and determining the circuit components used in the charging circuit based on the power consumption estimation results, the adaptability of the charging circuit to the actual energy demand can be improved, thereby ensuring power supply stability, extending the service life of energy storage components such as rechargeable batteries, avoiding unnecessary waste, and reducing the cost of the self-powered system; on the other hand, by controlling the working mode of the water-using equipment through the current remaining power of the rechargeable battery, the battery life of the water-using equipment can be improved, ensuring the data reliability and integrity of the water-using equipment, and reducing manual maintenance costs.

[0021] Next, a detailed description will be given of the specific implementation method of "power generation module 110, which is used to generate electrical energy by utilizing the water flow in the water supply pipeline".

[0022] In one exemplary embodiment, the water-related equipment in this disclosure may include any device capable of generating electricity from water flow for its own use, such as various water-related metering devices.

[0023] For example, water-related equipment can be installed in water supply pipes, and a generator module in a self-powered system can convert the water flow in the pipes into electrical energy to power the equipment. Examples of water-related equipment with a self-powered system include water meters, valves, and flow meters.

[0024] In one exemplary embodiment, the power generation module 110 may include a water turbine and a permanent magnet DC generator.

[0025] For example, the turbine is the best-performing turbine selected from multiple candidate turbines by pre-modeling and analyzing multiple candidate turbines.

[0026] In one exemplary embodiment, the structural parameters of each candidate turbine are different. The structural parameters of each candidate turbine include one or more of the following: number of runner blades, runner blade shape, runner blade height, runner inlet and outlet configuration, runner shaft diameter, number of fixed guide vanes, fixed guide vane inlet angle, fixed guide vane outlet angle, volute cross-sectional shape, and volute wrap angle.

[0027] For example, candidate turbine models can be constructed first. These models can be built based on a reference turbine and different structural parameters. The reference turbine could include a mixed-flow turbine or a bulb turbine. For instance, the blades of the reference turbine can be reduced in size and thickened, the upper crown and lower ring can be designed, and then several sets of different structural parameter values ​​can be given to determine multiple candidate turbine models.

[0028] After obtaining multiple candidate turbine models, flow field analysis can be performed on the candidate turbine models under different operating conditions to achieve structural optimization and obtain the final turbine used.

[0029] For example, the constructed candidate turbine model can undergo fluid domain extraction, boundary region naming, and mesh generation. A transient dynamic mesh is used to simulate the motion and rotation of the candidate turbine model driven by water flow, calculating the impeller's rotation under water flow impact. FLUENT steady-state calculations are then used to obtain the impeller's data under stable rotation conditions. This data is then read and the impeller's energy output is calculated, completing the flow field analysis of the candidate turbine model for structural optimization. Based on the optimization results, the final turbine for use is obtained. The calculated data may include the number of runner blades, runner inlet height, runner inlet width, runner outlet diameter, fixed guide vane inlet angle, flow rate, and corresponding reference data. Reference data may include volute, torque, rotational speed, pressure drop, velocity head loss, head loss, efficiency, and power. Power and efficiency from the reference data can be used as evaluation indicators to assess the performance of the candidate turbine model, with each candidate turbine model corresponding to a specific candidate turbine. Furthermore, the candidate turbine model with the best performance is selected based on power and efficiency, and this model is then used as the candidate turbine with the best performance. The candidate turbine with the best performance is determined to be the turbine in the self-powered system of the water-related equipment.

[0030] Based on the simulation results, it can be seen that the constructed turbine has a reasonable pressure distribution, a suitable velocity vector, no impact at the inlet, no flow separation at the outlet, a reasonable distribution of stagnation points, a uniform pressure field on the front and back surfaces of the blades, and a uniform flow distribution between the blades.

[0031] Based on this, by analyzing parameters such as the number of runner blades, the shape of the runner blades, the height of the runner blades, the height of the runner inlet, the width of the runner inlet, the diameter of the runner outlet, the fixed guide vane placement angle, and the flow rate, a turbine can be established, thereby effectively controlling the speed and load of the turbine, improving the utilization coefficient of the turbine, and thus improving the water flow conversion efficiency of the turbine and the self-generation efficiency of the power generation module.

[0032] In one exemplary embodiment, a water turbine can be installed inside a pipe through which water flows, i.e., in a water supply pipe. The water turbine can convert the energy of the water flow in the water supply pipe into the mechanical energy of its rotation. A permanent magnet DC generator is used to convert the mechanical energy transmitted by the water turbine into electrical energy, thereby realizing power generation through the water turbine and the permanent magnet DC generator. The entire conversion process follows the laws of conservation of energy and conservation of momentum.

[0033] In one exemplary embodiment, the turbine's spiral casing has a rectangular cross-section, and the turbine's spiral casing and fixed guide vanes are integrally connected to form a structural whole.

[0034] For example, in this disclosure, through modeling simulation and performance evaluation, the cross-section of the turbine casing is determined to be rectangular, and the turbine casing and fixed guide vanes are designed as one piece, ignoring the movable guide vanes, thereby simplifying the turbine structure and enabling it to be better installed in the water supply pipeline.

[0035] Among them, the water turbine can be a micro water turbine. The design and optimization process of the water turbine can be based on numerical simulation and simulation analysis of fluid mechanics. Through CFD (Computational Fluid Dynamics) simulation software, the flow field characteristics of the water turbine under different operating conditions can be simulated, thereby optimizing the structural parameters of the water turbine and improving the energy conversion efficiency to obtain the water turbine.

[0036] For example, a micro turbine suitable for the water flow conditions of the water supply pipeline can be selected as the turbine, and the shape and number of the runner blades can be optimized to improve the water flow conversion efficiency. The power generation module may also include a motor housing, a gear speed-increasing unit, and a permanent magnet DC generator. The inlet of the motor housing is funnel-shaped to increase the water flow velocity and pressurize the water flow, so that even at low water flow velocities, the impeller of the turbine housed within the motor housing can obtain power to drive the permanent magnet DC generator. The impeller rotates around its shaft under the drive of the water flow, and the shaft is fixed to a bearing that supports the stable operation of the impeller. The gear speed-increasing unit increases the impeller's rotational speed to a speed suitable for the permanent magnet DC generator, enabling the permanent magnet DC generator in the power generation module to generate electricity. The rotational speed can be, for example, 1500 r / min.

[0037] In one exemplary embodiment, the permanent magnet DC generator of this disclosure includes a permanent magnet DC generator with an external rotor structure.

[0038] For example, using an external rotor structure increases the rotor size along with the stator size, while a rotor with a larger moment of inertia helps suppress vibrations. When calculating the main dimensions of the motor, its structural characteristics such as speed and diameter must be considered. The calculation of the rotor's inner diameter is crucial for obtaining a suitable rotor yoke magnetic field strength to reduce core losses, while simultaneously ensuring sufficient mechanical strength.

[0039] For the power generation module, the motor housing and impeller can be made of high-strength, corrosion-resistant materials to ensure stability and durability over long-term use. The permanent magnet DC generator can be made using permanent magnet materials, thereby improving power generation efficiency and output power. In addition, CAD / CAM software can be used for 3D modeling and precision machining design, and precision machining equipment can be used to process components such as the motor housing, impeller, and gear speed-increasing unit. The permanent magnet DC generator itself can also be designed and simulated. Based on the simulation design results, the generator stator and rotor are manufactured, the permanent magnet DC generator is assembled and debugged, its functions are verified, and based on the overall system experiment and test results, the generator parameters are rationally optimized to ultimately determine a permanent magnet DC generator suitable for water-related equipment.

[0040] Next, a detailed description will be given of the specific implementation method of "power generation and energy storage module 120, which is used to store the electrical energy generated by the power generation module into a rechargeable battery through a charging circuit".

[0041] For example, Figure 2 A block diagram of another self-powered system according to an exemplary embodiment of this disclosure is shown. (Reference) Figure 2The self-powered system includes a water turbine 21, a generator 22, and a charging circuit 23. The charging circuit 23 includes a rectifier circuit 231, a filter and voltage regulator circuit 232, a charging management circuit 233, and an energy storage element 234. The energy storage element may include a rechargeable battery or a supercapacitor.

[0042] For example, the water turbine 21 converts the energy of the water flow in the water supply pipe into mechanical energy, the generator 22 converts the mechanical energy into electrical energy, and the various sub-circuits in the charging circuit 23 process the electrical energy output by the generator into electrical energy suitable for input to the energy storage element 234, thereby storing the electrical energy output by the generator in the energy storage element 234. When the water-using equipment needs electricity, it can obtain electrical energy from the energy storage element 234 to meet the power demand of the water-using equipment.

[0043] In one exemplary embodiment, the circuit elements used in the charging circuit are determined in advance based on the estimated power consumption of the water-using device.

[0044] The estimated power consumption of water-related equipment can include the estimated power consumption of the minimum regular cycle of water flow in the water supply pipes installed on the equipment. For example, it can be the estimated daily power consumption.

[0045] For example, taking water-related equipment, including instruments and equipment installed in the water supply pipes of residential buildings, the water usage behavior of residents and the power consumption behavior of water-related equipment in residential buildings are both periodic. Therefore, the daily power consumption of water-related equipment can be estimated, and charging circuits can be designed based on the estimation results to accurately match the actual operating needs of water-related equipment. At the same time, estimating power consumption with the shortest cycle can also reduce the design pressure of energy storage components (such as reducing the size and cost of energy storage components).

[0046] For example, Figure 3 This diagram illustrates a flowchart of a method for determining the estimated power consumption of a water-related device according to an exemplary embodiment of this disclosure. (See reference...) Figure 3 The method may include steps S310 to S320. Wherein:

[0047] In step S310, multiple power consumption prediction results of the water-related equipment are determined according to various power consumption prediction methods.

[0048] In one exemplary implementation, various power consumption estimation methods include: power consumption estimation based on working status, power consumption estimation based on daily power consumption statistics, and power consumption estimation based on statistics of the total power supply time of disposable batteries to water-related equipment.

[0049] For example, the specific power consumption estimation process of the power consumption estimation method based on working status may include: statistically analyzing the working current and daily working duration of each working status; determining the power consumption of each working status by multiplying the working current and daily working duration of each working status with the voltage of the water-related equipment; and obtaining the power consumption estimation result of the power consumption estimation method based on working status by summing the power consumption of each working status.

[0050] The specific power consumption estimation process based on daily power consumption statistics may include: collecting daily power consumption data of the target user's water-using equipment; obtaining the daily power consumption of the water-using equipment based on the average daily power consumption data; and determining the power consumption estimation result based on the product of the daily power consumption and the voltage of the water-using equipment. For example, if the daily power consumption of the water-using equipment is 6.3 mA and the voltage is 3.6 volts, then the estimated power consumption is 3.6 volts × 6.3 mA × 60 fen ≈ 1.36 watt-minutes.

[0051] The target users can include users whose daily water usage time reaches a preset duration or users whose daily water usage difference is less than a preset difference within the collection period.

[0052] The specific power consumption estimation process based on the statistics of the total power supply time of disposable batteries to water-using equipment may include: calculating the total power supply time of each disposable battery to the water-using equipment based on historical data; determining the daily power consumption of each disposable battery based on the quotient of its capacity and total power supply time; determining the daily power consumption of the water-using equipment based on the average daily power consumption of all disposable batteries; and determining the power consumption estimation result based on the product of the daily power consumption and the voltage of the water-using equipment.

[0053] For example, historical data shows that an 8500 mAh disposable battery can power a certain water-using device for an average of 6 years. Therefore, the daily power consumption of the water-using device is approximately 3.88 mAh (8500 ÷ 6 ÷ 365 ≈ 3.88 mAh). The estimated power consumption of the water-using device is approximately 3.6 volts × 3.88 mAh × 60 minutes ≈ 0.84 watt-minutes.

[0054] In step S320, the estimated power consumption of the water-related equipment is determined based on the multiple power consumption estimation results.

[0055] For example, when there are large differences among multiple power consumption estimates, such as when the difference between the minimum and maximum values ​​among the multiple power consumption estimates is greater than a preset difference value, the maximum value among the multiple power consumption estimates can be determined as the power consumption estimate of the water-related equipment.

[0056] For example, when the differences between multiple power consumption estimates are small, such as when the difference between the minimum and maximum values ​​of the multiple power consumption estimates is less than a preset difference value, the average value of the multiple power consumption estimates can be determined as the power consumption estimate of the water-related equipment.

[0057] For example, the maximum value among multiple power consumption estimates can be directly determined as the power consumption estimate of the water-related equipment.

[0058] Of course, a power consumption estimation range can also be determined based on the minimum and maximum values ​​of various power consumption estimation methods. This range can then be used as the final power consumption estimate, meaning the power consumption estimate can be characterized by the estimation range. In subsequent calculations, all data related to the power consumption estimate will be based on the minimum and maximum values ​​corresponding to this estimation range. The selection of subsequent circuit components must also cover the relevant data range indicated by the maximum and minimum values ​​corresponding to the power consumption estimate. For example, a voltage regulator chip needs to cover the voltage range indicated by both the minimum and maximum power consumption values.

[0059] Through the above steps S310 to S320, the power consumption of water-related equipment can be estimated from multiple perspectives based on actual data, thereby improving the accuracy of the power consumption estimation and thus helping to improve the accuracy of the selection of various circuit components in the subsequent charging circuit.

[0060] For example, Figure 4 This diagram illustrates a flowchart of a method for determining the circuit elements used in a charging circuit according to an exemplary embodiment of this disclosure. (See also:) Figure 4 The method may include steps S410 to S430. Wherein:

[0061] In step S410, the amount of electrical energy that the permanent magnet DC generator needs to output is determined in advance based on the estimated power consumption of the water-using equipment and the first preset energy conversion efficiency of the charging circuit.

[0062] For example, the estimated power consumption of a water-using device is the electrical energy required by the device. Based on the first preset energy conversion efficiency of the charging circuit and the electrical energy required by the water-using device, the electrical energy that the permanent magnet DC generator needs to output can be deduced.

[0063] The first preset energy conversion efficiency can be the overall conversion efficiency of the charging circuit. For example, if the estimated power consumption is 1.36 watt-minutes (WPM) and the first preset energy conversion efficiency of the charging circuit is 50%, then the permanent magnet DC generator needs to output 1.36 WPM divided by 0.5, which is 2.72 WPM. The first preset energy conversion efficiency can also be determined by the product of the second preset energy conversion efficiencies of each sub-circuit of the charging circuit. For example, if the estimated power consumption is 1.36 WPM, and the second preset energy conversion efficiencies of the rectifier sub-circuit, filter and voltage regulator sub-circuit, charging management circuit, and battery are 80%, 85%, 85%, and 90% respectively, then the first preset energy conversion efficiency is the product of these four values, approximately 52%, and the permanent magnet DC generator outputs 2.6 WPM.

[0064] In step S420, the output power of the permanent magnet DC generator is predetermined based on the electrical energy that the permanent magnet DC generator needs to output.

[0065] Taking the aforementioned permanent magnet DC generator with an output power of 2.6 watts as an example, the generator can generate electricity for 2.6 minutes with an output power of 1 watt, or for 5.2 minutes with an output power of 0.5 watts, which can meet the daily power consumption needs of water-related equipment.

[0066] In step S430, the circuit elements used in the charging circuit are predetermined based on the output power of the permanent magnet DC generator.

[0067] For example, one implementation of step S430 may include: determining the input power and output power of each sub-circuit of the charging circuit based on the output power of the permanent magnet DC generator and the second preset energy conversion efficiency of each sub-circuit of the charging circuit; for each sub-circuit, determining a first candidate circuit element from circuit elements having the circuit function of the sub-circuit based on the input and output parameter requirements of the sub-circuit, wherein the input and output parameter requirements include the input power and the output power; performing at least one level of performance matching on the first candidate circuit element corresponding to the sub-circuit based on the priority of the circuit performance requirement data of the sub-circuit; and determining the circuit element used by the sub-circuit based on the matching result of the at least one level of performance matching.

[0068] For example, based on the first preset energy conversion efficiency of the overall charging circuit and the design requirements of each sub-circuit of the charging circuit, the second preset energy conversion efficiency of each sub-circuit can be determined, such that the product of the second preset energy conversion efficiencies of each sub-circuit equals the first preset energy conversion efficiency. After determining the second preset energy conversion efficiency of each sub-circuit, the input power and output power of each sub-circuit can be determined based on the output power of the permanent magnet DC generator, the connection sequence of each sub-circuit, and the second preset energy conversion efficiency of each sub-circuit. Continuing with the second preset energy conversion efficiencies of the rectifier circuit, filter and voltage regulator circuit, charging management circuit, and battery, which are 80%, 85%, 85%, and 90% respectively, and taking the output power of the permanent magnet DC generator as 1 watt, the input power of the rectifier circuit is 1 watt and the output power is 0.8 watts, the input power of the filter and voltage regulator circuit is 0.8 watts and the output power is 0.68 watts, the input power of the charging management circuit is 0.68 watts and the output power is 0.578 watts, and the input power of the rechargeable battery is 0.578 watts and the output power is 0.52 watts.

[0069] In one exemplary embodiment, the input and output parameters of each sub-circuit may include input and output voltage, input and output current, and input and output power.

[0070] For example, the input and output voltages and currents of each sub-circuit can be determined based on the output voltage and output power of the permanent magnet DC generator, the input voltage and input current of the water-using equipment, and the functional requirements of each sub-circuit. For instance, the output voltage range of the permanent magnet DC generator is 5V to 12V. During peak water usage periods, the water flow rate is high, the generator speed is high, and the output voltage is high, reaching 12V. During off-peak water usage periods, the water flow rate is low, the generator speed is slow, and the output voltage is low, only 5V. Figure 2 As shown, the output terminal of the permanent magnet DC generator is connected to the rectifier circuit, so the input voltage of the rectifier circuit is 5V-12V. The function of the rectifier circuit is to provide redundant voltage for the subsequent voltage regulator circuit, so the output voltage of the rectifier circuit is higher than the input voltage. If a three-phase rectifier circuit is selected, the output voltage of the three-phase rectifier circuit can be 6.7V-16V.

[0071] After determining the input and output parameters of each sub-circuit, for each sub-circuit, a first candidate circuit element that meets the input and output parameter requirements of that sub-circuit can be identified from the circuit elements that have the circuit function of that sub-circuit. This yields the first candidate circuit element for each sub-circuit. For example, a candidate rectifier circuit that meets the input and output parameter requirements of the rectifier sub-circuit can be selected from various rectifier circuits. Based on the circuit elements in the candidate rectifier circuit, the first candidate circuit element corresponding to the rectifier circuit can be determined. Similarly, the input and output values ​​of existing voltage regulator chips can be matched with the input and output parameters of the aforementioned voltage regulator sub-circuit. Existing voltage regulator chips that successfully match are identified as candidate voltage regulator chips, and these candidate voltage regulator chips are then identified as the first candidate circuit element of the voltage regulator sub-circuit.

[0072] For example, after obtaining the first candidate circuit elements for each sub-circuit, if there is only one first candidate circuit element for each sub-circuit, then that first candidate circuit element can be directly used as the circuit element used in that sub-circuit. For instance, if only one rectifier circuit can meet the input and output parameter requirements of the aforementioned rectifier sub-circuit, then that rectifier circuit is the finally determined rectifier sub-circuit. If there are multiple first candidate circuit elements for each sub-circuit, then at least one level of performance matching can be performed on the first candidate circuit elements corresponding to each sub-circuit based on the priority of the performance requirement data of each sub-circuit. Based on the matching results of at least one level of performance matching, the circuit element used in the sub-circuit can be determined.

[0073] For example, the step of performing at least one level of performance matching on the first candidate circuit element corresponding to the sub-circuit based on the priority of the circuit performance requirement data of the sub-circuit, and determining the circuit element used by the sub-circuit based on the matching result of the at least one level of performance matching includes: matching the highest priority circuit performance requirement data with the first target performance data in the first candidate circuit element, obtaining the circuit element matching result corresponding to the highest priority circuit performance requirement data based on the matching result, wherein the first target performance data is the performance data of the first candidate circuit element that has the same performance as the performance indicated by the highest priority circuit performance requirement data; traversing other circuit performance requirement data according to the priority order of the circuit performance requirement data, matching the currently traversed circuit performance requirement data with the second target performance data of the circuit element in the matching result corresponding to the previous priority, determining the circuit element matching result corresponding to the currently traversed circuit performance requirement data, repeating this process until the last circuit performance requirement data is traversed, and determining the circuit element used by the sub-circuit based on the circuit element matching result of the last circuit performance requirement data; wherein, the second target performance data is the performance data of the circuit element in the matching result corresponding to the previous priority that has the same performance as the performance indicated by the currently traversed circuit performance requirement data.

[0074] For example, if a sub-circuit has only one performance requirement, the performance indicator data of the first candidate circuit element that matches the performance requirement is directly matched with the performance requirement data. The first candidate circuit element that successfully matches is determined as the circuit element used by the sub-circuit. If a sub-circuit has multiple performance requirement data, multi-level matching can be performed according to priority. Based on the results of multi-level matching, the circuit element used by the sub-circuit is determined. For example, if the performance requirements of a voltage regulator sub-circuit include an efficiency of 80% and a price of less than 2 yuan, with efficiency taking precedence over price, then the efficiency of the first candidate circuit element (such as the first candidate voltage regulator chip) determined based on the input and output parameters can be matched with the efficiency of 80% in the performance requirements of the voltage regulator sub-circuit. This will filter out first candidate circuit elements with an efficiency greater than or equal to 80%, and these selected first candidate circuit elements will be used as new first candidate circuit elements. Then, the price of these new first candidate circuit elements will be matched with the price of 2 yuan in the performance requirements of the voltage regulator sub-circuit, filtering out first candidate circuit elements with a price less than or equal to 2 yuan. This two-stage matching process will ultimately select the first candidate circuit element with an efficiency greater than or equal to 80% and a price less than or equal to 2 yuan from the initial first candidate circuit elements, and use it as the circuit element used in the voltage regulator circuit.

[0075] After prioritizing the performance requirements data, if the number of the first candidate circuit element updated last is one, this first candidate circuit element can be directly used as the final circuit element of the sub-circuit. If the number of the first candidate circuit elements updated last is multiple, such as multiple voltage regulator chips that meet the requirements of 80% or higher efficiency and less than 2 yuan, the charging circuit can be actually made based on the multiple voltage regulator chips that meet the performance requirements. The actual circuit is then tested, and the voltage regulator chip with the best overall performance in the test results is determined as the voltage regulator chip used in the voltage regulator circuit.

[0076] Through the above steps S410 to S430, circuit components that meet the actual needs can be quickly and accurately selected from circuit components with the same function according to the actual power consumption and performance requirements of the water-using equipment. Then, a charging circuit is designed based on the selected circuit components, so that the self-powered system can not only meet the actual power demand of the water-using equipment, but also avoid the cost burden and volume burden caused by excessive redundant design, thereby improving the practical application value of water-using equipment with self-powered system.

[0077] Finally, a detailed description is given of the specific implementation method of "data processing module 130, used to control the working mode of each working state of the water-using equipment according to the current remaining power of the rechargeable battery".

[0078] In one exemplary implementation, the operating states include communication operating state, data display operating state, and metering operating state.

[0079] For example, communication operation status refers to the operational status of water-related equipment transmitting data with external devices or a back-end management system. The water-related equipment, through its built-in wireless communication module, sends relevant data, such as battery level and metering data, to the back-end management system according to a pre-defined communication protocol. Simultaneously, it can also receive instructions from the back-end management system, such as valve control commands.

[0080] The data display of working status refers to the way water-related equipment presents relevant information to users or operators through its own display device, such as an LCD (Liquid Crystal Display) screen. For example, a water meter with a self-powered system can display information such as the cumulative water consumption, remaining water consumption, and remaining battery power on its display.

[0081] Metering status refers to the operational status of water-related equipment. Taking a water meter with a self-powered system as an example, the water meter detects the water flow that drives the impeller or rotor to rotate. Then, using sensors such as photoelectric sensors and magnetic sensors, it samples the rotation of the impeller or rotor, converts it into an electrical signal, and then the controller processes and calculates the electrical signal to obtain the current flow rate. The flow rate is then accumulated to obtain the total water consumption.

[0082] In one exemplary embodiment, the metering operation includes one or more of the following modes: metering and real-time data storage according to a preset sampling frequency, and metering and periodically storing data according to a preset sampling frequency. The communication operation includes one or more of the following modes: periodically and proactively reporting data, and background wake-up data reporting. The data display operation includes one or more of the following modes: proactive screen display, passively triggered screen display, and screen backlight display.

[0083] Active screen display can include proactively displaying relevant data during measurement or proactively displaying relevant data at set intervals. Passive-triggered screen display refers to the passive display of relevant data by triggering a screen display button. Screen backlight refers to turning on the screen backlight by triggering a button, allowing data to be viewed in a dark environment.

[0084] For example, the operation mode of controlling each working state of the water-using device according to the current remaining power of the rechargeable battery includes: controlling the operation mode of each working state of the water-using device according to the power level to which the current remaining power belongs; the power level includes a first power level, a second power level and a third power level, wherein the power of the first power level is higher than that of the second power level, and the power of the second power level is higher than that of the third power level.

[0085] For example, battery capacity can be divided into three levels: the first level corresponds to a high capacity level, the second level to a medium capacity level, and the third level to a low capacity level. For instance, the threshold for different capacity levels can be determined based on experience or the actual power consumption of the water-using equipment; this exemplary embodiment does not impose any special limitations on this. For example, a battery capacity greater than or equal to two-thirds of the total capacity is considered a high capacity level, between two-thirds and one-third is a medium capacity level, and less than or equal to one-third is a low capacity level.

[0086] For example, when the current remaining power level is the first power level, the working mode of controlling the metering working state is to perform metering according to a preset sampling frequency and store metering data in real time; the working mode of controlling the communication working state is to actively report data according to a first preset cycle and support background wake-up communication; and the working mode of controlling the data display working state is to support active screen display, passively triggered screen display, and screen backlight display.

[0087] For example, when the current remaining battery level is at a high level, it indicates a relatively high battery capacity. Therefore, a higher-performance operating mode can be adopted for any working state. For instance, in metering mode, a high-performance mode can be used to measure data according to a preset sampling frequency and store the metering data in real time, ensuring that metering data is not lost. In communication mode, metering data can be actively reported at a preset period, such as daily, while also supporting background data reporting at any time, thus ensuring the timeliness and flexibility of data reporting. In data display mode, active screen display, passively triggered screen display, and screen backlight display can be supported simultaneously to meet different needs and improve the user experience.

[0088] For example, when the current remaining power level belongs to the second power level, the working mode of controlling the metering working state is to perform metering according to a preset sampling frequency and store metering data in real time; the working mode of controlling the communication working state is to actively report data according to a first preset cycle and disable background wake-up communication; and the working mode of controlling the data display working state is to support passively triggered screen display and screen backlight display and disable active screen display.

[0089] For example, when the current remaining battery level is at the medium level, it indicates that the current battery is slightly insufficient. If energy-saving measures are not taken, there is a risk that the battery will drop too quickly and become too low. Therefore, in this case, priority should be given to ensuring the high-performance operation of the most important requirement, namely the metering mode. The data display and communication modes should be downgraded. That is, the metering mode remains unchanged, but the communication mode is downgraded to only support active data reporting according to the first preset cycle, and background wake-up communication is no longer supported. The data display mode is downgraded to only support passively triggered screen display and screen backlight display, meeting the user's need for passive data viewing, thereby saving power and extending the battery life of water-related equipment.

[0090] For example, when the current remaining power level is the third power level, the communication operation mode is controlled to actively report data according to the second preset cycle and disable background wake-up communication; the data display operation mode is controlled to support passively triggered screen display and disable active screen display and screen backlight display; the next water usage time is predicted based on historical water usage data; when the interval between the next water usage time and the current time is less than or equal to a preset duration, the metering operation mode is controlled to perform metering according to a preset sampling frequency and store metering data in real time; when the interval between the next water usage time and the current time is greater than a preset duration, the metering operation mode is controlled to perform metering according to a preset sampling frequency and store metering data periodically; wherein, the period duration of the second preset cycle is greater than the period duration of the first preset cycle.

[0091] One specific implementation method for predicting the next water usage time based on historical water usage data may include: predicting the most recent water usage time based on the user's historical water usage habits. For example, the user's historical water usage periods can be statistically analyzed to predict the user's most recent water usage time.

[0092] For example, when the remaining battery level is low, it indicates that the battery is insufficient, so further energy-saving measures are needed. Based on this, for communication operations, background wake-up communication can remain disabled. To further conserve power, the period for proactive data reporting can be adjusted from a first preset period to a second preset period, where the interval of the second preset period is longer than that of the first preset period. For example, instead of daily scheduled data reporting, proactive data reporting can be changed to every two or three days. For data display operations, proactive screen display can remain disabled, and screen backlight display can be further disabled, retaining only passively triggered screen display. This preserves the most basic functionality, and passively triggered display is activated based on user needs, satisfying the user's data viewing requirements while avoiding excessive power consumption from other methods. For the metering operation mode, the next water usage time can be predicted based on historical water usage data. If the interval between the next water usage time and the current time is less than or equal to the preset time, it means that the battery can be replenished soon. Therefore, the metering operation mode can continue to maintain high-performance operation to ensure the accuracy of the metering data. If the interval between the next water usage time and the current time is longer than the preset time, it means that the battery cannot be replenished temporarily. Therefore, it is necessary to extend the battery life as much as possible. Thus, the metering operation mode can be adjusted to meter according to the preset sampling frequency and store metering data periodically, that is, to change from real-time metering data storage to periodic metering data storage.

[0093] Through the data processing module, the operating mode of the water-using equipment can be flexibly controlled according to the current power level of the remaining power. While ensuring working performance and user experience, the battery life of the water-using equipment can be extended as much as possible to avoid the adverse effects caused by the water-using equipment running out of power.

[0094] It should be noted that although several modules or units for the device used to perform actions have been mentioned in the detailed description above, this division is not mandatory. In fact, according to exemplary embodiments of this disclosure, the features and functions of two or more modules or units described above can be embodied in one module or unit. Conversely, the features and functions of one module or unit described above can be further divided and embodied by multiple modules or units.

[0095] Furthermore, although the steps of the relevant methods in this disclosure are described in a specific order in the accompanying drawings, this does not require or imply that the steps must be performed in that specific order, or that all the steps shown must be performed to achieve the desired result. Additional or alternative steps may be omitted, multiple steps may be combined into one step, and / or a step may be broken down into multiple steps.

[0096] An exemplary embodiment of this disclosure also provides a computer program product. The computer program product includes a computer program that, when executed by a processor, implements the method described above for determining the estimated power consumption of water-related equipment.

[0097] In one implementation, the computer program product can be a tangible product containing a computer program, such as a computer-readable storage medium storing the computer program. The readable storage medium can be a storage medium based on electrical, magnetic, optical, electromagnetic, infrared, or other signals, including but not limited to: random access memory (RAM), read-only memory (ROM), magnetic tape, floppy disk, flash memory, hard disk drive (HDD), solid-state drive (SSD), etc. For example, the computer program product can be implemented as a non-volatile storage medium storing a computer program, such as read-only memory, NAND flash memory, etc.

[0098] In one implementation, the computer program product can be an intangible product containing a computer program. For example, the computer program product can be implemented as a virtual digital product, such as an executable file, installation package, or other digital file storing the computer program.

[0099] Computer program code can be written in one or more programming languages. Examples of programming languages ​​include C, Java, C++, and Python. Program code can execute entirely on the user's computing device, partially on the user's computing device, or as a standalone software package. It can also execute partially on the user's computing device and partially on a remote computing device, or entirely on a remote computing device or server. In cases involving remote computing devices, the remote computing device can be connected to the user's computing device via any type of network, such as a local area network (LAN) or a wide area network (WAN), or it can be connected to an external computing device (e.g., via an internet connection provided by a mobile network operator).

[0100] Computer programs can be carried or transmitted via signals such as electricity, magnetism, light, electromagnetic radiation, and infrared radiation. Electronic devices can convert signals carrying computer programs into digital signals, thereby running the computer programs. When a computer program runs on an electronic device, its code is used to cause the electronic device to execute (more specifically, the processor of the electronic device to execute) the method steps of various exemplary embodiments of this disclosure, such as the method described above for determining the estimated power consumption of water-related equipment.

[0101] It should be understood that this disclosure is not limited to the specific methods, steps, or structures described above and shown in the accompanying drawings, and various modifications and changes can be made without departing from its scope. Those skilled in the art will readily conceive of other embodiments based on the specific implementations provided in this disclosure. Therefore, the specific implementations provided in this disclosure are merely exemplary, and the scope and spirit of this disclosure are indicated by the claims, and should cover any variations, uses, or adaptations of this disclosure that follow the general principles of this disclosure and include common knowledge or customary technical means in the art not disclosed in this disclosure.

Claims

1. A water-using device with a self-powered system, characterized in that, The self-powered system includes: A power generation module is used to generate electricity from the water flow in the water supply pipeline. The power generation module includes a water turbine and a permanent magnet DC generator. The water turbine is the best-performing water turbine selected from multiple candidate water turbines through pre-modeling and analysis. The permanent magnet DC generator is used to convert the mechanical energy transmitted by the water turbine into electrical energy. A power generation and energy storage module is used to store the electrical energy generated by the power generation module into a rechargeable battery through a charging circuit. The circuit components used in the charging circuit are predetermined based on the estimated power consumption of the water-using equipment. The method for determining the estimated power consumption of the water-using equipment includes: determining multiple estimated power consumption results of the water-using equipment based on multiple power consumption estimation methods, and determining the estimated power consumption of the water-using equipment based on the multiple estimated power consumption results. The data processing module is used to control the working mode of each working state of the water-using equipment according to the current remaining power of the rechargeable battery. The working states include communication working state, data display working state, and metering working state. The various power consumption estimation methods include: power consumption estimation based on working status, power consumption estimation based on daily power consumption statistics, and power consumption estimation based on statistics of the total power supply time of disposable batteries to water-related equipment. The circuit components used in the charging circuit are predetermined based on the estimated power consumption of the water-using equipment, including: determining the electrical energy that the permanent magnet DC generator needs to output based on the estimated power consumption of the water-using equipment and the first preset energy conversion efficiency of the charging circuit; determining the output power of the permanent magnet DC generator based on the electrical energy that the permanent magnet DC generator needs to output; and determining the circuit components used in the charging circuit based on the output power of the permanent magnet DC generator.

2. The water-using equipment with a self-powered system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The step of pre-determining the circuit components used in the charging circuit based on the output power of the permanent magnet DC generator includes: Based on the output power of the permanent magnet DC generator and the second preset energy conversion efficiency of each sub-circuit of the charging circuit, the input power and output power of each sub-circuit of the charging circuit are determined. For each sub-circuit, based on the input and output parameter requirements of the sub-circuit, a first candidate circuit element is determined from the circuit elements that have the circuit function of the sub-circuit. The input and output parameter requirements include the input power and the output power. Based on the priority of the circuit performance requirement data of the sub-circuit, at least one level of performance matching is performed on the first candidate circuit element corresponding to the sub-circuit, and the circuit element used by the sub-circuit is determined according to the matching result of at least one level of performance matching.

3. The water-using equipment with a self-powered system according to claim 2, characterized in that, Based on the priority of the circuit performance requirement data of the sub-circuit, at least one level of performance matching is performed on the first candidate circuit elements corresponding to the sub-circuit. According to the matching results of the at least one level of performance matching, the circuit elements used by the sub-circuit are determined to include: The highest priority circuit performance requirement data is matched with the first target performance data in the first candidate circuit element. The matching result of the circuit element corresponding to the highest priority circuit performance requirement data is obtained according to the matching result. The first target performance data is the performance data corresponding to the performance of the first candidate circuit element that is the same as the performance indicated by the highest priority circuit performance requirement data. According to the priority order of the circuit performance requirement data, other circuit performance requirement data are traversed. The second target performance data of the circuit element in the matching result corresponding to the previous priority of the circuit performance requirement data is matched to determine the matching result of the circuit element corresponding to the current circuit performance requirement data. This process is repeated until the last circuit performance requirement data is traversed. According to the matching result of the circuit element of the last circuit performance requirement data, the circuit element used by the sub-circuit is determined. The second target performance data is the performance data of the circuit element in the matching result corresponding to the previous priority, which is the same as the performance indicated by the performance requirement data of the circuit currently being traversed.

4. The water-using equipment with a self-powered system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The method of controlling the various working states of the water-using equipment based on the current remaining charge of the rechargeable battery includes: The operating mode of each working state of the water-related equipment is controlled according to the current power level of the remaining power. The power levels include a first power level, a second power level, and a third power level, wherein the power level of the first power level is higher than that of the second power level, and the power level of the second power level is higher than that of the third power level.

5. The water-using equipment with a self-powered system according to claim 4, characterized in that, The operating modes for controlling the various working states of the water-related equipment according to the current remaining power level include: When the current remaining power level is the first power level, the working mode of the metering working state is to perform metering according to a preset sampling frequency and store metering data in real time; the working mode of the communication working state is to actively report data according to a first preset period and support background wake-up communication; and the working mode of the data display working state is to support active screen display, passively triggered screen display, and screen backlight display. When the current remaining power level is the second power level, the working mode of the metering working state is to perform metering according to a preset sampling frequency and store metering data in real time; the working mode of the communication working state is to actively report data according to a first preset period and disable background wake-up communication; and the working mode of the data display working state is to support passively triggered screen display and screen backlight display and disable active screen display. When the current remaining power level is the third power level, the communication working mode is controlled to actively report data according to the second preset cycle and disable background wake-up communication. The data display working mode is controlled to support passively triggered screen display and disable active screen display and screen backlight display. The next water usage time is predicted based on historical water usage data. When the interval between the next water usage time and the current time is less than or equal to a preset time, the metering working mode is controlled to perform metering according to a preset sampling frequency and store metering data in real time. When the interval between the next water usage time and the current time is greater than a preset time, the metering working mode is controlled to perform metering according to a preset sampling frequency and store metering data periodically. The duration of the second preset period is longer than the duration of the first preset period.

6. The water-using equipment with a self-powered system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The structural parameters of each candidate turbine are different. The structural parameters of each candidate turbine include one or more of the following: number of runner blades, runner blade shape, runner blade height, runner inlet and outlet configuration, runner shaft diameter, number of fixed guide vanes, fixed guide vane inlet angle, fixed guide vane outlet angle, volute cross-sectional shape, and volute wrap angle.

7. The water-using equipment with a self-powered system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The turbine's spiral casing has a rectangular cross-section, and the turbine's spiral casing and fixed guide vanes are integrally connected to form a structural whole.

8. The water-using equipment with a self-powered system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The permanent magnet DC generator includes a permanent magnet DC generator with an external rotor structure.

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