Portable air distribution systems and devices

Abstract

Systems and devices are described for portable air distribution. The portable air units can be used to operate and / or support the operation of components / systems and provide critical instrument air supplies in a wide variety of emergency industrial and commercial environments. The portable air units can supply air from a battery-powered integrated air compressor and critical control power via one or more solenoids to one or more air-operated valves (AOVs) or instrument air control systems. The portable air units can be configured to supply alternating current (AC) and / or direct current (DC) electricity, power, etc., via inverters and / or batteries, which can be used for diagnostic testing and / or any other critical power needs.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] Cross - Reference to Related Applications This application claims the benefit of U.S. Application No. 17 / 069,451, filed on October 13, 2020, the entire disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.

Background Art

[0002] Power plants (e.g., nuclear plants, power plants, coal plants, etc.), industrial / commercial environments, etc. may include various important components, subsystems, and safety functions that must be maintained in the event of a reduction in safety or damage, as well as a power / service and / or service outage, and / or a loss of air in the facility. During extreme accident scenarios and / or natural disaster events, power plants, industrial / commercial environments, etc. may include specific time requirements for the power, component operation, and / or system functions that should be restored to prevent damage and / or escalation of the scenario / event. Power plants, industrial / commercial environments, etc. may include / require backup generators that supply emergency power to most of the plant / facility equipment in the case of a loss of normal power supply power and / or the resulting loss of instrument and / or control air.

[0003] Preventing damage and / or escalation of scenarios / events in power plants, industrial / commercial environments, and other similar settings can require more than just a convenient restoration of power. Preventing damage and / or escalation of scenarios / events often requires air supply systems to operate critical control valves and instruments. For example, power plants and industrial / commercial environments may include numerous air-operated valves (AOVs) and other air control components. During power outages and / or related scenarios, air compressors that routinely serve AOVs and other air control components may become inoperable. Compressed air bottles and other packaged forms of air must be properly adjusted, for example, to reduce air pressure, before being used to serve AOVs and other air control components, and are routinely configured with complex electric solenoid control valves that may be difficult to operate in an emergency. As a result, restoring power and / or air supply to AOVs and other air control components can take several hours. Preventing damage and / or escalation of scenarios / events in power plants, industrial / commercial environments, and other similar settings requires a convenient and efficient emergency power and air response. [Overview of the project]

[0004] It should be understood that both the general and detailed descriptions below are illustrative and descriptive, and not restrictive. Systems and apparatus are provided to protect various critical instrument equipment, electrical control circuits, power circuits, and / or pneumatic circuits / components by supplying air and / or power / electricity to various critical instrument equipment, electrical control circuits, power circuits, and / or pneumatic circuits / components when the primary power supply fails (e.g., when the primary power supply is destroyed). Independent target air supply systems and / or portable air supply systems may provide control and / or instrument air to the most critical instrument equipment, electrical control circuits, power circuits, and / or pneumatic circuits / components to provide a layer of redundancy and / or safety.

[0005] Portable air distribution systems and / or devices can supply air to any systems and / or components that utilize air and / or pneumatics as modes of force, control, and / or diagnostics. A portable air distribution system may include a battery-powered integrated air compressor that can output electricity (e.g., 0-240VAC, 125VDC, etc.) to the solenoids of air-operated valves (AOVs) to open, close, reposition, etc. A portable air distribution system may be configured with a power generator and / or system that can supply alternating current (AC) power output (e.g., plug-in, etc.) to auxiliary equipment, diagnostic systems, and / or lighting.

[0006] The unique integration of a portable air unit operating via DC battery power with control and instrumentation power offers both safety and productivity advantages, facilitating emergency operation, maintenance, and testing of air components more easily than any known device, method, or system. This unique integration of a portable air unit operating via DC battery power with control and instrumentation power can facilitate operation by avoiding the need to mobilize bulky high-energy air bottles, drive power, and instrumentation power. Systems and devices for portable air distribution enable the operation and testing of several air-operated components in novel, efficient, safe, and productive methods and configurations.

[0007] Additional advantages are partially described in the following description or can be learned through practice. These advantages are realized and achieved by the elements and combinations specifically indicated in the attached claims.

[0008] The accompanying drawings incorporated herein and constituting part of this specification serve to illustrate the principles of the systems and apparatus described herein, together with the descriptions. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0009] [Figure 1] This shows an exemplary system for portable air distribution. [Figure 2]This shows an exemplary system for portable air and emergency power distribution. [Figure 3] A block diagram of an exemplary computing device for portable air and emergency power distribution is shown. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0010] Prior to the disclosure and description of this system and apparatus, please understand that the methods and systems are not limited to specific components or specific implementations. Also, please understand that the terms used herein are for illustrative purposes only and are not intended to be limiting.

[0011] As used herein and in the appended claims, the singular forms “a,” “an,” and “the” include plural referents unless the context explicitly indicates otherwise. Ranges may be expressed herein as “about” one particular value and / or “about” another particular value. When such a range is expressed, another example includes one particular value and / or another particular value. Similarly, when a value is expressed as an approximation, it should be understood that by using the antecedent “about,” one particular value forms another example. It will be further understood that each endpoint of a range is significant both in relation to other endpoints and in relation to other endpoints independently.

[0012] "Optional" or "optionally" means that the event or situation described below may or may not occur, and that the description includes examples of the event or situation occurring and examples of the event or situation not occurring.

[0013] Throughout this description and the claims, the word “comprise” and its variations, such as “comprising” and “comprises,” mean “including but not limited to,” and are not intended to exclude, for example, other components, integers, or steps. “Exemplary” means “an example of,” and is not intended to convey a preference or ideal example. “Etc.” is used for illustrative purposes, not restrictively.

[0014] This specification describes components that may be used to perform the described systems. These and other components are described herein, and where combinations, subsets, interactions, groups, etc., of these components are described, specific references to each of the various individual and collective combinations, as well as their permutations, may not be explicitly stated, but each is understood to be specifically contemplated and described herein for all systems and apparatus. This applies to all examples of this application, including, but not limited to, the steps of the described methods. Therefore, where various additional steps may be performed, each of these additional steps may be performed in any particular example or combination of examples of the described methods.

[0015] This system and apparatus can be more readily understood by referring to the following description of preferred examples and the examples contained herein, as well as the figures and their surrounding descriptions.

[0016] The systems and apparatus are described below with reference to block diagrams and flowcharts of the methods, systems, apparatus, and computer program products. It should be understood that each block in the block diagrams and flowcharts, as well as any combination of blocks within the block diagrams and flowcharts, can be implemented by computer program instructions. These computer program instructions can be loaded onto a general-purpose computer, a special-purpose computer, or other programmable data processing device to produce a machine in which instructions executed on the computer or other programmable data processing device create means for implementing the functions specified in the flowchart blocks or blocks.

[0017] These computer program instructions can also be stored in computer-readable memory, which can instruct a computer or other programmable data processing device to function in a particular way so as to produce a product containing a flowchart block or other computer-readable instructions for implementing the functions specified in the block. Computer program instructions can also be loaded onto a computer or other programmable data processing device and cause a series of operational steps to be performed on the computer or other programmable device, thereby generating a computer implementation process so that the instructions performed on the computer or other programmable device provide steps for implementing the functions specified in the flowchart block or a series of blocks.

[0018] Therefore, the blocks in block diagrams and flowcharts support combinations of means for performing a specified function, combinations of steps for performing a specified function, and program instruction means for performing a specified function. It should also be understood that each block in block diagrams and flowcharts, as well as combinations of blocks within block diagrams and flowcharts, may be implemented by a special-purpose hardware-based computer system, or a combination of special-purpose hardware and computer instructions, for performing a specified function or step.

[0019] Portable air distribution systems and / or devices may be used to protect various critical instrumentation equipment, electrical control circuits, power circuits, and / or pneumatic circuit / component systems when the primary power supply fails (e.g., when the primary power supply is destroyed). Portable air distribution systems and / or devices may supply air and / or power / electricity to various critical instrumentation equipment, electrical control circuits, power circuits, and / or pneumatic circuit / component systems.

[0020] Portable air distribution systems and / or devices can provide both emergency and non-emergency air supplies to critical valves and components. For example, a portable air distribution system can supply air to any system and / or component that utilizes air and / or pneumatics as a mode of force, control, and / or diagnostics. A portable air distribution system may include a battery-powered integrated air compressor that can output electricity (e.g., 0-240VAC, 125VDC, etc.) to the solenoids of air-operated valves (AOVs) to open, close, reposition, etc. A portable air distribution system may be configured with a power generator and / or system that can supply alternating current (AC) power output (e.g., plug-in, etc.) to auxiliary equipment, diagnostic systems, and / or lighting.

[0021] Figure 1 shows an exemplary system 100 for portable air distribution. System 100 may be configured as separate components / devices and / or as a single device. System 100 comprises a portable air supply component with integrated instrumentation and AC / DC control power for effectively and efficiently operating and controlling critical components and subsystems in power plants (e.g., nuclear plants, electric power plants, coal plants, etc.), industrial / commercial environments, etc. System 100 may be configured on / on a wheeled platform / container configured to mount at least a battery 104, an inverter 106, a compressor 101, an air tank 103, and a pneumatic regulator 115.

[0022] To provide emergency and / or non-emergency air supply, system 100 may include a compressor 101 (e.g., a DC compressor, an AC compressor, etc.). The compressor 101 may be, for example, a continuous operation tankless air compressor. The compressor 101 may be, for example, an air compressor of at least 1.5 ft 3 / min (42.475 L / min).

[0023] The compressor 101 may be electrically coupled to a battery 104. The battery 104 may include one or more batteries (e.g., a power source, etc.) configured to store and / or supply electric power. The battery 104 may include one or more rechargeable batteries and / or non-rechargeable batteries. The battery 104 may be, for example, a lithium-ion (Li+) battery, a lead-acid (Pb) battery, a lithium iron phosphate (LiFePo) battery, or any type of rechargeable battery. The battery 104 may supply, for example, DC power. The battery 104 may be configured and / or rated for voltages such as 12V, 24V, 48V, 125V, 250V, 400V, etc. The battery 104 may be configured and / or rated for output current. For example, the battery 104 may output 5A, 50A, 150A, 300A, etc. In an exemplary embodiment, the battery 104 may be 12.8V and 100 ampere-hours (Ah) per hour. The battery 104 may be configured and / or rated for any voltage and / or current characteristics.

[0024] The battery 104 may receive electricity, voltage, and / or power from a charger 105. For example, the battery 104 may be electrically coupled to the charger 105. The charger 105 may be, for example, a 20A, 14.4V LiFePo charger. The charger 105 may be configured and / or rated for any voltage and / or current characteristics. The charger 105 may include an AC cable for attachment to an AC power source when charging the battery 104 (e.g., supplying electricity, voltage, power, etc.).

[0025] The battery 104 can receive and / or store electricity, voltage, and / or power from the inverter 106. For example, the battery 104 can be electrically coupled to the inverter 106. The battery 104 can supply electricity, voltage, and / or power to the inverter 106. The inverter 106 can be any device capable of converting AC power to DC power and DC power to AC power. The inverter 106 can be a rectifier. The inverter 104 can be, for example, a 500W inverter. The inverter 106 can be configured and / or rated for any power characteristics. The inverter 106 can receive electricity, voltage, and / or power from a source via the electrical connector 107.

[0026] The inverter 106 can receive DC power from the battery 104. For example, the inverter 106 can receive voltages in the range of 12VDC, 24VDC, 48VDC, 72VDC, and 100VDC - 800VDC. The inverter 106 can invert (e.g., convert) the received DC power to AC power. The inverter 106 can output the inverted AC power. For example, the inverter 106 can output 110VAC, 120VAC, 208VAC three-phase, 480VAC three-phase, or any suitable output. The inverter 106 can supply the inverted AC power to components of the system 100 and / or external devices / components. For example, the inverter 106 can include an internal transfer switch. The internal transfer switch can be capable of auctioning the AC power output to components of the system 100 and / or external devices / components.

[0027] The inverter 106 may include, for example, a first power connection configured to supply DC power to and receive DC power from the battery 104. The inverter 106 may include, for example, a second power connection configured to receive AC external power from an external power source. The inverter 106 may include, for example, a third power connection configured to supply AC power to one or more loads. The inverter 106 may be configured to receive DC power from the first power connection and invert the received DC power to AC power. The inverter 106 may be configured to supply AC power to the third power connection. For example, the inverter 106 may auction off the AC power from the second and third power connections. The inverter 106 can switch (for example, automatically) between power connections, inputs, etc. of the system 100 and / or external devices / components to maintain a constant output. The inverter 106 can supply continuous DC to AC power. For example, inverter 106 can supply 500W of continuous DC-to-AC power (and / or 1000 watts of peak power).

[0028] The inverter 106 may include one or more AC outlets and / or one or more USB quick charging ports. The inverter 106 may include one or more indicators that show the status of the inverter 106. For example, the inverter 106 may include one or more lights and / or displays that show the status of the inverter. In an exemplary embodiment, the lights include light-emitting diodes (LEDs).

[0029] The compressor 101 may be electrically coupled to a battery 104 and / or an inverter 106. The compressor 101 may receive electricity, voltage, and / or power from the battery 104 and / or the inverter 106. The compressor 101 may produce compressed air and / or an airflow. The compressor 101 may include a check valve 102 for controlling the flow of air (and / or fluid) from the compressor 101. The compressor 101 may produce compressed air and / or an airflow that is at least partially controlled by the check valve 102 and supplied to a tank 103 (e.g., an air tank). The compressor 101 may be coupled to the tank 103 via an air inlet 111 of the tank 103. The compressor 101 may be coupled to the air inlet 111 via one or more quick-connect (QC) fittings / sockets.

[0030] Tank 103 may be, for example, a half-gallon tank and / or a tank of any other dimensions. Tank 103 may include one or more components for controlling the flow of air (and / or fluid) from Tank 103. For example, Tank 103 may include a drain flow petcock 107, a safety relief valve 108, and / or a pressure switch 109.

[0031] A drain petcock 107 and / or a safety relief valve 108 may be used to discharge / release air from the tank 103, for example, when the air pressure is at a specific / pre-set level. A pressure switch 109 may activate an electrical contact when a set pressure is reached in the tank 103. The switch may be designed to activate either when the pressure rises or when the pressure falls. For example, the pressure switch 109 may be electrically coupled to an on / off switch 110 for the compressor 101. The pressure switch 109 may be used to automatically switch the compressor on / off via the on / off switch 110 whenever the pressure in the tank 103 is at a specific / pre-set level. For example, the pressure switch 109 may be activated whenever the air pressure in the tank is between 90 and 105 PSI, for example. To determine the air pressure in the tank 103, the tank 103 may be configured to include a tank pressure gauge 111 (e.g., a dial gauge, etc.) and / or be connected to a tank pressure gauge 111. The tank pressure gauge 111, the compressor 103, and / or any other components of the system 100 may be electrically connected to one or more circuit breakers, relays, power switches, etc., to adjust and / or control the electricity, voltage, and / or power from the battery 104, the inverter 106, the charger 105, and / or any other components of the system 100.

[0032] Tank 103 is configured with and / or can be coupled to one or more quick-connect (QC) fresh air ports, such as QC port 112. QC port 112 may be attached to a solenoid connector of an air-operated valve (AOV), etc. Tank 103 is configured with and / or can be coupled to an air conditioning control circuit 113.

[0033] The air conditioning control circuit 113 may include a tank air dump valve 114, a pressure regulator 115, an air pressure gauge 116, an air bleeder 117, a quick-connect regulated air outlet port 118, an air hose 119, and a manual valve 120. The tank air dump valve 114 allows air to be released from the tank 103 (e.g., dumped). The air pressure regulator 115 allows the air pressure from the tank 103 to be reduced, for example, from high pressure to a controlled low output pressure. The air pressure regulator 115 may maintain a constant output pressure, for example, when the air pressure from the tank 103 fluctuates. The air pressure gauge 116 may be used to determine the air pressure regulated by the pressure regulator 115. The air bleeder 117 may be used to release trapped air, for example, air trapped in any hoses and / or connectors of the air conditioning control circuit 113.

[0034] The air conditioning control circuit 113 can control / manage the airflow of pressurized air according to one or more control parameters to operate critical control valves and instrument equipment. The air conditioning control circuit 113 can supply control and instrument air to critical components in, for example, power plants (e.g., nuclear power plants, electric power plants, coal plants, etc.), industrial / commercial environments, etc. For example, a QC-regulated air outlet port 118 can be attached to a solenoid connector of an air-operated valve (AOV) to supply pressurized air to one or more critical components and / or devices. The QC-regulated air outlet port 118 can output air / air pressure, for example, from 0 to 250 PSI. The QC-regulated air outlet port 118 can output air / air pressure that can pass through, for example, an air hose 119 and / or a manual valve 120. The QC-regulated air outlet port 118 and / or the manual valve 120 can be attached / connected to a solenoid connector of an air-operated valve (AOV).

[0035] The unique integration of System 100 for portable air distribution offers both safety and productivity advantages, facilitating emergency operation, maintenance, and testing of air components more easily than any known device, method, or system. The unique integration of System 100 for portable air distribution can facilitate operation by avoiding the need to mobilize bulky high-energy air bottles, drive power, and instrumentation power. System 100 for portable air distribution enables the operation and testing of several air-operated components in a novel, efficient, safe, and productive method and configuration.

[0036] Figure 2 shows a portable air distribution and / or power generation / supply system 200. System 200 comprises a portable air supply component with integrated instruments and AC / DC controlled power for effectively and efficiently operating and controlling critical components and subsystems in power plants (e.g., nuclear power plants, electric power plants, coal plants, etc.), industrial / commercial environments, etc. System 200 can supply lighting and AC power to operate support equipment such as computer / computing devices, communication equipment, and diagnostic / test equipment. In one embodiment, system 200 may be configured with any of the devices / components of system 100.

[0037] System 200 may include a generator 202, an inverter 204, a battery 206, a power distribution hub 208, a direct current (DC) compressor 260, an air conditioning control circuit 262, and a light source 264. Furthermore, System 200 includes a device 250. Device 250 may include an inverter 204 and a battery 206. In addition, device 250 may include and / or comprise any device / component of System 100.

[0038] The generator 202 can be any generator capable of supplying power. For example, the generator 202 may be capable of alternating current (AC). The generator 202 may output voltages of 100VAC to 250VAC and higher. For example, the generator 202 may output 120VAC and / or 240VAC. The generator 202 may operate on any suitable fuel, such as gasoline, diesel, liquid propane (LPG), or natural gas. The generator 202 may operate on two or more fuels. For example, the generator 202 may be capable of operating on both gasoline and LPG. The generator 202 may be capable of switching between the two fuels, either manually or automatically. As an example, the generator 202 may default to running on gasoline stored in a gas tank associated with the generator 202. When the generator 202 runs out of gasoline in the gas tank, the generator 202 may switch to LPG. As another example, the generator 202 may switch between two or more LPG tanks coupled to the generator 202. In other words, when the first LPG tank of two or more LPG tanks runs out of LPG, the generator 202 can manually or automatically switch to the second LPG tank of the two or more LPG tanks. The generator 202 can supply power (e.g., output) to the inverter 204 via the electrical connection 220. For example, the generator 202 can supply AC power to the inverter 204 via the electrical connection 220. Furthermore, the generator 202 can supply power to the distribution hub 208 via the electrical connections 220 and 226. In other words, the generator 202 can bypass the inverter 204 and supply power directly to the distribution hub 208.

[0039] The inverter 204 can be any device capable of converting AC power to DC power and DC power to AC power. For example, the inverter 204 can be a rectifier. The inverter 204 can receive power from the generator 202 via the electrical connection 222. For example, the inverter 204 can receive AC power from the generator 202 via the electrical connection 222. The inverter 204 can supply the received AC power to the distribution hub 208 via the electrical connection 226. The inverter 204 can convert the received AC power to DC power. The inverter 204 can supply DC power (e.g., output) to the battery 206 via the electrical connection 224. As an example, the inverter 204 can charge the battery 206 via the electrical connection 224. The inverter 204 can charge the battery 206 and simultaneously supply AC power to the distribution hub 208. That is, the inverter 204 can charge the battery 206 while simultaneously supplying power to the distribution hub 208.

[0040] Furthermore, the inverter 204 can receive DC power from the battery 206. For example, the inverter 204 can receive voltages in the range of 12VDC, 24VDC, 48VDC, 72VDC, and 100VDC to 800VDC. The inverter 204 can invert (e.g., convert) the received DC power to AC power. The inverter 204 can output the inverted AC power. For example, the inverter 204 can output 110VAC, 120VAC, 208VAC three-phase, 480VAC three-phase, or any suitable output. The inverter 204 can supply the inverted AC power to the distribution hub 208 via electrical connection 224. For example, the inverter 204 may be equipped with an internal transfer switch. The internal transfer switch may be able to auction off the AC power to be output to the distribution hub 208 between electrical connection 220 (e.g., supplied by the generator 202) and electrical connection 222 (e.g., supplied by the battery 206). In other words, the inverter 204 can (for example, automatically) switch between the power input received from the generator 202 via the electrical connection 220 and the power input received from the battery 206 via the electrical connection 222 to maintain a constant output to the distribution hub 208 via the electrical connection 224. The inverter 204 may include one or more indicators to show the status of the inverter 204. For example, the inverter 204 may include one or more lights and / or displays to show the status of the inverter. In an exemplary embodiment, the lights include light-emitting diodes (LEDs).

[0041] Battery 206 may be one or more batteries configured to store and supply stored power. Battery 206 may supply DC power. Battery 206 may include associated voltages such as 12V, 24V, 48V, 125V, 250V, and 400V. Furthermore, battery 206 may include output current. For example, battery 206 may output 5A, 50A, 150A, 300A, and so on. In an exemplary embodiment, battery 206 may be a 12V battery with a rated output of up to 150A. In another exemplary embodiment, battery 206 may be a 24V battery with a rated output of up to 300A. As will be understood by those skilled in the art, battery 206 may be a battery having any voltage and / or current characteristics.

[0042] Battery 206 may be any battery, such as a rechargeable or non-rechargeable battery. Battery 206 may be a lithium-ion (Li+) battery, a lead-acid (Pb) battery, a lithium iron phosphate (LiFePo) battery, or any type of rechargeable battery. Battery 206 includes an auxiliary output unit 210. The auxiliary output unit 210 can receive and / or supply DC power to another device. For example, a device that can operate on DC power may be coupled to the auxiliary output unit 210. As an example, a light may be coupled to the auxiliary output unit 210. As another example, a device that can supply DC power may be coupled to the auxiliary output unit 210. As an example, a maintenance battery charger may be coupled to the auxiliary output unit 210 to charge battery 206.

[0043] Battery 206 may be one or more batteries configured to store power from inverter 204. For example, battery 206 may receive power from inverter 204 via electrical connection 222 and store power from inverter 204. In other words, inverter 204 may charge battery 206 via electrical connection 222. In addition, battery 206 may supply power to inverter 204. For example, battery 206 may discharge (e.g., supply power) to inverter 204 via electrical connection 222. Thus, battery 206 can receive power from inverter 204 and supply power to inverter 204. Distribution hub 208 may receive power from generator 202 via electrical connections 222 and 228. In addition, distribution hub 208 may receive power from inverter via electrical connection 226. Distribution hub 208 may have two or more outputs 212a, b and auxiliary units 214.

[0044] The power distribution hub 208 can supply AC power to outputs 212a and 212b. For example, the power distribution hub 208 can supply 100 to 250 VAC power to outputs 212a and 212b. Outputs 212a and 212b supply power to two or more power supply devices 216a and 216b. Specifically, output 212a can supply power to power supply device 216a via electrical connection 228, and output 212b can supply power to power supply device 216b via electrical connection 230. In exemplary embodiments, electrical connections 228 and 230 include cables coupled to the power distribution hub 208 and power supply devices 216a and 216b. Power supply devices 216a and 216b can supply various different power outputs. For example, power supply devices 216a and 216b can supply AC power and DC power. As an example, power supply devices 216a and 216b can supply AC power and DC power simultaneously. The power outputs supplied by the power supply devices 216a and 216b may be 0 to 260 VDC, such as 24 VDC, 48 VDC, and 125 VDC, and 0 to 260 VAC, such as 120 VAC and 240 VAC, or any preferred DC and / or AC output. The power supply devices 216a and 216b may include two or more output ports associated with each of them, so that the power supply devices 216a and 216b can supply power to multiple devices simultaneously.

[0045] The power distribution 208 may include an auxiliary unit 214. The auxiliary unit 214 may supply power to one or more additional devices via an output connection 215. For example, the auxiliary unit 214 may connect the power distribution hub 208 to another power distribution hub. In other words, the auxiliary unit 214 provides the power distribution hub 208 with the ability to supply power to one or more additional power distribution hubs to supply additional power supply devices 216a, b. That is, the auxiliary unit 214 may include the ability to function as a pass-through that matches the voltage of the AC input supplied to the power distribution hub 208. The auxiliary unit 214 may supply 120VAC, 240VAC, and / or any AC power output. The auxiliary unit 214 may be an auxiliary output unit for supplying power to auxiliary devices such as lights, power tools, or any electrical devices. As another example, the auxiliary unit 214 may be an interface (e.g., a display, lights, etc.) that provides information associated with the power distribution hub 208. As a further example, the auxiliary unit 214 may be an input / output (I / O) interface for communicating with one or more additional electronic devices.

[0046] For the sake of clarity, the electrical connections 220–230 are shown as direct connections between various components of system 200, but those skilled in the art will understand that the electrical connections 220–230 may include additional components such as resistors, capacitors, inductors, circuit breakers, and switches.

[0047] The light source 264 can be electrically coupled to the system's power supply. For example, the light source 264 can be coupled to the system's inverter, AC-DC converter, and / or battery. The light source 264 can be a smart self-diagnostic device for reducing and / or eliminating resource-intensive light consumption. The light source 264 can provide intense illumination and floodlighting for emergency and non-emergency scenarios.

[0048] To provide emergency and / or non-emergency air supply, the DC compressor 260 may be electrically coupled to the battery 206. The DC compressor 260 may be electrically coupled to another electrical / power source in the system, such as an inverter 204 or an AC-DC converter. The DC compressor 260 may include a tankless air compressor for continuous operation. The DC compressor 260 may include any DC air compressor.

[0049] The DC compressor 260 may be coupled to an air conditioning control circuit 262. The air conditioning control circuit 262 may be used to control the air output of the system. For example, when the air pressure from the DC compressor 260 reaches a certain point, the pressure under one or more pistons may become sufficient to overcome a spring (or similar mechanism) and move a valve (e.g., close it). The movement of the valve may reduce the amount of air output by the system (air conditioning control circuit 262). When the valve is closed, one or more pistons may be prevented from drawing more air into the air conditioning control circuit 262, and any air passing through the valve may be discharged from the air conditioning control circuit 262 as output air / air pressure.

[0050] The air conditioning control circuit 262 may output air / air pressure, for example, from 0 to 250 PSI. One or more pistons of the air conditioning control circuit 262 may include one or more oil control pistons that reduce and / or prevent oil bypass to the air supply. The air conditioning control circuit 262 may include one or more mounting elements (not shown) that are universally configured to be attached to the solenoid connector of an air-operated valve (AOV), etc. The air conditioning control circuit 262 may control / manage the airflow of pressurized air received from the DC compressor 260 according to one or more control parameters.

[0051] The unique integration of the portable air distribution system 200 offers both safety and productivity advantages, facilitating emergency operation, maintenance, and testing of air components more easily than any known device, method, or system. The unique integration of the portable air distribution system 200 can facilitate operation by avoiding the need to mobilize bulky high-energy air bottles, drive power, and instrumentation power. The portable air distribution system 200 enables the operation and testing of several air-actuated components in a novel, efficient, safe, and productive method and configuration.

[0052] Figure 3 shows an exemplary system 300. Inverter 106, inverter 204, and / or distribution hub 208 may be computer 301, as shown in Figure 3.

[0053] Computer 301 may comprise one or more processors 303, system memory 312, and a bus 313 that connects various system components, including one or more processors 303, to the system memory 312. In the case of multiple processors 303, computer 301 may utilize parallel computing. Bus 313 is one or more of several possible types of bus structures, including a memory bus or memory controller, peripheral bus, accelerated graphics port, or local bus using any of the various bus architectures.

[0054] Computer 301 operates on and / or may be equipped with various computer-readable media (e.g., non-temporary). The readable media may be any available media accessible by computer 301 and may include both volatile and non-volatile media, and removable and non-removable media. System memory 312 has computer-readable media in the form of volatile memory, such as random access memory (RAM), and / or non-volatile memory, such as read-only memory (ROM). System memory 312 may store data, such as power and airflow data 307, and / or program modules, such as the operating system 305 and power and airflow software 306, which are accessible to and / or operated by one or more processors 303.

[0055] Computer 301 may also have other removable / non-removable, volatile / non-volatile computer storage media. Figure 3 shows a mass storage device 304 that may provide computer 301 with non-volatile storage of computer code, computer-readable instructions, data structures, program modules, and other data. The mass storage device 304 may be a hard disk, a removable magnetic disk, a removable optical disk, a magnetic cassette or other magnetic storage device, a flash memory card, a CD-ROM, a digital versatile disk (DVD) or other optical storage device, random access memory (RAM), read-only memory (ROM), electrically erasable and programmable read-only memory (EEPROM), etc.

[0056] Any number of program modules may be stored in the mass storage device 304, such as the operating system 305 and the power and airflow software 306. Each of the operating system 305 and the power and airflow software 306 (or some combination thereof) may contain program modules and elements of the power and airflow software 306. The power and airflow 307 may also be stored in the mass storage device 304. The power and airflow 307 may be stored in one or more databases known in the art. Such databases may be DB2®, Microsoft® Access, Microsoft® SQL Server, Oracle®, MySQL, PostgreSQL, etc. The database may be centralized or distributed across locations within the network 315.

[0057] A user may input commands and information to the computer 301 via an input device (not shown). Examples of such input devices include, but are not limited to, a keyboard, a pointing device (e.g., a computer mouse, a remote control device), a microphone, a joystick, a scanner, a tactile input device such as gloves, and other body coverings, motion sensors, etc. These and other input devices may be connected to one or more processors 303 via a human-machine interface 302 coupled to bus 313, but may also be connected by other interfaces and bus structures such as parallel ports, game ports, IEEE 1394 ports (also known as Firewire ports), serial ports, network adapters 308, and / or Universal Serial Bus (USB).

[0058] The display device 311 may also be connected to the bus 313 via an interface such as a display adapter 309. The computer 301 may include two or more display adapters 309, and the computer 301 is intended to include two or more display devices 311. The display device 311 may be a monitor, an LCD (liquid crystal display), a light-emitting diode (LED) display, a television, a smart lens, smart glass, and / or a projector. In addition to the display device 311, other output peripheral devices may be components such as a speaker (not shown) and a printer (not shown) that can be connected to the computer 301 via an input / output interface 310. Any step and / or result of the method may be output (or made to be output) to the output device in any form. Such output may be any form of visual representation, including but not limited to text, graphical, animated, audio, and haptic. The display device 311 and the computer 301 may be part of one device or separate devices.

[0059] Computer 301 may operate in a network environment using logical connections to one or more remote computing devices 314a, b, c. These remote computing devices may include personal computers, computing stations (e.g., workstations), portable computers (e.g., laptops, mobile phones, tablet devices), smart devices (e.g., smartphones, smartwatches, activity trackers, smart apparel, smart accessories), security and / or surveillance devices, servers, routers, network computers, peer devices, edge devices, etc. The logical connections between computer 301 and the remote computing devices 314a, b, c may be made via a network 315 such as a local area network (LAN) and / or a general wide area network (WAN). Such network connections may be made via a network adapter 308. The network adapter 308 may be implemented in both wired and wireless environments. Such networking environments are conventional and commonplace in homes, offices, enterprise-wide computer networks, intranets, and the internet.

[0060] Application programs and other executable program components, such as the operating system 305, are shown herein as separate blocks, but such programs and components reside at different times within different memory components of the computing device 301 and are recognized as being executed by one or more processors 303 of the computer. The implementation of power and airflow 306 may be stored in or transmitted through some form of computer-readable medium. Any of the described methods may be executed by processor-executable instructions embodied on the computer-readable medium.

[0061] While specific configurations are described, the configurations described herein are intended to be possible and not restrictive in all respects, and therefore are not intended to limit the scope to any particular configuration described.

[0062] Unless otherwise expressly indicated, no method described herein is ever intended to be construed as requiring its steps to be performed in a specific order. Therefore, if a method claim does not actually enumerate the order in which its steps should be followed, or if the claims or description does not otherwise specifically state that the steps should be limited to a specific order, no order is ever intended to be inferred in any respect. This applies to all possible non-expressive grounds for interpretation, including logical issues relating to the arrangement of steps or operational flows, obvious meanings arising from grammatical structure or punctuation, and the number or type of configurations described herein.

[0063] It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications and variations can be made without departing from the scope or spirit. Other configurations will be apparent to those skilled in the art from this specification and the considerations of practice described herein. This specification and the configurations described herein are to be considered merely illustrative, and the true scope and spirit are intended to be indicated by the following claims.

Claims

1. A portable device comprising a housing, the housing being, One or more batteries, Multiple electrical outlets, each of which is configured to (i) be connected to an external device and (ii) output an output voltage selected from a plurality of voltages from the portable device to the external device, An inverter configured to be electrically coupled to an air compressor and to one or more batteries, wherein the inverter is Receiving first DC power from one or more batteries, Convert the first DC power to the first AC power, The inverter is configured to supply the first AC power through each of the multiple electrical outlets, The air compressor is electrically coupled to one or more batteries and the inverter and is configured to generate pressurized air. An air tank configured to receive the pressurized air from the air compressor and output the pressurized air through one or more air outlet ports of the portable device, A pneumatic regulator, coupled to the air tank and configured to control the release of the pressurized air from the air tank via a first regulated air outlet port of the portable device, Equipped with, While the aforementioned portable device is in operation, The first of the plurality of electrical outlets of the portable device is configured to (i) be coupled to a solenoid of an air-operated valve (AOV) of an external system that has lost power, and (ii) supply power to the solenoid to energize the solenoid. The portable device wherein the first regulated air outlet port of the portable device is configured to (iii) connect to the AOV of the external system which has lost power, (iv) supply air to the AOV at a first air pressure, and (v) open, close, and reposition the AOV.

2. The inverter is The inverter receives a second AC power from an external generator electrically coupled to it. The second AC power is converted to a second DC power, The portable device according to claim 1, further configured to output the second DC power via the second electrical outlet of the plurality of electrical outlets.

3. The portable device according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the one or more batteries is provided with an auxiliary port for supplying or receiving external DC power.

4. The portable device according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the one or more batteries is configured to receive DC power from a battery charger.

5. The portable device according to claim 1, wherein the inverter is further configured to output DC power in the range of 0W to 500W.

6. The portable device according to claim 1, wherein one or more of the outlets include a 120VAC outlet.

7. The air compressor is 0 ft 3 / min (0L / min) ~ 1.5ft 3 The portable device according to claim 1, further configured to output pressurized air in the range of 42.475 L / min.

8. The portable device according to claim 1, wherein the air tank has a capacity of 1.5 gallons (5.678 L).

9. The portable device according to claim 1, wherein the one or more air outlet ports are provided with one or more quick-connect (QC) outlet ports.

10. The portable device according to claim 1, further comprising one or more light-emitting diodes (LEDs) configured to indicate the state of the inverter.

11. The portable device according to claim 1, wherein the housing includes a wheeled container configured to mount one or more batteries, the inverter, the air compressor, the air tank, and the air pressure regulator.

12. The portable device according to claim 1, wherein the housing is further configured to mount a lighting device, and the lighting device is configured to provide ambient lighting.

13. The portable device according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of voltages include voltage values ​​in the range of 110VAC to 480VAC.

14. The portable device according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of voltages include voltage values ​​in the range of 12VDC to 400VDC.

15. The portable device according to claim 1, wherein, while the portable device is in operation, the second electrical outlet among the plurality of electrical outlets is electrically coupled to a diagnostic system and configured to supply AC power to the diagnostic system.

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