1. A water tower comprising:
a reservoir configured to store fluid, the reservoir including a bottom surface;
a recirculating passageway fluidly connected to the reservoir, the recirculating passageway including a first end connected to and located near or below the bottom surface of the reservoir, and a second end connected to the reservoir above the bottom surface of the reservoir;
a pump located in the recirculating passageway and configured to pump fluid through the recirculating passageway; and
a fluid-driven energy generating device fluidly connected to at least one of the recirculating passageway or a fluid discharge passageway.
2. The water tower of claim 1, wherein the energy generating device is connected to the pump to supply power to the pump.
3. (canceled)
4. (canceled)
5. The water tower of claim 1, further including a power storage system and a renewable energy device each connected to at least one of the energy generating device and the pump.
6. (canceled)
7. (canceled)
8. The water tower of claim 1, further including the discharge passageway fluidly connected to the reservoir, the discharge passageway including a first end connected to and located near or below the bottom surface of the reservoir and a second end located below the first end of the discharge passageway.
9. The water tower of claim 1, further including a heating mechanism configured to heat fluid in the recirculating passageway.
10. (canceled)
11. (canceled)
12. The water tower of claim 1, further including:
a display viewable by persons passing the water tower;
wherein the display is configured to show at least one of power saved, power cost savings from operation of the water tower, and reductions in pollutants or global warming from operation the water tower.
13. A method of operating a power generation system, the method comprising:
storing fluid in a reservoir in the power generation system;
pumping at least a portion of fluid discharged from the reservoir back into the reservoir through a recirculating passageway in the power generation system;
supplying power for pumping the discharged fluid using a plurality of power sources, the power sources including a fluid-driven energy generating device located in the power generation system; and
using a control system to determine which of the power sources to supply power for pumping the discharged fluid or whether to store power in a power storage system.
14. (canceled)
15. (canceled)
16. The method of claim 13, wherein the power sources further include an electric grid, and the method further includes:
determining at least one of whether to direct power to or whether to receive power from the electric grid based on a stored parameter, and the stored parameter includes at least one of a time schedule, a power purchase rate, or a characteristic of the power storage system.
17. (canceled)
18. The method of claim 13, wherein the power sources further include a renewable energy generating device including at least one of a solar array or a wind turbine attached to or placed near the water tower.
19. (canceled)
20. A power generation system comprising:
a reservoir configured to store fluid, the reservoir including a bottom surface;
a recirculating passageway fluidly connected to the reservoir, the recirculating passageway including a first end located near or below the bottom surface of the reservoir and a second end connected to the reservoir above the bottom surface of the reservoir;
a fluid-driven energy generating device fluidly connected to the recirculating passageway, at least a portion of fluid directed through the energy generating device being directed through the recirculating passageway;
a pump located in the recirculating passageway; and
an arm inside the reservoir and fluidly connected to the recirculating passageway, the arm including a discharge valve through which fluid is capable of being supplied to the reservoir.
21. (canceled)
22. The power generation system of claim 20, wherein the arm is moveable based on a vertical location of a liquid surface in the reservoir.
23. (canceled)
24. The power generation system of claim 20, wherein the arm includes multiple discharge valves at different locations along a longitudinal axis of the arm.
25. The power generation system of claim 20, further including:
a sensor configured to sense a condition in the reservoir; and
a control system configured to control a flow of fluid through a plurality of discharge valves based on the sensed condition.
26. (canceled)
27. (canceled)
28. The power generation system of claim 20, further comprising:
a compressed fluid passageway fluidly connected to a compressor and configured to direct compressed fluid from the compressor into the reservoir;
wherein the fluid-driven energy generating device is located in at least one of the recirculating passageway, the compressed fluid passageway, or a passageway connected to an outlet of the reservoir.
29.-31. (canceled)
32. The power generation system of claim 28, further including a control system configured to monitor a condition of the power generation system and configured to control the compressor based on the monitored condition, wherein the monitored condition includes power from the energy generating device.
33.-35. (canceled)
36. The power generation system of claim 20, further including a fluid treatment device located in the recirculating passageway, wherein the fluid treatment device includes at least one of a water aeration system, a water filtering system, and a water purification system.
37.-40. (canceled)
41. The power generation system of claim 20, further comprising:
a control system;
a plurality of reservoirs including the reservoir configured to store fluid, the plurality of reservoirs being connected to the control system and an electric grid; and
a plurality of sensors configured to monitor power and fluid conditions in each reservoir, wherein the control system is connected to the sensors and controls power and fluid conditions in each reservoir.
42. The power generation system of claim 41, wherein the power and fluid conditions that are controlled are determined by at least one of power quality, available fluid, demand and supply at various locations on the grid, time of day rates, power availability from various sources, and weather.
43. (canceled)
44. The power generation system of claim 20, further including a plurality of power sources configured to supply power to the power generation system, wherein the power sources include at least one of a solar, wind, hydroelectric, or other renewable energy source, a battery, or a fuel cell.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
1. An electrospray emitter assembly for mass spectrometry comprising:
a conduit adapted to be received in a mass spectrometer having a substantially continuous portion extending along an a conduit axis and terminating at an orifice adapted to provide an electrospray ionization for a mass spectrometer, the continuous portion providing a transparent analysis region;
a light source positioned adjacent to the transparent section for projecting light into the transparent section to stimulate fluorescent material contained in the conduit;
a light detector positioned adjacent to the transparent section for receiving the light emitted by the fluorescent material contained in the conduit;
wherein a volume of a conduit between the orifice and the transparent section is less than 1 microliter.
2. The electrospray emitter assembly of claim 1 wherein the conduit is a glass capillary tube.
3. The electrospray emitter assembly of claim 1 wherein an internal diameter of the conduit is less than 1000 \u03bcm.
4. The electrospray emitter assembly of claim 1 further including a filter position before the transparent analysis region for blocking chromatographic packing material.
5. The electrospray emitter of claim 4 wherein the filter is a cast chemical frit.
6. The electrospray emitter of claim 4 including a bubble reducing element positioned in the conduit after the filter.
7. The electrospray emitter assembly of claim 1 further including a liquid chromatography column positioned before the transparent analysis section to provide separated analyte to the transparent analysis region, the liquid chromatography column having an internal diameter substantially equal to a diameter of the conduit.
8. The electrospray emitter of claim 7 wherein the liquid chromatography column is provided by a substantially continuous portion of the conduit extending away from the orifice beyond the transparent analysis region.
9. The electrospray emitter assembly of claim 1 further including a ball lens adjacent to the transparent portion between the light source and the transparent portion.
10. The electrospray emitter assembly of claim 1 wherein the light is an LED.
11. The electrospray emitter assembly of claim 1 wherein the light detector includes a light filter selectively passing a frequency of light associated with a fluorescence of the fluorescent material.
12. The electrospray emitter assembly of claim 1 wherein the light source projects light along a first light axis substantially perpendicular to the conduit axis and the light detector receives light along a second light axis substantially perpendicular to the first light axis and the conduit axis.
13. The electrospray emitter assembly of claim 1 wherein further including an electrode communicating with material within the conduit and adapted to be connected to the mass spectrometer.