METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR PROVIDING UNINTERRUPTED POWER DURING TRANSITIONS BETWEEN A POWER SOURCE AND A STANDBY GENERATOR USING CAPACITOR SUPPLIED VOLTAGE

• US 20010022472A1
• Filed: 09/30/1999
• Published: 09/20/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 09/30/1999
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Caterpillar Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Caterpillar Incorporated
• Inventors: RICHARDS, THOMAS J., CODINA, GEORGE
• Application Number:
  US09/408,708
• Publication Number:
  US 20010022472A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 307/66
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 9/061 for DC powered loads
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 9/068 Electronic means for switching from one power supply to another power supply, e.g. to avoid parallel connection
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 70/30 Systems integrating technologies related to power network operation and communication or information technologies for improving the carbon footprint of the management of residential or tertiary loads, i.e. smart grids as climate change mitigation technology in the buildings sector, including also the last stages of power distribution and the control, monitoring or operating management systems at local level
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 20/20 End-user application control systems

Abstract

A method and apparatus for providing uninterrupted power during transitions between a primary power source and a standby power generator. The method and apparatus includes determining one of a power failure condition and a power return condition of the primary power source, transitioning between the primary power source and the standby power generator, and providing power to a load during the transition, the power being supplied by an uninterruptable power supply (UPS) having a capacitor supplied voltage.

Claims

1. A method for providing uninterrupted power during transitions between a primary power source and a standby power generator, including the steps of:

determining one of a power failure condition and a power return condition of the primary power source;

transitioning between the primary power source and the standby power generator; and

providing power to a load during the transition, the power being supplied by an uninterruptable power supply (UPS) having a capacitor supplied voltage.

2. A method, as set forth in

claim 1

, wherein the capacitor supplied voltage is provided by at least one capacitor.

3. A method, as set forth in

claim 1

, further including the step of removing the UPS supplied voltage in response to determining power being supplied to the load by one of the primary power source and the standby power generator.

4. A method, as set forth in

claim 2

, further including the step of maintaining a charge on the at least one capacitor by applying a voltage from one of the primary power source and the standby power generator.

5. An apparatus for providing uninterrupted power during transitions between a primary power source and a standby power generator comprising:

a transfer switch adapted to determine one of a power failure condition and a power return condition of the primary power source, and responsively transition between the primary power source and the standby power generator;

an uninterruptable power supply (UPS) for providing power to a load during the transition; and

at least one capacitor electrically connected to the UPS for providing the power to the load.

6. An apparatus, as set forth in

claim 5

, further including a capacitor monitor/diagnostics controller for monitoring the energy storage of the at least one capacitor, and discharging and recharging the at least one capacitor to maintain a maximum desired energy storage.