Hybrid uninterruptible power supply system

• US 20060267411A1
• Filed: 05/24/2006
• Published: 11/30/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 05/26/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Farmer Walter E
• Original Assignee: Farmer Walter E
• Inventors: Farmer, Walter
• Granted Patent: US 7,362,007 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 307/66
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 9/061 for DC powered loads
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 9/062 for AC powered loads

Abstract

An apparatus, system, and method for supplying an uninterruptible power source to a dual power device capable of being alternately powered through either a primary power input connected to a primary power source or a secondary power input connected to a secondary power source is provided. One implementation includes a power input for receiving AC from the primary power source, one or more converter elements operative to receive the AC from the power source, to convert the AC to DC, and to deliver the DC to a power storage element. The apparatus also includes a power storage element that stores at least a portion of the DC delivered from the converter elements. The power stored in the power storage elements is delivered to the secondary power input of the dual power device when the primary power source is disconnected from the dual power device. The apparatus may further include a control circuit for disconnecting the power storage elements from the secondary power input and from the converter elements in response to detecting thermal runaway in the power storage elements.

Claims

1. An apparatus for providing an uninterruptible power source to a dual power device capable of being alternately powered through a primary power input connected to a primary power source or a secondary power input connected to a secondary power source, the apparatus comprising:

a power input for receiving alternating current from the primary power source;

one or more converter elements operative to receive the alternating current from the power input, to convert the alternating current to direct current, and to deliver the direct current to a power storage element; and

a power storage element connected to the one or more converter elements, the power storage element operative to store at least a portion of the direct current delivered from the converter elements, and wherein the stored power is delivered from the power storage element to the secondary power input when the primary power source is disconnected.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the primary power source comprises an alternating current (AC) power source, and wherein the primary power input is operative to receive AC power.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the secondary power source comprises a direct current (DC) power source, and wherein the secondary power input is operative to receive DC power.

4. The apparatus of claim 3, further comprising a control circuit operative to disconnect the power storage elements from the secondary power input and from the converter elements in response to detecting thermal runaway in the power storage elements.

5. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the control circuit comprises:

a controller for monitoring a current sensor to detect thermal runaway and to disconnect the power storage elements from the secondary power input and from the converter elements in response to detecting thermal runaway;

a current sensor connected to the controller and to the power storage elements; and

a disconnect relay connected to and controlled by the controller for disconnecting the power storage elements from the secondary power input and from the converter elements.

6. The apparatus of claim 5, further comprising an inverter connected in parallel to the power storage elements, the inverter operative to convert DC stored in the power storage elements to AC.

7. The apparatus of claim 6, further comprising circuitry for converting AC received at the primary power input to DC and for delivering the DC to the secondary power input.

8. An uninterruptible power supply (UPS) system, the system comprising:

a dual power device capable of being powered through either a primary power input connected to a primary power source or a secondary power input connected to a secondary power source; and

a hybrid UPS device comprising

a power input for receiving power from the primary power source,

a converter element operative to receive the power from the power input, to convert the power for storage in a power storage element, and to deliver the direct current to the power storage element, and

a power storage element connected in parallel to the converter element, the power storage element operative to store at least a portion of the power delivered from the converter element,

and wherein the stored power is delivered from the power storage element to the secondary power input of the dual power device when the primary power source is disconnected.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the primary power source comprises an alternating current (AC) power source and the secondary power source comprises a direct current (DC) power source, and wherein the converter elements comprise two or more rectifiers connected in parallel and operative to convert AC to DC.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the power storage element comprises a lead acid battery.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the hybrid UPS device further comprises a control circuit for disconnecting the lead acid battery from the rectifiers in response to detecting thermal runaway in the lead acid battery.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the hybrid UPS device further comprises an inverter connected to the lead acid battery.

13. An apparatus for providing uninterruptible power to a dual power input capable device, the apparatus comprising:

an alternating current (AC) source input, the AC source input for connecting to a primary power input of the dual power input capable device;

two or more rectifiers connected to the AC source input for converting AC received on the AC input to direct current (DC); and

two or more lead acid batteries connected in parallel to an output of the rectifiers, the lead acid batteries operative to store a least a portion of the DC generated by the rectifiers, the lead acid batteries also connectable to a secondary power input of the dual power input capable device, and when connected to the secondary power input the lead acid batteries are operative to deliver the stored DC to the secondary power input in the event that AC is disconnected from the primary power input of the dual power input capable device.

14. The apparatus of claim 13, further comprising a control circuit operative to monitor the lead acid batteries for thermal runaway and to disconnect the lead acid batteries in response to detecting thermal runaway.

15. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the control circuit comprises:

a controller for monitoring a current sensor to detect thermal runaway in the lead acid batteries and to disconnect the batteries from the rectifiers in response to detecting thermal runaway;

a current sensor connected to the controller and to an input to the lead acid batteries; and

a disconnect relay connected to and controlled by the controller for disconnecting the lead acid batteries from the rectifiers.

16. The apparatus of claim 15, further comprising an inverter connected to the lead acid batteries.

17. The apparatus of claim 16, where the inverter is removable from the apparatus.

18. The apparatus of claim 17, further comprising circuitry for converting AC received at the primary power input to DC and for delivering the DC to the secondary power input of the dual power input capable device.