Apparatus for providing high quality power

• US 20070052294A1
• Filed: 11/07/2006
• Published: 03/08/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 11/01/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Validus DC Systems LLC (ABB Limited)
• Original Assignee: Validus DC Systems LLC (ABB Limited)
• Inventors: Kraus, Rudy
• Granted Patent: US 7,462,954 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 307/65
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 9/066 characterised by the use of dynamo-electric machines H02J9/08 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 9/08 requiring starting of a prime-mover

Abstract

There is provided a system that includes (a) a power feed that distributes a high DC voltage in a building, where the high DC voltage is in a range of about 300 to 600 VDC, (b) a converter, coupled to the power feed, that receives the high DC voltage, and scales the high DC voltage to a low DC voltage, and (c) a controller that controls a firing rate of the converter so that the low DC voltage is in a range of about 23 to 48 VDC.

Claims

1. A system, comprising:

a power feed that distributes a high DC voltage in a building, wherein said high DC voltage is in a range of about 300 to 600 VDC;

a converter, coupled to said power feed, that receives said high DC voltage, and scales said high DC voltage to a low DC voltage; and

a controller that controls a firing rate of said converter so that said low DC voltage is in a range of about 23 to 48 VDC.

2. The system of claim 1,

wherein said power feed is a first power feed, said high DC voltage is a first high DC voltage, said converter is a first converter, said low DC voltage is a first low DC voltage, and said controller is a first controller, and

wherein said system further comprises:

a second power feed that distributes a second high DC voltage in said building, wherein said second high DC voltage is in a range of about 300 to 600 VDC;

a second converter, coupled to said second power feed, that receives said second high DC voltage, and scales said second high DC voltage to a second low DC voltage;

a second controller that controls a firing rate of said second converter so that said second low DC voltage is in a range of about 23 to 48 VDC; and

a bridge that couples said first and second low DC voltages to provide a low DC voltage feed.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein said low DC voltage feed provides power at a level that is about equal to a sum of (a) power provided by said first converter and (b) power provided by said second converter.

4. The system of claim 1, further comprising a source for said high DC voltage, wherein said source comprises a rectifier that receives an AC voltage and converts said AC voltage to said high DC voltage.

5. The system of claim 1, further comprising a source for said high DC voltage, wherein said source comprises a flywheel that stores energy, and that discharges said energy to provide said high DC voltage.

6. The system of claim 4, wherein said AC voltage is in a range of about 208 to 480 VAC.

7. The system of claim 1, further comprising a source for said high DC voltage, wherein said source comprises a device selected from the group consisting of a rectifier, a flywheel, a fuel cell, a battery, an uninterruptible power supply and a generator.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein said converter provides greater than or equal to about 30 kW of power.

9. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

a first high DC voltage source for said high DC voltage;

a second high DC voltage source for said high DC voltage; and

a bridge that couples an output from said first high DC voltage source and an output from said second high DC voltage source to provide said high DC voltage to said power feed.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein said converter comprises an intergate bi-polar transistor.