UNINTERRUPTIBLE POWER SUPPLY SYSTEMS AND METHODS SUPPORTING LOAD BALANCING

• US 20110278931A1
• Filed: 05/13/2010
• Published: 11/17/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 05/13/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Eaton Intelligent Power Limited (Eaton Corporation PLC.)
• Original Assignee: Eaton Corp. (Wisconsin) (Eaton Corporation PLC.)
• Inventors: Johnson, Robert William JR.
• Granted Patent: US 8,410,638 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 307/66
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2300/20 The dispersed energy generation being of renewable origin
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2300/24 of photovoltaic origin
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2300/28 The renewable source being wind energy wind motors F03D
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 3/26 Arrangements for eliminating or reducing asymmetry in polyphase networks
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 3/381 Dispersed generators
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 9/06 with automatic change-over , e.g. UPS systems
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 9/062 for AC powered loads
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 10/70 Hybrid systems, e.g. uninterruptible or back-up power supplies integrating renewable energies
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/56 Power conversion systems, e.g. maximum power point trackers
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/76 Power conversion electric or electronic aspects
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 40/50 Arrangements for eliminating or reducing asymmetry in polyphase networks
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 80/10 Efficient use of energy, e.g. using compressed air or pressurized fluid as energy carrier

Abstract

An uninterruptible power supply (UPS) system that includes a multiphase AC output configured to be coupled to a load, an inverter having an output coupled to the AC output and a control circuit operatively associated with the inverter and configured to cause the inverter to compensate for a phase imbalance of a load coupled to the AC output while power is being delivered to the load from an AC power source independently of the inverter.

Claims

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

a multiphase AC output configured to be coupled to a load;

an inverter having an output coupled to the AC output; and

a control circuit operatively associated with the inverter and configured to cause the inverter to compensate for a phase imbalance of a load coupled to the AC output while power is being delivered to the load from an AC power source independently of the inverter.

2. The UPS system of claim 1, wherein the control circuit is configured to cause the inverter to load a first phase at the AC output and transfer power to a second phase at the AC output to compensate for a phase imbalance of a load coupled to the AC output.

3. The UPS system of claim 2, further comprising:

an AC input configured to be coupled to the AC power source

a rectifier configured to receive power from the AC input;

a DC link coupling an output of the rectifier to an input of the inverter; and

a bypass circuit configured to selectively couple and decouple the AC input and the AC output,

wherein the control circuit is configured to cause the inverter to load a first phase at the AC output and transfer power to a second phase at the AC output to compensate for phase imbalance of a load coupled to the AC output when the AC input is coupled to the AC input by the bypass circuit.

4. The UPS system of claim 3, wherein the DC link is coupled to an auxiliary power source.

5. The UPS system of claim 4, wherein the auxiliary power source comprises a variably available power source and/or a battery.

6. The UPS system of claim 5, wherein the variably available power source comprises a wind power source and/or a solar power source.

7. The UPS system of claim 1, wherein the inverter comprises a DC input configured to receive power from an auxiliary power source and wherein the control circuit is configured to cause the inverter to selectively transfer power between the auxiliary power source and the AC output to compensate for the phase imbalance.

8. The UPS system of claim 7, wherein the auxiliary power source comprises a variably available power source and/or a battery.

9. The UPS system of claim 8, wherein the variably available power source comprises a wind power source and/or a solar power source.

10. An apparatus comprising:

an inverter coupled to a multiphase AC power source; and

a control circuit operatively associated with the inverter and configured to cause the inverter to load a first phase of the AC power source and transfer power to a second phase of the AC power source to compensate for a phase imbalance of a load coupled to the AC power source.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the inverter comprises an inverter of a UPS.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein an input of the inverter is coupled to an auxiliary power source and wherein the control circuit is configured to cause the inverter to transfer power between the auxiliary power source and the load to compensate for the phase imbalance.

13. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the auxiliary power source comprises a battery and/or a variably available power source.

14. The UPS system of claim 13, wherein the variably available power source comprises a wind power source and/or a solar power source.

15. A method comprising:

coupling one or more loads to a multiphase AC power source; and

operating an inverter coupled to the multiphase AC power source to compensate for a phase imbalance of the one or more loads while power is being delivered to the load from the AC power source independently of the inverter.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the inverter comprises an inverter of a UPS.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein an input of the inverter is coupled to an auxiliary power source and wherein the method further comprises transferring power between the auxiliary power source and the load to compensate for the phase imbalance.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the auxiliary power source comprises a battery and/or a variably available power source.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the variably available power source comprises a wind power source and/or a solar power source.