Autonomous Power System with Variable Sources and Loads and Associated Methods

• US 20140008979A1
• Filed: 07/03/2012
• Published: 01/09/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 07/03/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Oracle International Corporation (Oracle Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Oracle International Corporation (Oracle Corporation)
• Inventors: Kinnard, J. Rothe, Benstead, Brian, Cyphers, Robert
• Granted Patent: US 9,312,694 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 307/29
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/263 Arrangements for using multiple switchable power supplies, e.g. battery and AC G06F1/30 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/28 Supervision thereof, e.g. detecting power-supply failure by out of limits supervision
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 1/102 being switching converters H02J1/108, H02J1/12 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 4/00 Circuit arrangements for mains or distribution networks not specified as ac or dc
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 9/00 Circuit arrangements for emergency or stand-by power supply, e.g. for emergency lighting

Abstract

A number of load units are connected to receive power from a number of power supply units. A potential load bus is connected to have a voltage level representative of both a total potential power requirement of the number of load units and a total potential power supply capability of the number of power supply units. A first control circuit enables operation of the number of load units when the voltage level on the potential load bus indicates that a sufficient supply of power is available. An actual load bus is connected to have a voltage level representative of both an actual total power consumption of the number of load units and an actual total power supply available from of the number of power supply units. A second control circuit signals an impending loss of sufficient power supply based on the monitored voltage level on the actual load bus.

Claims

1. A power system, comprising:

a number of power supply units;

a number of load units connected to receive power from he number of power supply units;

a potential load bus connected to have a voltage level representative of both a total potential power requirement of the number of load units and a total potential power supply capability of the number of power supply units;

a first control circuit connected to the potential load bus and defined to monitor the voltage level on the potential load bus and enable operation of one or more of the number of load units when the voltage level on the potential load bus indicates that a sufficient supply of power is available from the number of power supply units for operation of the one or more of the number of load units;

an actual load bus connected to have a voltage level representative of both an actual total power consumption of the number of load units and an actual total power supply available from of the number of power supply units; and

a second control circuit connected to the actual load bus and defined to monitor the voltage level on the actual load bus and based on the monitored voltage level on the actual load bus signal an impending loss of the sufficient supply of power from the number of power supply units for operation of the one or more of the number of load units.

2. A power system as recited in claim 1, wherein the first control circuit is defined to compare the voltage level of the potential load bus to a threshold voltage level to determine whether or not each of the number of load units is to be enabled for operation.

3. A power system as recited in claim 2, wherein the first control circuit is defined to enable the number of load units for operation on an individual load unit basis when the voltage level of the potential load bus is greater than the threshold voltage level.

4. A power system as recited in claim 3, wherein the first control circuit includes separate voltage comparator devices respectively connected to the number of load units, each of the separate voltage comparator devices having a first input connected to the potential load bus and a second input connected to a reference voltage supply to be set at the threshold voltage level and an output connected to a power control circuit of the load unit to which the voltage comparator device is connected.

5. A power system as recited in claim 1, wherein the second control circuit is defined to compare the voltage level of the actual load bus to a threshold voltage level to determine whether or not an actual total supply of power from the number of power supply units is sufficient to support continued operation of the number of load units that are in an operating state.

6. A power system as recited in claim 5, wherein the second control circuit is defined to transmit a power fault warning signal when the voltage level of the actual load bus is less than the threshold voltage level.

7. A power system as recited in claim 6, wherein the power fault warning signal is transmitted instantaneously and continuously from the second control circuit to each of the number of load units when the voltage level of the actual load bus is less than the threshold voltage level.

8. A power system as recited in claim 6, wherein the second control circuit includes separate voltage comparator devices respectively connected to the number of load units, each of the separate voltage comparator devices having an output connected to a power control circuit of the load unit to which the voltage comparator device is connected, each of the separate voltage comparator devices having a first input connected to the actual load bus and a second input connected to a reference voltage supply to be set at the threshold voltage level.

9. A power system as recited in claim 1, further comprising:

a first number of resistors connected between the potential load bus and a reference ground potential, the first number of resistors respectively corresponding to the number of load units, each of the first number of resistors having an amount of electrical resistance based on a power consumption of the load unit to which it corresponds; and

a first number of current sources connected to supply electrical current to the potential load bus, the first number of current sources respectively corresponding to the number of power supply units, each of the first number of current sources defined to supply an amount of electrical current based on a power output rating of the power supply unit to which it corresponds.

10. A power system as recited in claim 9, wherein the first number of resistors includes at least one resistor that does not correspond to one of the number of load units, the at least one resistor having an amount of electrical resistance based on a prescribed amount of power supply margin.

11. A power system as recited in claim 9, further comprising:

a second number of resistors connected between the actual load bus and the reference ground potential through a corresponding controllable connection device defined to connect when a corresponding load unit is an operating state, the second number of resistors respectively corresponding to the number of load units, each of the second number of resistors having an amount of electrical resistance based on power consumption of the load unit to which it corresponds, such that for a given one of the number of load units the amount of electrical resistance of each of the corresponding one of the second number of resistors and the corresponding one of the first number of resistors is substantially equal; and

a second number of current sources connected to supply electrical current to the actual load bus, the second number of current sources respectively corresponding to the number of power supply units, each of the second number of current sources defined to supply an amount of electrical current based on a power output rating of the power supply unit to which it corresponds, such that for a given one of the number of power supply units the amount of electrical current to be supplied by each of the corresponding one of the second number of current sources and the corresponding one of the first number of current sources is substantially equal.

12. A power system as recited in claim 11, wherein each of the number of power supply units is defined to control activation of its corresponding one of the first number of current sources and its corresponding one of the second number of current sources.

13. A power system as recited in claim 1, further comprising:

a first number of resistors respectively corresponding to the number of load units, each of the first number of resistors having an amount of electrical resistance based on a power consumption of the load unit to which it corresponds;

a number of controllable connection devices respectively connected to the first number of resistors to provide individual control of an electrical connection between the first number of resistors and a reference ground potential, such that a given one of the first number of resistors is connected to the reference ground potential when the load unit corresponding to the given one of the first number of resistors issues a request to receive power; and

a first number of current sources connected to supply electrical current to the potential load bus, the first number of current sources respectively corresponding to the number of power supply units, each of the first number of current sources defined to supply an amount of electrical current based on a power output rating of the power supply unit to which it corresponds.

14. A power system as recited in claim 1, further comprising:

a third control circuit defined to disable output of power from the number of power supply units to the number of load units until an actual total available supply of power from the number of power supply units is sufficient to support operation of the number of load units, and wherein the third control circuit is defined to enable output of power from the number of power supply units to the number of load units when the actual total available supply of power from the number of power supply units is sufficient to support operation of the number of load units.

15. A power system as recited in claim 14, wherein the third control circuit is defined to compare the voltage level of the potential load bus to a threshold voltage level to determine whether or not output of power from the number of power supply units is to be enabled or disabled.

16. A power system as recited in claim 15, wherein the third control circuit is defined to enable output of power from the number of power supply units to the number of load units when the voltage level of the potential load bus is greater than the threshold voltage level, and wherein the third control circuit is defined to disable output of power from the number of power supply units to the number of load units when the voltage level of the potential load bus is less than the threshold voltage level.

17. A power system as recited in claim 16, wherein the third control circuit includes separate voltage comparator devices respectively connected to the number of power supply units, each of the separate voltage comparator devices having a first input connected to the potential load bus and a second input connected to a reference voltage supply to be set at the threshold voltage level, each of the separate voltage comparator devices having an output connected to a power output control of the power supply unit to which the voltage comparator device is connected.

18. A method for operating a power system, comprising:

applying a separate electrical current to a potential load bus for each of a number of operating power supply units, wherein each separate electrical current applied to the potential load bus is scaled in magnitude relative to a power supply capability of a given power supply unit to which the separate electrical current corresponds;

connecting a separate resistor between the potential load bus and a reference ground potential for each of a number of load units that are to receive power from the number of operating power supply units, wherein each separate resistor connected to the potential load bus has an electrical resistance scaled in magnitude relative to a power consumption of a given load unit to which the separate resistor corresponds; and

comparing a voltage level on the potential load bus to a threshold voltage level to determine whether or not a sufficient supply of power is available from the number of operating power supply units for operation of the number of load units.

19. A method for operating a power system as recited in claim 18, further comprising:

setting the threshold voltage level based on each separate electrical current applied to the potential load bus and each separate resistor connected to the potential load bus such that when the supply of power available from the number of operating power supply units exceeds a total power consumption of the number of load units, a voltage level on the potential load bus exceeds the threshold voltage level.

20. A method for operating a power system as recited in claim 19, further comprising:

upon determining that the voltage level on the potential load bus exceeds the threshold voltage level, providing power to the number of load units.

21. A method for operating a power system as recited in claim 20, wherein the separate resistor is connected between the potential load bus and the reference ground potential for the number of load units in a sequential manner, and

wherein upon determining that the voltage level on the potential load bus exceeds the threshold voltage level for connection of a given separate resistor to the potential load bus, providing power to a load unit corresponding to the given separate resistor.

22. A method for operating a power system as recited in claim 19, further comprising:

releasing power from the number of operating power supply units to the number of load units upon verifying that the voltage on the potential load bus exceeds the threshold voltage level after connecting the separate resistor between the potential load bus and the reference ground potential for each of the number of load units.

23. A method for operating a power system as recited in claim 19, further comprising:

applying a separate electrical current to an active load bus for each of the number of operating power supply units, wherein each separate electrical current applied to the active load bus is scaled in magnitude relative to a power supply capability of a given power supply unit to which the separate electrical current corresponds;

connecting a separate resistor between the active load bus and the reference ground potential for each of the number of load units that are actively receiving power from the number of operating power supply units, wherein each separate resistor connected to the active load bus has an electrical resistance scaled in magnitude relative to a power consumption of a given load unit to which the separate resistor corresponds; and

transmitting a loss of power signal to one or more of the number of load units when the voltage level on the active load bus decreases below the threshold voltage level.

24. A method for operating a power system as recited in claim 23, further comprising:

receiving the loss of power signal at one or more of the number of load units, and in response to receiving the loss of power signal, operating the one or more of the number of load units to prepare for an imminent loss of power event.

25. A method for configuring a power system, comprising:

installing a number of power supply units;

installing a number of load units;

connecting the number of load units to receive power from the number of power supply units;

connecting a separate first electric current source to supply electrical current to a potential load bus for each of the number of power supply units, wherein each first electrical current source is defined to supply an amount of electrical current based on a power output rating of a given one of the number of power supply units to which it corresponds;

connecting a separate first resistor to the potential load bus for each of the number of load units, wherein each first resistor is defined to provide an amount of electrical resistance based on a power consumption of a given one of the number of load units to which it corresponds; and

connecting a separate first voltage comparator device to the potential load bus for each of the number of load units, wherein each first voltage comparator device has a first input connected to the potential load bus and a second input connected to a reference voltage supply to be set at a threshold voltage level and an output connected to a power control circuit of a given one of the number of load units to which it corresponds.

26. A method for configuring a power system as recited in claim 25, further comprising:

connecting a separate second electric current source to supply electrical current to an active load bus for each of the number of power supply units, wherein each second electric current source is defined to supply an amount of electrical current based on a power output rating of a given one of the number of power supply units to which it corresponds;

connecting a separate second resistor to the active load bus for each of the number of load units that is actively receiving power from the number of power supply units, wherein each second resistor is defined to provide an amount of electrical resistance based on a power consumption of a given one of the number of load units to which it corresponds; and

connecting a separate second voltage comparator device to the active load bus for each of the number of load units that is actively receiving power from the number of power supply units, wherein each voltage comparator device has a first input connected to the active load bus and a second input connected to a reference voltage supply to be set at the threshold voltage level and an output connected to transmit of a loss of power signal to each of the number of load units when a voltage level on the active load bus decreases below the threshold voltage level.