Method and apparatus for providing startup power to a genset-backed uninterruptible power supply
First Claim
1. An uninterruptible power supply for providing continuous power to a critical load, said uninterruptible power supply comprising:
- a transfer switch coupled to a main power source, said transfer switch having an output;
an AC-to-DC converter circuit having an input coupled to said output of said transfer switch, and an output;
a DC-to-AC converter circuit having an input coupled to said output of said AC-to-DC converter circuit, and an output;
a monitoring circuit that monitors for a power failure;
a backup generator electrically coupled to said transfer switch and to said monitoring circuit, said backup generator being capable of providing replacement power to said critical load in the event of a power failure, said generator having a startup circuit; and
an energy storage system electrically coupled to the input of said DC-to-AC converter, to said startup circuit of said generator and to the monitoring circuit, said power failure detected by said monitoring circuit causing said energy storage system to provide temporary power to said critical load and startup power to said generator at least until said generator is running independently from said startup power.
4 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An uninterruptible power supply provides improved reliability by supplying temporary standby power to a critical load and startup power to a backup power source from a single energy storage system. In the preferred embodiment, a flywheel energy storage device that produces three-phase AC voltage is used to provide temporary power to a critical load while a backup power supply, such as a diesel generator set (GENSET), is accelerated to full speed. The startup power for the GENSET is also provided from the flywheel energy storage device through a circuit that converts the AC voltage at one level to DC voltage at a lower level (e.g., 12 or 24 volts). Therefore, backup power will be provided from the GENSET unless a catastrophic failure occurs in the GENSET itself.
-
Citations
20 Claims
-
1. An uninterruptible power supply for providing continuous power to a critical load, said uninterruptible power supply comprising:
-
a transfer switch coupled to a main power source, said transfer switch having an output; an AC-to-DC converter circuit having an input coupled to said output of said transfer switch, and an output; a DC-to-AC converter circuit having an input coupled to said output of said AC-to-DC converter circuit, and an output; a monitoring circuit that monitors for a power failure; a backup generator electrically coupled to said transfer switch and to said monitoring circuit, said backup generator being capable of providing replacement power to said critical load in the event of a power failure, said generator having a startup circuit; and an energy storage system electrically coupled to the input of said DC-to-AC converter, to said startup circuit of said generator and to the monitoring circuit, said power failure detected by said monitoring circuit causing said energy storage system to provide temporary power to said critical load and startup power to said generator at least until said generator is running independently from said startup power. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
-
-
15. An energy storage system for use in an uninterruptible power supply that provides backup power to a critical load from a secondary power source, said energy storage system comprising:
-
an energy storage device that produces voltage at a first level, said first level being related to said backup power required by said critical load; and a conversion circuit for converting said voltage from said first level to a second level that may be used to start said secondary power source at least until said secondary power source is running independently from said second level voltage. - View Dependent Claims (16)
-
-
17. A method for providing backup power to a critical load in the event of a power failure, said method comprising the steps of:
-
monitoring for said power failure; producing a trigger signal to generate backup power from a backup generator when said step of monitoring detects a power failure; providing temporary power to said critical load until said backup generator comes online; and providing startup power to said backup generator at least until said backup generator is running independently from said startup power, said temporary power and said startup power being supplied from a single energy storage system. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20)
-
Specification