Power system for a telecommunication facility

• US 6,960,838 B2
• Filed: 11/15/2002
• Issued: 11/01/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 11/15/2002
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: T-Mobile Innovations LLC (Deutsche Telekom AG)
• Original Assignee: Sprint Communications Company LP (Deutsche Telekom AG)
• Inventors: Johnson, Larry L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Ponomarenko, Nicholas
• Application Number:
  US10/298,074
• Publication Number:
  US 20040094963A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,082 Days
• Field of Search: 290/1.R, 290/1.A, 290/2, 322/7, 307/64, 307/71
• US Class Current: 290/1.00A
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 9/06 with automatic change-over , e.g. UPS systems
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 7/06 using discharge tubes without control electrode or semiconductor devices without control electrode
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 90/10 Applications of fuel cells in buildings
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 90/40 Fuel cell technologies in production processes

Abstract

A power system specifically designed to provide reliable electrical power to a telecommunication facility is disclosed. The system includes a number of microturbine generators adapted to provide AC power that is then rectified to DC power by an array of rectifiers. The system is configured so that the microturbine generators are fueled initially by utility-supplied natural gas. In the event the utility-supplied natural gas fails, the system provides propane from a storage tank to fuel the microturbine generators. If both microturbine generator fuel sources fail or their fuel supply becomes exhausted, power is supplied to the rectifiers by a commercial electrical utility. The system also includes a number of hydrogen-powered proton exchange membranes that are operable to supply DC power directly to the facility if both the microturbine generators and the electrical utility fail. Finally, a number of super capacitors are coupled to the bus line directly connected to the facility in order to maintain power if it becomes necessary to switch power sources.

Claims

1. A power supply system for providing reliable electrical power to a telecommunications facility, said facility containing telecommunications equipment, said system comprising:

at least one microturbine generator operable to produce AC electrical power and adapted to be powered by a fuel;

at least one rectifier operable to convert said AC electrical power received from said at least one microturbine generator to DC electrical power adaptable to power said telecommunication equipment;

at least one capacitor coupled to the output of said at least one rectifier; and

at least one proton exchange membrane that is operable to produce DC electrical power adaptable to power said telecommunication equipment, said at least one proton exchange membrane adapted to be powered by a fuel.

2. A system as set forth in claim 1 wherein said fuel for said at least one microturbine generator is natural gas.

3. A system as set forth in claim 2 wherein said natural gas is supplied by a commercial utility.

4. A system as set forth in claim 1 wherein said fuel for said at least one microturbine generator is propane.

5. A system as set forth in claim 4 wherein said propane is stored on site.

6. A system as set forth in claim 1 further comprising a primary fuel line containing a primary fuel valve and a backup fuel line containing a backup fuel valve, wherein both said primary fuel line and said backup fuel line are coupled to said at least one microturbine generator.

7. A system as set forth in claim 6 further comprising a microturbine generator fuel control operable to open and close said primary fuel valve and said backup fuel valve.

8. A system as set forth in claim 1 further comprising a switching mechanism coupled between said at least one microturbine generator and said at least one rectifier and operable to provide AC electrical power from said at least one microturbine generator to said at least one rectifier so long as said AC electrical power from said at least one microturbine generator remains above a predetermined value and to provide AC electrical power from a commercial utility to said at least one rectifier if said AC electrical power from said at least one microturbine generator falls below said predetermined value.

9. A system as set forth in claim 1 wherein said fuel for said at least one proton exchange membrane is hydrogen.

10. A system as set forth in claim 9 wherein said hydrogen is stored on site.

11. A system as set forth in claim 10 further comprising a proton exchange membrane fuel line containing a fuel valve.

12. A system as set forth in claim 1 further comprising a proton exchange membrane fuel control operable to open said fuel valve in said proton exchange membrane fuel line if the AC electrical power provided to said rectifiers falls below a predetermined value.

13. A power supply system for providing reliable electrical power to a telecommunications facility, said facility containing telecommunications equipment, said system comprising:

at least one microturbine generator operable to produce AC electrical power and adapted to be powered by a fuel;

means for receiving AC power from an electric utility;

at least one rectifier operable to convert said AC electrical power to DC electrical power adaptable to power said telecommunication equipment, said AC electrical power received from either said at least one microturbine generator or said electric utility; and

at least one capacitor coupled to the output of said at least one rectifier;

at least one proton exchange membrane that is operable to produce DC electrical power adaptable to power said telecommunication equipment, said at least one proton exchange membrane adapted to be powered by a fuel;

a first control means for switching from said AC electrical power produced by said at least one microturbine generator to said AC power from said electric utility; and

a second control means for switching from said DC power produce by said rectifiers to DC power produced by said at least one proton exchange membrane.

14. A system as set forth in claim 13 further comprising means to monitor said AC electrical power produced by said at least one microturbine generator.

15. A system as set forth in claim 13 further comprising means to monitor said AC electrical power received from said electric utility.

16. A system as set forth in claim 13 further comprising a primary fuel line containing a primary fuel valve and a backup fuel line containing a backup fuel valve, wherein both said primary fuel line and said backup fuel line are coupled to said at least one microturbine generators.

17. A systems as set forth in claim 16 further comprising means for monitoring the flow of fuel in said primary fuel line.

18. A system as set forth in claim 16 further comprising means for controlling said primary fuel valve and said backup fuel valve.

19. A method for supplying power to a telecommunications facility from a power supply system, said method comprising the following steps:

providing fuel to at least one microturbine generator, said at least one microturbine generator operable to produce AC electrical power;

providing said AC electrical power produced by said at least one microturbine generator to at least one rectifier, said rectifier operable to convert said AC electrical power to DC electrical power;

providing said DC electrical power from said at least one rectifier to at least one capacitor;

providing said DC electrical power from said at least one rectifier to said telecommunications facility; and

providing DC power produced by at least one proton exchange membrane if said AC power received at said receivers fails below a predetermined value.

20. A method as set forth in claim 19 wherein said at least one microturbine generator is capable of receiving fuel from both a primary fuel source and a backup fuel source and said step of providing fuel to at least one microturbine generator further comprises the steps of:

providing said primary fuel to said at least one microturbine generator; and

providing said backup fuel to said at least one microturbine generator if the flow of said primary fuel falls below a predetermined value.

21. A method as set forth in claim 19 further comprising the step of:

providing AC power from an electric utility to said at least one rectifiers if said AC power from said microturbine generators falls below a predetermined value.