Power system for a telecommunications facility

• US 7,081,687 B2
• Filed: 07/22/2004
• Issued: 07/25/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 07/22/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• 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): Waks, Joseph
• Application Number:
  US10/896,535
• Publication Number:
  US 20060071476A1
• Time in Patent Office: 733 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 290/1.00A
• CPC Class Codes: B01B 1/005 Evaporation for physical or chemical purposes; Evaporation apparatus therefor, e.g. evaporation of liquids for gas phase reactions
• CPC Class Codes: F02B 3/06 with compression ignition compression ignition engines using air or gas for blowing fuel into compressed air in cylinder F02B13/02
• CPC Class Codes: F02B 43/10 Engines or plants characterised by use of other specific gases, e.g. acetylene, oxyhydrogen
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 19/023 to adjust the fuel mass or volume flow
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 29/06 peculiar to engines driving electric generators
• CPC Class Codes: F02M 21/0206 Non-hydrocarbon fuels, e.g. hydrogen, ammonia or carbon monoxide
• CPC Class Codes: F02M 21/0224 Secondary gaseous fuel storages
• CPC Class Codes: F02M 21/0287 characterised by the transition from liquid to gaseous phase F02M21/06 takes precedence; Injection in liquid phase; Cooling and low temperature storage
• CPC Class Codes: F02M 21/06 Apparatus for de-liquefying, e.g. by heating
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/30 Use of alternative fuels, e.g. biofuels

Abstract

An energy generating system for a telecommunications facility includes a hydrogen fuel supply system. The hydrogen fuel supply system includes a source of liquid hydrogen which uses a high pressure expansion tank along with additional storage tanks. The system also incorporates first and second stage heat exchangers. The first stage exchanger is used to benefit from the endothermic reaction created when liquid hydrogen transforms into vapor. The cooling provided from this state change is transferred into a second medium which is delivered into a second stage heat transfer device and then used for air conditioning purposes. The system also includes a hydrogen generator which may be used to create AC power by combusting vaporous hydrogen.

Claims

1. A power supply system for a telecommunications facility, comprising:

a liquid source;

a vaporizing system for the vaporization of a liquid from said liquid source into a vaporous fuel, said vaporizing system including a ventilated housing which is associated with a heater which is adapted to blow heated air across a portion of said vaporization system for the purpose of avoiding the development of frozen condensate on said vaporizing system, said vaporization resulting in heat absorption;

a cooling system which is adapted to use said heat absorption for cooling said facility; and

a generator which generates electric current using said vaporous fuel.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein said liquid comprises hydrogen.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein said generator comprises an internal combustion engine.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein said internal combustion engine is piston driven.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein said generator includes a proton exchange membrane.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein said electric current comprises alternating current.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein said electric current comprises direct current.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein said cooling system comprises:

a first heat transfer device which absorbs heat into at least one of a liquid and vaporous hydrogen from a heat transfer medium, said heat transfer medium being useable for cooling purposes.

9. The system of claim 8 wherein said heat transfer medium is a fluid.

10. The system of claim 9 wherein said fluid comprises ethylene glycol.

11. The system of claim 10 wherein said fluid comprises water.

12. The system of claim 8 wherein said heat transfer medium is a refrigerant.

13. The system of claim 8 further comprising a second heat transfer device which accepts said heat transfer medium from said first heat transfer device and uses said heat transfer medium for cooling purposes.

14. The system of claim 8, wherein said first heat transfer device is incorporated into said vaporizing system.

15. The system of claim 1, wherein said cooling system is used for air conditioning in the facility.

16. The system of claim 1, wherein said heater receives heat energy from a heat-delivering medium, said heat energy being drawn from a power-generating device.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein said power-generating device produces electricity.

18. The system of claim 16, wherein said power-generating device is said generator.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein said generator comprises an internal combustion engine.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein said heat-delivering medium is also used to cool the internal combustion engine.

21. The system of claim 20, wherein said heat-delivering medium is run through an engine jacket of the internal combustion engine and transmitted using an engine-jacket pump.

22. A method of supplying power for use in a telecommunications facility, comprising:

providing a liquid source;

vaporizing the liquid into a vaporous fuel using a conduit, blowing heated air past said conduit to prevent the development of frozen condensate thereon, said vaporization resulting in heat absorption;

using said heat absorption for cooling purposes in the telecommunications facility; and

generating electric current using said vaporous fuel.

23. The method of claim 22, comprising:

selecting hydrogen as the liquid.

24. The method of claim 22, comprising:

combusting the vaporous fuel in accomplishing the generating step.

25. The method of claim 22, comprising:

combusting the vaporous fuel in a piston-driven internal combustion engine in accomplishing the generating step.

26. The method of claim 22, comprising:

introducing the vaporous fuel into a proton exchange membrane in accomplishing said generating step.

27. The method of claim 22, comprising:

absorbing heat into at least one of said liquid and vaporous hydrogen from a heat transfer medium; and

using said heat transfer medium for cooling purposes.

28. The method of claim 27, comprising:

selecting a fluid to serve as the heat transfer medium.

29. The method of claim 27, comprising:

selecting ethylene glycol to comprise a part of said heat transfer medium.

30. The method of claim 27, comprising:

receiving said heat transfer medium after said heat has been absorbed out of it; and

cooling with said heat transfer medium.

31. The method of claim 30, comprising:

air conditioning a portion of said facility using cooling provided by said heat transfer medium.

32. The method of claim 22, comprising:

including said conduit in a housing;

ventilating said housing; and

transmitting said heated air in and out of said housing.

33. The method of claim 22, comprising:

drawing heat energy from a power-generating device in creating said heated air.

34. The method of claim 22, comprising:

drawing heat energy from an internal combustion engine in creating said heated air.

35. The method of claim 22, comprising:

drawing heat energy from the same device used to accomplish said generating step in creating said heated air.

36. The method of claim 22, comprising:

deriving a heat-delivering medium from a power-generating device in creating said heated air.

37. The method of claim 36, comprising:

selecting as said heat-delivering medium a fluid used to cool said power-generating device.

38. The method of claim 37, comprising:

pumping said heat-delivering medium from an engine jacket on said power-generating device in creating said heated air; and

returning said heat-delivering medium to said engine jacket after it has been used in creating said heated air.