Back-up power system for a cooling system

• US 7,566,989 B2
• Filed: 12/13/2005
• Issued: 07/28/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 12/13/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: T-Mobile Innovations LLC (Deutsche Telekom AG)
• Original Assignee: Sprint Communications Company LP (Deutsche Telekom AG)
• Inventors: Meyers, Gerald D., Johnson, Larry L., Willets, Julie
• Primary Examiner(s): Paladini; Albert W.
• Assistant Examiner(s): AMAYA, CARLOS DAVID
• Application Number:
  US11/302,303
• Publication Number:
  US 20070132317A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,323 Days
• Field of Search: 307 64- 66, 307 44- 45, 307/56, 307/86
• US Class Current: 307/64
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 2008/1095 Fuel cells with polymeric electrolytes
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/00 Fuel cells; Manufacture thereof
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2300/30 The power source being a fuel cell
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 9/062 for AC powered loads
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 90/10 Applications of fuel cells in buildings
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/50 Fuel cells

Abstract

A power system that serves as a source of dedicated back-up power for a cooling system is disclosed. The power system utilizes a plurality of fuel cells, which produce direct current (DC) power. A conversion device, such as an inverter, is used to convert the DC into alternating current (AC) for powering the cooling system. A transfer switch connects the AC power from the inverter to the cooling system. The position of the transfer switch determines the source of AC power for the cooling system.

Claims

1. A dedicated back-up power source providing alternating current (AC) to a cooling system, the dedicated back-up power source comprising:

a source of direct current (DC) for supplying the DC to a DC bus;

the DC bus coupled to the source of DC for passing the DC to an inverter;

the inverter, coupled to the DC bus, for powering the cooling system by converting said DC to AC;

a transfer switch capable of switching between the primary power source and the dedicated back-up power source, wherein the transfer switch is initially positioned to couple a primary AC utility to the cooling system, and wherein the transfer switch is alternatively positioned to couple the source of DC exclusively to the cooling system upon reaching the predetermined operating limits, and wherein reaching the predetermined operating limits comprises ascertaining that an operating temperature of telecommunications equipment being cooled by the cooling system is exceeding an acceptable temperature range and ascertaining that the primary AC utility is unavailable.

2. The back-up power source of claim 1, wherein said source of DC is a fuel cell.

3. The back-up power source of claim 2, wherein said fuel cell is supplied with hydrogen.

4. The back-up power source of claim 3, wherein said hydrogen is stored in a plurality of tanks, and wherein said plurality of tanks are sized to provide at least 24 hours of cooling to the telecommunications equipment upon coupling the dedicated back-up power source exclusively to the cooling system.

5. The back-up power source of claim 2, wherein said fuel cell comprises at least one proton exchange member.

6. The back-up power source of claim 1, wherein said source of DC is activated when the operating temperature of the telecommunications equipment exceeds the acceptable temperature range, wherein an upper limit of the acceptable temperature range is based on operating requirements of the telecommunications equipment.

7. The back-up power source of claim 6, wherein said cooling system directs cool air to said telecommunications equipment, as opposed to an entire telecommunications facility, to lower said operating temperatures.

8. The back-up power source of claim 6, wherein said telecommunications equipment comprises routers, switching equipment, and other heat-generating devices.

9. The back-up power source of claim 6, wherein said transfer switch closes a circuit with said source of DC and said inverter when said source of DC is activated.

10. The back-up power source of claim 1, wherein all of said AC from said inverter is directed to power said cooling system.

11. A method of providing a dedicated back-up power source for a cooling system, said method comprising:

monitoring air temperature proximate to telecommunications equipment, utilizing an equipment temperature sensor, to determine whether the air temperature proximate to the telecommunications equipment exceeds predetermined limits;

initiating a back-up power source upon determining that predetermined operating limits are reached, wherein the back-up power source is dedicated for exclusively powering the cooling system wherein determining comprises;

(a) ascertaining that the air temperature proximate to the telecommunications equipment being cooled by the cooling system exceeds a predefined upper limit air temperature; and

(b) ascertaining that a primary power source for powering said cooling system is unavailable;

switching said cooling system to said back-up power source; and

directing power from said back-up power source through an inverter and to said cooling system.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein said back-up source is a fuel cell that generates direct current (DC).

13. The method of claim 12, wherein said fuel cell comprises at least one proton exchange member.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein said fuel cell is supplied with hydrogen from a plurality of storage tanks.

15. The method of claim 11, wherein said step of switching comprises terminating a closed circuit with the primary power source and initiating a closed circuit with said back-up power source, and wherein the method further comprises terminating the closed loop with the back-up power source upon ascertaining that the air temperature proximate to the telecommunications equipment being cooled by the cooling system has dropped below the predefined upper limit air temperature.

16. A site for providing transmission of communication signals across a network, said site having at least a primary AC power source for powering a cooling system and a dedicated back-up power source for said cooling system comprising:

a utility AC that serves as a primary power source for powering telecommunications equipment and the cooling system, wherein the cooling system directs cooling air to predetermined units of the telecommunications equipment according to cooling requirements;

a redundant back-up system for providing back-up power to the telecommunications equipment such that no power from the dedicated back-up power supply is used for purposes other than maintaining operation of the cooling system;

the dedicated back-up power source for exclusively powering the cooling system when predetermined operating limits of the predetermined units are reached, the dedicated back-up power source comprising;

(a) a source of direct current (DC) for supplying the DC to a DC bus;

(b) the DC bus coupled to the source of DC for passing the DC to an inverter; and

(c) the inverter, coupled to the DC bus, for powering the cooling system by converting said DC to AC;

an equipment temperature sensor capable of continually monitoring air temperature proximate to the telecommunications equipment; and

a transfer switch capable of switching between the primary power source and the dedicated back-up power source, wherein the transfer switch is initially positioned to couple the primary power source to the cooling system, and wherein the transfer switch is alternatively positioned to exclusively couple the dedicated back-up power source to the cooling system upon reaching the predetermined operating limits, and wherein reaching the predetermined operating limits comprises ascertaining that the air temperature proximate to the telecommunications equipment being cooled by the cooling system exceeds an acceptable temperature range and ascertaining that the utility AC and the redundant back-up system are unavailable.

17. The site of claim 16, further comprising a plurality of heat-generating telecommunications equipment requiring cooling by said cooling system.

18. The site of claim 16, wherein said source of DC is a fuel cell supplied with hydrogen.

19. The site of claim 18, wherein said fuel cell comprises at least one proton exchange member.

20. The site of claim 16, wherein said source of DC is not activated when the air temperature proximate to the telecommunications equipment exceeds the acceptable temperature range but when said primary power source is available.