Telecommunications megasite with backup power system

• US 7,728,458 B2
• Filed: 01/05/2006
• Issued: 06/01/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 01/05/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: T-Mobile Innovations LLC (Deutsche Telekom AG)
• Original Assignee: Sprint Communications Company LP (Deutsche Telekom AG)
• Inventors: Meyers, Jerry, Johnson, Larry L., Willets, Julie A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Fleming; Fritz M
• Assistant Examiner(s): Parries; Dru M
• Application Number:
  US11/326,257
• Publication Number:
  US 20070152506A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,608 Days
• Field of Search: 307/66
• US Class Current: 307/66
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 1/10 Parallel operation of dc sources
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 9/061 for DC powered loads
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 90/10 Applications of fuel cells in buildings

Abstract

The present invention is an energy generating system for a telecommunications megasite which uses fuel cells and capacitors to backup a commercially available primary source of power.

Claims

1. A system for maintaining DC power to a telecommunications facility comprising:

means on a circuit for accommodating at least one power distribution unit (PDU), wherein said at least one PDU is connected to a primary DC bus;

said at least one PDU that supplies said DC power to said telecommunications facility;

means on said circuit for accepting a primary DC power source that provides power to said circuit via said primary DC bus unless said primary DC power source fails, said primary DC power source being derived from one of a commercial electrical power utility and an electric generator;

a plurality of fuels cells organized into a first bank of fuel cells and a second bank of fuel cells included on a backup DC bus that is electrically connected to said primary DC bus as a secondary DC power source for said circuit that provides power to said circuit if said primary DC power source fails to provide voltage above a predetermined voltage requirement;

a plurality of fuel tanks comprising a first group of storage tanks and a second group of storage tanks, said first bank of fuel cells being supplied only by said first group of storage tanks and said second bank of fuel cells being supplied only by said second group of storage tanks;

a first common fuel line that is supplied by said first group of storage tanks, wherein said first common fuel line divides into first individual fuel lines that supply fuel cells in said first bank of fuel cells;

a second common fuel line that is supplied by said second group of storage tanks, wherein said second common fuel line divides into second individual fuel lines that supply fuel cells in said second bank of fuel cells;

at least one automated valve located between said plurality of fuel cells and said plurality of fuel tanks that is closed during a normal mode of operation and that is opened by a control system when said primary DC power source fails to provide said voltage above said predetermined voltage requirement, wherein fuel is supplied to said plurality of fuel cells when said at least one automated valve is opened;

a diode between said primary DC power source and said plurality of fuel cells to prevent power from dissipating to said primary DC power source when said secondary DC power source provides power to said circuit; and

at least one capacitor included on said backup DC bus that facilitates bridging during fuel cell startup.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein said diode is located between said at least one capacitor and said primary DC power source.

3. The system of claim 2 wherein said diode is located between said at least one PDU and said primary DC power source.

4. A power supply system comprising:

a primary DC bus connected to at least one power-distribution device (PDU) that provides power to a telecommunications facility;

a primary DC power source connected to said primary DC bus that facilitates providing power to said telecommunications facility by maintaining DC power to said primary DC bus, said primary DC power source comprising at least one of a commercial electrical power utility and an electric generator, wherein said primary DC power source provides power to said telecommunications facility via said at least one PDU unless said primary DC power source fails;

a backup DC bus electrically connected to said primary DC bus by a linking circuit such that DC power maintained on said primary DC bus by said primary DC power source is also maintained on said backup DC bus;

a plurality of fuel cells organized into a first bank of fuel cells and a second bank of fuel cells connected to said backup DC bus, said plurality of fuel cells providing a secondary DC power source to said telecommunications facility via said at least one PDU, wherein said plurality of fuel cells provides power if said primary DC power source fails to provide voltage above a predetermined voltage requirement;

a fuel delivery system comprising a plurality of storage tanks, wherein said plurality of storage tanks comprises a first group of storage tanks and a second group of storage tanks, said first bank of fuel cells being supplied only by said first group of storage tanks and said second bank of fuel cells being supplied only by said second group of storage tanks;

a first common fuel line that is supplied by said first group of storage tanks, wherein said first common fuel line divides into first individual fuel lines that supply fuel cells in said first bank of fuel cells;

a second common fuel line that is supplied by said second group of storage tanks, wherein said second common fuel line divides into second individual fuel lines that supply fuel cells in said second bank of fuel cells;

at least one automated valve, located between said plurality of fuel cells and said plurality of storage tanks, that is closed during a normal mode of operation and that is opened by said control system when said primary DC power source fails to provide said voltage above said predetermined voltage requirement, wherein fuel is supplied to said plurality of fuel cells when said at least one automated valve is opened; and

a back-feed diode between said primary DC power source and said telecommunications facility that prevents power dissipation into said primary DC power source when said plurality of fuel cells provides power to said telecommunications facility.

5. The system of claim 4 including at least one capacitor connected to said backup DC bus which is adapted to provide power to said telecommunications facility during delays in fuel cell start up.

6. The system of claim 4 wherein said plurality of fuel cells comprises at least one proton exchange membrane (PEM).

7. The system of claim 5 wherein said plurality of fuel cells are adapted such that they have a collective output which meet or exceed electrical power requirements of 2000 A, 48V DC (100 KW).

8. The system of claim 5 wherein each of said at least one capacitor comprises a plurality of capacitors, each of said plurality of capacitors being associated with one of said plurality of fuel cells.

9. The system of claim 4 wherein said primary DC power source includes a conversion device which is adapted to accept AC power from an AC power source and convert said AC power into DC power.

10. The system of claim 5 wherein said fuel delivery system is a hydrogen delivery system.

11. A method of supplying power to a telecommunications facility via at least one power-distribution unit (PDU) on a primary DC bus, the method comprising:

receiving AC power from a commercial electrical power utility;

converting said AC power received into DC power, thereby providing a primary DC power source to said primary DC bus on a circuit, wherein said circuit further comprises a secondary DC power source on a backup DC bus electrically connected to said primary DC bus, the secondary DC power source comprising a plurality of fuel cells that converts fuel received from a plurality of fuel tanks, comprising a first group of fuel tanks and a second group of fuel tanks, into DC power, said plurality of fuel cells organized into a first bank of fuel cells and a second bank of fuel cells;

supplying fuel to said first bank of fuel cells only from said first group of fuel tanks, wherein a first common fuel line that is supplied by said first group of storage tanks divides into first individual fuel lines that supply fuel cells in said first bank of fuel cells;

supplying fuel to said second bank of fuel cells only from said second group of fuel tanks, wherein a second common fuel line that is supplied by said second group of storage tanks divides into second individual fuel lines that supply fuel cells in said second bank of fuel cells;

monitoring a voltage on said circuit, wherein said voltage is associated with said primary DC power source;

determining that said voltage is less than a predetermined voltage requirement;

activating said secondary DC power source in response to determining that said voltage is less than said predetermined voltage requirement, wherein activating comprises opening at least one automated valve disposed between said plurality of fuel cells and said plurality of fuel tanks to allow fuel to be received by said plurality of fuel cells, wherein said automated valve is closed during a normal mode of operation;

providing a back-feed diode to prevent dissipation of electrical power into said primary DC power source when said secondary DC power source provides power to said circuit;

providing at least one capacitor on said circuit to provide power to said circuit during fuel cell startup;

supplying power to said at least one PDU via said primary DC bus; and

supplying power to said telecommunications facility via said at least one PDU.