System and method for maintaining power to electrical systems

• US 9,041,250 B1
• Filed: 03/15/2012
• Issued: 05/26/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 03/15/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc. (Amazon.com, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc. (Amazon.com, Inc.)
• Inventors: Czamara, Michael P.
• Primary Examiner(s): DEBERADINIS, ROBERT L
• Application Number:
  US13/420,743
• Time in Patent Office: 1,167 Days
• Field of Search: 307/64
• US Class Current: 307/64
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/26 Power supply means, e.g. regulation thereof for memories G11C
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/28 Supervision thereof, e.g. detecting power-supply failure by out of limits supervision
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/30 Means for acting in the event of power-supply failure or interruption, e.g. power-supply fluctuations for resetting only G06F1/24
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 9/062 for AC powered loads
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 70/30 Systems integrating technologies related to power network operation and communication or information technologies for improving the carbon footprint of the management of residential or tertiary loads, i.e. smart grids as climate change mitigation technology in the buildings sector, including also the last stages of power distribution and the control, monitoring or operating management systems at local level
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 70/3225 Demand response systems, e.g. load shedding, peak shaving
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 20/222 Demand response systems, e.g. load shedding, peak shaving
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 20/248 UPS systems or standby or emergency generators

Abstract

A back-up feed system includes a feed input, a feed output, and a feed switching device. The feed input is coupled with an electrical power source. The feed output can couple with power lines in a power distribution unit at a location downstream from circuit protection devices the power distribution unit. The feed switching device can supply back-up electrical power from the power source to electrical systems in the event of a fault condition in the power distribution unit.

Claims

1. A power distribution system, comprising:

one or more rack power distribution units configured to supply electrical power to one or more electrical systems through one or more power lines;

a primary power system configured to supply electrical power to at least one of the power lines in at least one of the one or more rack power distribution units; and

one or more back-up feed systems, wherein at least one of the one or more back-up feed systems comprises;

a feed input coupled with an electrical power source;

a feed output coupled with the at least one of the one or more power lines in the at least one of the one or more rack power distribution units at a location downstream from at least one circuit protection device in the at least one of the one or more rack power distribution units; and

a feed switching device configured to supply back-up electrical power from the power source to at least one of the one or more electrical systems during a loss of electrical power from the primary power system via the feed output.

2. The power distribution system of claim 1, wherein the feed output of the at least one back-up feed system comprises one or more cables comprising one or more feed lines, wherein at least one of the cables is configured to couple in a rack PDU output receptacle in the at least one rack power distribution unit, wherein the feed lines are configured to supply power to the electrical systems through the rack PDU output receptacle.

3. The power distribution system of claim 1, wherein the at least one back-up feed system further comprises a power sensing device configured to sense power characteristics in the at least one rack power distribution unit.

4. The power distribution system of claim 1, wherein the at least one back-up feed system is configured to control the feed switching device to switch on back-up power to the at least one rack power distribution unit in response to a fault condition in the power being supplied to electrical systems through the at least one rack power distribution unit.

5. The power distribution system of claim 1, wherein the at least one back-up feed system is configured to supply back-up power to two or more lines in the at least one rack power distribution unit.

6. The power distribution system of claim 1, wherein the at least one back-up feed system is configured to supply back-up power in two or more phase combinations.

7. The power distribution system of claim 6, wherein the at least one back-up feed system is configured to switch phase combinations to the feed output among two or more different phase combinations.

8. The power distribution system of claim 1, wherein the one or more rack PDUs comprises two or more rack PDUs, wherein one of the one or more back-up feed systems is configured to supply back-up power to two or more power lines in at least two of the two or more rack power distribution units.

9. The power distribution system of claim 1, wherein the at least one back-up feed system is coupled to two or more power lines in at least one of one or more rack power distribution units, wherein the at least one back-up feed system is oversubscribed such that the back-up feed system is configured to supply power to only some of the power lines at any given time.

10. The power distribution system of claim 1, wherein the at least one back-up feed system comprises two or more back-up feed systems, wherein each of at least two of the back-up feed systems is configured to supply back-up power in a phase combination different from at least one of the other back-up feed systems.

11. A back-up feed system, comprising:

a feed input configured to couple with, and receive power from, an electrical power source; and

a feed output configured to couple with one or more power lines in one or more power distribution units at a location downstream from at least one circuit protection device in at least one of the one or more power distribution units; and

a feed switching device configured to supply, via the feed output, back-up electrical power from the power source when a fault condition exists in the power distribution unit.

12. The back-up feed system of claim 11, wherein the feed output comprises one or more cables comprising one or more feed lines, wherein at least one of the one or more cables is configured to couple in a PDU output receptacle in at least one of the one or more power distribution units, wherein the feed lines are configured to supply power to the electrical systems through the PDU output receptacle.

13. The back-up feed system of claim 11, further comprises a power sensing device configured to sense power characteristics in the at least one power distribution unit.

14. The back-up feed system of claim 13, wherein the feed output comprises one or more feed lines configured to couple with power lines in at least one of the one or more power distribution units,

wherein the back-up feed system further comprising one or more power sensing devices, wherein at least one of the power sensing devices is configured to sense, over at least one of the feed lines, one or more characteristics or conditions of power in the at least one power distribution unit.

15. The back-up feed system of claim 13, wherein the feed output comprises one or more feed lines configured to couple with power lines in at least one of the one or more power distribution units and one or more sensor lines configured to carry a signal from at least one of the power lines of the at least one power distribution unit to the power sensing device,

wherein the back-up feed system further comprising one or more power sensing devices, wherein at least one of the power sensing devices is configured to sense, over at least one of the sensor lines, one or more characteristics or conditions of power in the at least one power distribution unit.

16. The back-up feed system of claim 11, wherein at least one of the one or more power sensing devices is in the at least one power distribution unit.

17. The back-up feed system of claim 11, wherein the back-up feed system is configured to supply back-up power in two or more phase combinations.

18. The back-up feed system of claim 11, wherein the back-up feed systems is configurable to supply back-up power to two or more power lines in the at least one power distribution unit.

19. The back-up feed system of claim 11, wherein the back-up feed system is configured to selectively supply power in two or more different phase combinations to two or more different power lines in at least one of the one or more one or more power distribution units.

20. The back-up feed system of claim 11, wherein the back-up feed system is configured to control the feed switching device to switch on back-up power to the at least one rack power distribution unit in response to a fault condition in the power being supplied to electrical systems through the at least one rack power distribution unit.

21. The back-up feed system of claim 20, wherein the back-up feed system is configured to switch on back-up power to the at least one power distribution unit in response to sensing a fault condition in the at least one power distribution unit.

22. The back-up feed system of claim 20, wherein the back-up feed system is configured to switch on back-up power to the at least one power distribution unit in response to receiving a message from an external device.

23. The back-up feed system of claim 20, wherein the back-up feed system is configured to switch on back-up power to the at least one power distribution unit in response to at least one circuit protection device tripping in the at least one power distribution unit.

24. The back-up feed system of claim 11, further comprising a controller configured to control the feed switching device to switch a back-up feed to the at least one power distribution unit on or off.

25. The back-up feed system of claim 11, wherein the feed switching device comprises one or more relays, wherein at least one of the relays is operable to open or close to switch a feed to the at least one power distribution unit on or off.

26. A method of maintaining electrical power to electrical systems in operation, comprising:

coupling one or more feed lines with one or more power lines in one or more power distribution units, wherein at least one of the feed lines is coupled to at least one of the power lines at a location downstream from a circuit protection device in at least one of the one or more power distribution units, wherein the at least one power distribution unit is included in a primary power distribution system that supplies power to one or more electrical systems;

detecting a fault condition in the primary power distribution system;

switching on a back-up feed in response to the fault condition; and

supplying back-up power from the back-up feed through the feed lines to at least one of the electrical systems.

27. The method of claim 26, wherein detecting a fault condition in the primary power distribution system comprises sensing one or more characteristics or conditions of power in the at least one power distribution unit through one or more feed lines to the at least one power distribution unit.

28. The method of claim 26, wherein detecting a fault condition in the primary power distribution system comprises detecting a loss of power to at least one circuit in the at least one power distribution unit.

29. The method of claim 26, further comprising:

detecting a phase combination of two or more output lines in the at least one power distribution unit; and

supplying power through the back-up feed to at least one of the electrical systems, wherein the power is supplied in the detected phase combination.

30. The method of claim 29, wherein detecting the phase combination comprises detecting one or more power characteristics on one or more of the feed lines to the at least one power distribution unit.

31. The method of claim 29, wherein detecting the phase combination comprises supplying power through the back-up feed to at least one of the electrical systems comprising synchronizing a feed from a power source with power in the at least one power distribution unit.

32. The method of claim 26, wherein coupling one or more feed lines with one or more power lines in one or more power distribution units comprises oversubscribing a feed system such that the feed system has the capacity to provide back-up power to only some of the electrical systems coupled to the one or more power lines of the one or more power distribution units.