Universal energy supply system

• US 20040252431A1
• Filed: 08/05/2004
• Published: 12/16/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 09/19/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Onesubsea IP UK Limited (Schlumberger NV)
• Original Assignee: Cooper Cameron Corporation (Schlumberger NV)
• Inventors: Biester, Klaus, Kunow, Peter
• Granted Patent: US 7,453,170 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 361/90
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 3/1584 with a plurality of power processing stages connected in parallel

Abstract

A universal energy supply system for at least one electrical consumer comprises at least one AC voltage source and a cable connection connecting the source with the electrical consumer, wherein an AC/DC converting means is assigned to the AC voltage source for converting the AC voltage into DC voltage which DC voltage can be supplied to the electrical consumer via the cable connection. To improve such a universal energy supply system in that with small constructional efforts and with low costs, the energy supply to an electrical consumer is guaranteed also over great distances and the corresponding voltage supply is stabilised, the efficiency being relatively high at the same time and the system being redundant, the AC/DC conversion means comprises a number of AC/DC converting units which are connected in parallel with the AC voltage source on the input side and are serially connected to the electric consumer on the output side, each converting unit being constructed as a blocked switch mode power supply.

Claims

1. A universal energy supply system for at least one electrical consumer, comprising.

at least one AC voltage source;

a cable connection connecting the AC voltage source with the electrical consumer (2); and

an AC/DC converter coupled between the AC voltage source and the at least one electrical consumer, wherein the AC/DC converter is operable to convert an AC voltage into DC voltage, which DC voltage is supplied to the electrical consumer via the cable connection, and wherein the AC/DC converter comprises;

a number of AC/DC converting units which are connected in parallel, on an input side, with the AC voltage source and which are serially connected to the electrical consumer on an output side, wherein each AC/DC converting unit is constructed as a clocked switch mode power supply.

2. A Universal energy supply system according to claim 1 wherein the switched mode power supply is designed as a primarily clocked flyback converter.

3. A universal energy supply system according to claim 2 wherein the flyback converter comprises a clocked switching device.

4. A universal energy supply system according to claim 3 wherein the clocked switching device is clocked according to a controllable pulse width modulator.

5. A universal energy supply system according to claim 3 wherein an output voltage of the switched mode power supply is adjustable to any value up to a limit value below the breakdown voltage of a component of the clocked switching device.

6. A universal energy supply system according to claim 3 wherein a clock frequency of the clocked switching device is within a range between one kilohertz and a few hundred kilohertz.

7. A universal energy supply system according to claim 1 wherein at least a few of the clock switch mode power supplies have phase-shifted clock frequencies relative to one another.

8. A universal energy supply system according to claim 1 further comprising a controller that is assigned to one or more components selected from a group consisting of

the AC voltage source, the AC/DC converter, the AC/DC converting units, and a data signal coupler/decoupler.

9. A universal energy supply system according to claim 8 further comprising a filter arranged between the AC/DC converter and the at least one electrical consumer.

10. A universal energy supply system according to claim 9 wherein the data signal coupler/decoupler is coupled to the cable connection between the filter and the at least one electrical consumer.

11. A universal energy supply system according to claim 10 wherein the controller allows communication between the AC voltage source, the AC/DC converting units, the data coupler/decoupler, and the filter.

12. A universal energy supply system according to claim 1 wherein each AC/DC converting units comprises at least one component selected from the group consisting of a power factor controller, an undervoltage detector, and an overcurrent monitor.

13. A universal energy supply system according to claim 1 wherein an output voltage of each individual AC/DC converting unit is controlled separately.

14. A universal energy supply system according to claim 1 wherein the cable connection comprises at least one coaxial cable.

15. A system for supplying power to an electrical device, the system comprising:

an AC source;

a plurality of AC/DC converters, wherein inputs of the AC/DC converters are connected to the AC source and wherein outputs of the AC/DC converters are connected to the electrical device via an electrical conductor; and

a data coupling device coupled to the electrical conductor, wherein the data coupling device communicates with the electrical device via signals associated with a first frequency range while power is supplied to the electrical device via the electrical conductor,

wherein clocking frequencies associated with one or more of the AC/DC converters are phase shifted with respect to each other to shift clocking noise from the first frequency range to a second frequency range.

16. The system of claim 15 wherein the plurality of AC/DC converters supply a high DC voltage to the electrical device via the electrical conductor without a cooling mechanism that would otherwise be needed when less than the plurality of AC/DC converters are implemented to supply the high DC voltage to the electrical device.

17. The system of claim 15 further comprising a controller coupled to each of the AC/DC power converters, wherein the controller regulates one or more functions of each AC/DC power converter.

18. The system of claim 17 wherein the controller detects a failure of an AC/DC converter and causes other AC/DC converters to compensate for the failed AC/DC converter.

19. The system of claim 17 wherein the controller independently controls an output power of each AC/DC converter.

20. The system of claim 16 wherein the AC/DC converters are in a spaced relationship with each other such that heat from the AC/DC converters is dissipated without the need of a cooling component.

21. The system of claim 17 wherein each AC/DC converter includes a switching mechanism that permits each AC/DC converter to be clocked independently of a frequency of the AC source.

22. The system of claim 21 wherein each AC/DC converter inlcudes a pulse width modulator coupled to the switching mechanism wherein the controller controls the pulse width modulator such that the switching mechanism is clocked according to a pulse width modulated signal.

23. The system of claim 15 wherein the data sent to the electrical device via the electrical conductor controls the electrical device.

24. The system of claim 15 wherein the data received from the electrical device is used to monitor the electrical device.

25. The system of claim 15 wherein the electrical device is an actuator.

26. The system of claim 15 wherein the electrical conductor is a coaxial cable.

27. The system of claim 15 wherein the electrical conductor is at least one kilometer in length.

28. The system of claim 27 wherein the electrical device is part of a fluid line.

29. A system for supplying power from a first location to a difficult to reach second location, the system comprising:

an AC voltage source for disposal at the first location;

an actuating device at the second location;

a plurality of AC/DC converters for disposal at the first location, each having an input side connected to the AC source and an output side connected to an electrical conductor extending to the actuating device at the second location.

30. The system of claim 29 further including a data coupling device coupled to the electrical conductor to communicate with the actuating device via signals associated with a first frequency range.

31. The system of claim 30 wherein clocking frequencies associated with one or more of the AC/DC converters are phase shifted with respect to each other to shift clocking noise from the first frequency range to a second frequency range.

32. The system of claim 29 wherein the AC/DC converters are in a spaced relationship with each other such that heat from the AC/DC converters is dissipated without the need of a cooling component.

33. A system for supplying power from a first location to a remote location, the system comprising:

an AC voltage source;

a remote electrical device;

a plurality of AC/DC converters wherein the inputs of the AC/DC converters are connected in parallel to the AC source and wherein outputs of the AC/DC converters are connected serially to the remote electrical device via a conductor,

each AC/DC converter comprising a clocked switch mode power supply; and

wherein the length of the conductor is at least one kilometer.