POWER SYSTEM FOR A TELECOMMUNICATIONS NETWORK

• US 20080094868A1
• Filed: 12/06/2006
• Published: 04/24/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 05/18/2005
• 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.
• Granted Patent: US 9,142,844 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 363/98
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 16/003 of fuel cells with other electrochemical devices, e.g. capacitors, electrolysers
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 2008/1095 Fuel cells with polymeric electrolytes
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 2250/10 Fuel cells in stationary systems, e.g. emergency power source in plant
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 2250/402 Combination of fuel cell with other electric generators combination of fuel cells with other electrochemical generator H01M16/003
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/04089 of gaseous reactants
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/04208 Cartridges, cryogenic media or cryogenic reservoirs
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/04388 of anode reactants at the inlet or inside the fuel cell
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/04425 at auxiliary devices, e.g. reformers, compressors, burners
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/04746 Pressure; Flow
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/04753 of fuel cell reactants
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/04917 of auxiliary devices, e.g. batteries, capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/04947 of auxiliary devices, e.g. batteries, capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/04992 characterised by the implementation of mathematical or computational algorithms, e.g. feedback control loops, fuzzy logic, neural networks or artificial intelligence
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/0606 with means for production of gaseous reactants
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/0612 from carbon-containing material
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/249 comprising two or more groupings of fuel cells, e.g. modular assemblies
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 90/10 Applications of fuel cells in buildings
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/50 Fuel cells

Abstract

A reliable, end-to-end power supply solution for components of a telecommunications network provides either a primary source or a backup source of electrical power at various telecommunications sites for reliable operation of telecommunications equipment. One subsystem of the power supply solution includes one or more proton exchange membrane type fuel cells and an energy storage device for storing DC electrical power produced by the fuel cells. Another subsystem includes one or more microturbine generators, one or more rectifiers for converting AC electrical power produced by the microturbine generators to DC electrical power, and one or more proton exchange membrane type fuel cells for producing DC electrical power. The power supply solution ensures that voice and data traffic is reliably handled by a telecommunications network in situations where commercial electric utilities fail to supply power at certain points along the network.

Claims

1. A power system for a telecommunications network, comprising:

a first subsystem for providing DC electrical power to a first telecommunications network location, including at least one proton exchange membrane operable to produce DC electrical power as well as an energy storage device for storing the DC electrical power; and

a second subsystem for providing DC electrical power to a second telecommunications network location, including at least one microturbine generator operable to produce AC electrical power, at least one rectifier operable to convert the AC electrical power from the at least one microturbine generator to DC electrical power, and at least one proton exchange membrane operable to produce DC electrical power.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the first telecommunications network location comprises a wireless communication site utilizing a base transceiver system.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the second telecommunications network location comprises a telecommunications exchange or a point of presence server.

4. The system of claim 1, further comprising a third subsystem for providing DC electrical power to a multiple systems operator, the third stage component including at least one proton exchange membrane operable to produce DC electrical power and an inverter for converting incoming AC electrical power to DC electrical power.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the at least one proton exchange membrane of the third subsystem comprises a first series of proton exchange membranes on a first circuit and a second series of proton exchange membranes on a second circuit, the third subsystem further including at least one power distribution unit connected with the first circuit and wherein the inverter is connected with the second circuit.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the second subsystem further includes an energy storage device for storing the DC electrical power.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the energy storage device of the second subsystem comprises one or more capacitors.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the second subsystem further includes an inverter for converting incoming AC electrical power to DC electrical power.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the energy storage device of the first subsystem comprises one or more capacitors.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one proton exchange membrane of the first subsystem comprises:

a first proton exchange membrane adapted to directly receive hydrogen fuel from a hydrogen storage device; and

a second proton exchange membrane adapted to receive hydrogen fuel from a hydrogen reformer coupled with a fuel storage device.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one proton exchange membrane of the second subsystem comprises:

a first proton exchange membrane adapted to directly receive hydrogen fuel from a hydrogen storage device; and

a second proton exchange membrane adapted to receive hydrogen fuel from a hydrogen reformer coupled with a fuel storage device.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one proton exchange membrane of the second subsystem comprises one or more proton exchange membranes on a first circuit as well as one or more proton exchange membranes on a second circuit, the at least one microturbine generator and the at least one rectifier being connected to the first circuit, the second subsystem further including an inverter for converting incoming AC electrical power to DC electrical power and connected with at least the second circuit.

13. A method for supplying power to a telecommunications network, comprising:

at a wireless communication site utilizing a base transceiver system,

providing DC electrical power from at least a first proton exchange membrane, and

providing DC electrical power from an energy storage device operable during at least a startup phase of power generation of the at least a first proton exchange membrane; and

at a telecommunications exchange or a point of presence server,

providing AC electrical power from at least one microturbine generator operational and converting the AC electrical power from the at least one microturbine generator to DC electrical power via at least one rectifier during a first operational phase, and

providing DC electrical power from at least a first proton exchange membrane during a second operational phase,

wherein the first operational phase and the second operation phase do not substantially overlap.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

at a multiple systems operator,

providing DC electrical power from at least a first proton exchange membrane during a first operational phase, and

providing DC electrical power converted from incoming AC electrical power via an inverter during a second operational phase.

15. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

at the telecommunications exchange or the point of presence server,

providing DC electrical power from an energy storage device operable during at least a portion of the second operational phase.

16. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

at the telecommunications exchange or the point of presence server,

providing incoming AC electrical power and converting the incoming AC electrical power to DC electrical power via at least one rectifier during a third operational phase.

17. The method of claim 13, wherein

at the wireless communication site utilizing a base transceiver system,

DC electrical power is provided from the first proton exchange membrane and from a second proton exchange membrane,

wherein the first proton exchange membrane is adapted to operate substantially during a first operational phase and to directly receive hydrogen fuel from a hydrogen storage device, and

wherein the second proton exchange membrane is adapted to operate substantially during a second operational phase and to receive hydrogen fuel from a hydrogen reformer coupled with a fuel storage device.