Capacitor-Based UPS

• US 20140015321A1
• Filed: 06/10/2013
• Published: 01/16/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 06/11/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Panduit Corporation
• Original Assignee: Panduit Corporation
• Inventors: Nordin, Ronald A.
• Granted Patent: US 9,966,758 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 307/43
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/42 AC power supplies
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/64 Testing of capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 1/001 Hot plugging or unplugging of load or power modules to or from power distribution networks
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0014 Circuits for equalisation of charge between batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0016 using shunting, discharge or bypass circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0048 Detection of remaining charge capacity or state of charge [SOC]
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/345 using capacitors as storage or buffering devices
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 9/061 for DC powered loads

Abstract

The present invention generally relates to the field of uninterruptable power supplies (UPSs) and more specifically, to UPSs using supercapacitors (also may be referred to as ultracapacitors) and/or other capacitor and/or battery elements. In an embodiment, a UPS of the present invention can individually regulate the charging of its capacitive elements to avoid overcharging and/or achieve a more efficient charge state.

Claims

1. An uninterruptable power supply (UPS) comprising:

at least one energy storage module having a plurality of capacitive elements;

input circuitry for providing electrical power from an input to said at least one energy storage module;

output circuit for providing electrical power from said at least one energy storage module to an output; and

charge-balancing circuitry, wherein said charge-balancing circuitry at least partially retards charging of at least one said capacitive element when a voltage across said at least one said capacitive element is determine to be greater than a voltage across at least one other said capacitive element by at least some first threshold amount, and wherein said charge-balancing circuitry resumes normal charging of said at least one said capacitive element when said voltage across said at least one said capacitive element is determined to be less than said voltage across said at least one other said capacitive element by at least some second threshold amount.

2. The UPS of claim 1, wherein said at least one said capacitive element comprises an ultra-capacitor.

3. The UPS of claim 1, wherein said at least one storage module is hot-swappable.

4. The UPS of claim 1, wherein said charge-balancing circuit comprises a bleed resistor and a switch, said bleed resistor being connected in parallel with said at least one said capacitive element when said switch is activated.

5. The UPS of claim 4, wherein said charge-balancing circuit further comprises an inductor connected in series between said at least one said capacitive element and said bleed resistor.

6. The UPS of claim 4, wherein said switch comprises a MOSFET.

7. The UPS of claim 4 further comprising a microcontroller, said microcontroller at least partially controlling a maximum charge voltage across said at least one said capacitive element by at least one of activating and deactivating said switch.

8. The UPS of claim 1 further comprising capacity-measuring circuitry in communication with said at least one said capacitive element, said capacity-measuring circuitry measuring a first and a second voltage across said at least one said capacitive element, said measurement of said second voltage occurring at least some time Δ

t after said measurement of said first voltage, and said capacity-measuring circuitry providing an output based at least in part on said first voltage, said second voltage, and said Δ

t.

9. An uninterruptable power supply (UPS) comprising:

at least one energy storage module having a plurality of capacitive elements;

input circuitry for providing electrical power from an input to said at least one energy storage module;

output circuit for providing electrical power from said at least one energy storage module to an output;

communication circuitry providing a data communication link to an external managing device; and

a microcontroller connected to said communication circuitry and said at least one energy storage module, said microcontroller at least partially controlling a maximum charge voltage across at least one said capacitive element in response to an input received from said communication circuitry.

10. The UPS of claim 9, wherein said at least one said capacitive element comprises an ultra-capacitor.

11. The UPS of claim 9, wherein said at least one storage module is hot-swappable.

12. The UPS of claim 9 further comprising charge-balancing circuitry, wherein said charge-balancing circuitry at least partially retards charging of said at least one said capacitive element when a voltage across said at least one said capacitive element is determine to be greater than a voltage across at least one other said capacitive element by at least some first threshold amount, and wherein said charge-balancing circuitry resumes normal charging of said at least one said capacitive element when said voltage across said at least one said capacitive element is determined to be less than said voltage across said at least one other said capacitive element by at least some second threshold amount.

13. The UPS of claim 12, wherein said charge-balancing circuit comprises a bleed resistor and a switch, said bleed resistor being connected in parallel with said at least one said capacitive element when said switch is activated.

14. The UPS of claim 13, wherein said charge-balancing circuit further comprises an inductor connected in series between said at least one said capacitive element and said bleed resistor.

15. The UPS of claim 13, wherein said switch comprises a MOSFET.

16. The UPS of claim 9 further comprising capacity-measuring circuitry in communication with said at least one said capacitive element, said capacity-measuring circuitry measuring a first and a second voltage across said at least one said capacitive element, said measurement of said second voltage occurring at least some time Δ

t after said measurement of said first voltage, and said capacity-measuring circuitry providing an output based at least in part on said first voltage, said second voltage, and said Δ

t.

17. An uninterruptable power supply (UPS) comprising:

at least one energy storage module having a plurality of capacitive elements;

input circuitry for providing electrical power from an input to said at least one energy storage module;

output circuit for providing electrical power from said at least one energy storage module to an output; and

capacity-measuring circuitry in communication with at least one said capacitive element, said capacity-measuring circuitry measuring a first and a second voltage across said at least one said capacitive element, said measurement of said second voltage occurring at least some time Δ

t after said measurement of said first voltage, and said capacity-measuring circuitry providing an output based at least in part on said first voltage, said second voltage, and said Δ

t.

18. The UPS of claim 17, wherein said at least one said capacitive element comprises an ultra-capacitor.

19. The UPS of claim 17, wherein said at least one storage module is hot-swappable.

20. The UPS of claim 17 further comprising charge-balancing circuitry, wherein said charge-balancing circuitry at least partially retards charging of said at least one said capacitive element when a voltage across said at least one said capacitive element is determine to be greater than a voltage across at least one other said capacitive element by at least some first threshold amount, and wherein said charge-balancing circuitry resumes normal charging of said at least one said capacitive element when said voltage across said at least one said capacitive element is determined to be less than said voltage across said at least one other said capacitive element by at least some second threshold amount.

21. The UPS of claim 20, wherein said charge-balancing circuit comprises a bleed resistor and a switch, said bleed resistor being connected in parallel with said at least one said capacitive element when said switch is activated.

22. The UPS of claim 21, wherein said charge-balancing circuit further comprises an inductor connected in series between said at least one said capacitive element and said bleed resistor.

23. The UPS of claim 21, wherein said switch comprises a MOSFET.

24. The UPS of claim 21 further comprising a microcontroller, said microcontroller at least partially controlling a maximum charge voltage across said at least one said capacitive element by at least one of activating and deactivating said switch.

25. The UPS of claim 24 further comprising communication circuitry providing a data communication link to an external managing device, wherein said microcontroller at least partially controls said maximum charge voltage across said at least one said capacitive element in response to an input received from said communication circuitry.