Apparatus for providing high quality power

• US 7,141,894 B2
• Filed: 11/03/2003
• Issued: 11/28/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 11/01/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Validus DC Systems LLC (ABB Limited)
• Original Assignee: Validus DC Systems LLC (ABB Limited)
• Inventors: Kraus, Rudy
• Primary Examiner(s): Ponomarenko, Nicholas
• Application Number:
  US10/700,076
• Publication Number:
  US 20040150374A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,121 Days
• Field of Search: 290/40.C, 322/37, 307/16, 307/64, 307/65, 307/66, 363/35, 363/62, 363/131, 363/17
• US Class Current: 307/65
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 9/066 characterised by the use of dynamo-electric machines H02J9/08 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 9/08 requiring starting of a prime-mover

Abstract

The system disclosed herein is primarily utilized in the 23–48 volt DC telco, data center and industrial production industry. It will effectively replace today'"'"'s requirement of purchasing, installing, maintaining and replacing chemical storage batteries. The solution will be capable of deployment partially and in full, inside the building, outside of the building in environmentally enclosed containers or in a mobile version. Additionally, the distribution voltage application will allow for reduction in the size of the power distribution wiring as well as creating an environment that requires less cooling of the critical equipment. This effectively leads to less infrastructure space and equipment, i.e. UPS, air conditioning units, static switch units, generators and chillers, for the same amount of processing, and significantly increases overall system reliability. The system regulates AC power and produces DC power that is considered uninterruptible and that is high quality in nature.

Claims

1. A system, comprising:

a power feed that distributes a high DC voltage in a building, wherein said high DC voltage is in a range of about 300 to 600 VDC;

a converter, coupled to said power feed, that receives said high DC voltage, and scales said high DC voltage to a low DC voltage; and

a controller that controls a firing rate of said converter so that said low DC voltage is in a range of about 23 to 48 VDC.

2. The system of claim 1,

wherein said power feed is a first power feed, said high DC voltage is a first high DC voltage, said converter is a first converter, said low DC voltage is a first low DC voltage, and said controller is a first controller, and

wherein said system further comprises:

a second power feed that distributes a second high DC voltage in said building, wherein

said second high DC voltage is in a range of about 300 to 600 VDC,

a second converter, coupled to said second power feed, that receives said second high DC voltage, and scales said second high DC voltage to a second low DC voltage;

a second controller that controls a firing rate of said second converter so that said second low DC voltage is in a range of about 23 to 48 VDC; and

a bridge that couples said first and second low DC voltages to provide a low DC voltage feed.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein said low DC voltage feed provides power at a level that is about equal to a sum of (a) power provided by said first converter and (b) power provided by said second converter.

4. The system of claim 1, further comprising a source for said high DC voltage, wherein said source includes a rectifier that receives an AC voltage and converts said AC voltage to said high DC voltage.

5. The system of claim 1, further comprising a source for said high DC voltage, wherein said source includes a flywheel that stores energy, and that discharges said energy to provide said high DC voltage.

6. The system of claim 4, wherein said AC voltage is in a range of about 208 to 480 VAC.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein said system further comprises a bridge that couples an output from a first high DC voltage source and an output from a second high DC voltage to provide said high DC voltage to said power feed.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein said converter provides greater than or equal to about 30 kW of power.

8. A system, comprising:

a converter that receives a high DC voltage, and scales said high DC voltage to a low DC voltage;

a controller that controls a firing rate of said converter so that said low DC voltage is less than or equal to about 1/10 of said high DC voltage; and

a source that provides said high DC voltage, wherein said source is selected from the group consisting of a rectifier, a flywheel, a fuel cell, a battery, an uninterruptible power supply and a generator.

10. A system, comprising:

a first power feed that distributes a first high DC voltage in a building;

a second power feed that distributes a second high DC voltage in said building;

wherein said first and second high DC voltages are in a range of about 300 to 600 VDC;

a first converter, coupled to said first power feed, that receives said first high DC voltage, and scales said first high DC voltage to a first low DC voltage in a range of about 23 to 48 VDC;

a second converter, coupled to said second power feed, that receives said second high DC voltage, and scales said second high DC voltage to a second low DC voltage in a range of about 23 to 48 VDC; and

a bridge that couples said first and second low DC voltages to provide a low DC voltage feed.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein said bridge is a first bridge, and wherein said system further comprises:

a second bridge that couples an output from a first high DC voltage source and an output from a second high DC voltage source to provide said first high DC voltage to said first power feed; and

a third bridge that couples an output from a third high DC voltage source and an output from a fourth high DC voltage source to provide said second high DC voltage to said second power feed.

13. The system of claim 10, further comprising a rectifier that converts an AC voltage to said first high DC voltage.

14. The system of claim 10, further comprising a source for said first high DC voltage, wherein said source includes a flywheel that stores energy, and that discharges said energy to provide said first high DC voltage.

15. The system of claim 13, wherein said AC voltage is in a range of about 208 to 480 VAC.

16. The system of claim 10, wherein said first converter provides power of greater than or equal to about 30 kW.

17. The system of claim 10, wherein said low DC voltage feed provides power about equal to a sum of (a) power provided by said first converter and (b) power provided by said second converter.

18. The system of claim 10, wherein said low DC voltage feed is routed to a device selected from the group consisting of a computer and a telecommunication apparatus.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein said device includes a power supply that is not a switching mode power supply.

12. A system, comprising:

a first converter that receives a first high DC voltage, and scales said first high DC voltage to a first low DC voltage;

a second converter that receives a second high DC voltage, and scales said second high DC voltage to a second low DC voltage;

a bridge that couples said first and second low DC voltages to provide a low DC voltage feed; and

a source for said first high DC voltage, wherein said source includes a device selected from the group consisting of a rectifier, a flywheel, a fuel cell, a battery, an uninterruptible power supply, and a generator.

20. A facility comprising:

a first bridge that couples an output from a first high DC voltage source and an output from a second high DC voltage source to provide a first high DC voltage in a range of about 300 to 600 VDC;

a first power feed that distributes said first high DC voltage in a building;

a second bridge that couples an output from a third high DC voltage source and an output from a fourth high DC voltage source to provide a second high DC voltage in a range of about 300 to 600 VDC;

a second power feed that distributes said second high DC voltage in said building;

a first converter, coupled to said first power feed, that receives said first high DC voltage, and scales said first high DC voltage to a first low DC voltage;

a first controller that controls a firing rate of said first converter so that said first low DC voltage is in a range of about 23 to 48 VDC;

a second controller that controls a firing rate of said second converter so that said second low DC voltage is in a range of about 23 to 48 VDC; and

a third bridge that couples said first and second low DC voltages to provide a low DC voltage feed.

21. The facility of claim 20, further comprising a device that receives said low DC voltage feed, wherein said device is selected from the group consisting of a computer and a telecommunication apparatus.

22. The facility of claim 20, further comprising a device that receives said low DC voltage feed, wherein said device includes a power supply that is not a switching mode power supply.

23. A system comprising:

a power feed that distributes a high DC voltage in a building, wherein said high DC voltage is in a range of about 300 to 600 VDC; and

a converter, coupled to said power feed at said second point, that receives said high DC voltage and scales said high DC voltage to a low DC voltage in a range of about 23 to 48 VDC.

24. The system of claim 23, further comprising a source that provides said high DC voltage, wherein said source is located outside of said building.

25. The system of claim 23, further comprising a source that provides said high DC voltage, wherein said source is selected from the group consisting of a rectifier, a flywheel, a fuel cell, a battery, an uninterruptible power supply and a generator.

26. The system of claim 23, further comprising a source that provides said high DC voltage, wherein said source includes a flywheel that stores energy, and that discharges said energy to provide said first high DC voltage.

27. The system of claim 23,

wherein said power feed is a first power feed, said high DC voltage is a first high DC voltage, said converter is a first converter, and said low DC voltage is a first low DC voltage, and

wherein said system further comprises:

a second power feed that distributes a second high DC voltage in said building;

a second converter, coupled to said second power feed, that receives said second high DC voltage, and scales said second high DC voltage to a second low DC voltage; and

a bridge that couples said first and second low DC voltages to provide a low DC voltage feed.

28. The system of claim 27, wherein said low DC voltage feed is routed to a device selected from the group consisting of a computer and a telecommunication apparatus.