Power system with fuel cell and localized air-conditioning for computing equipment

• US 7,602,073 B2
• Filed: 09/14/2005
• Issued: 10/13/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 11/15/2002
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: T-Mobile Innovations LLC (Deutsche Telekom AG)
• Original Assignee: Sprint Communications Company LP (Deutsche Telekom AG)
• Inventors: Johnson, Larry, Meyers, Jerry, Willets, Julie
• Primary Examiner(s): Waks; Joseph
• Application Number:
  US11/225,988
• Publication Number:
  US 20070057510A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,490 Days
• Field of Search: 290/1.A
• US Class Current: 290/1.00A
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 16/003 of fuel cells with other electrochemical devices, e.g. capacitors, electrolysers
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 2250/10 Fuel cells in stationary systems, e.g. emergency power source in plant
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2300/30 The power source being a fuel cell
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 9/062 for AC powered loads
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 90/10 Applications of fuel cells in buildings
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/50 Fuel cells

Abstract

A power system utilizes a fuel cell for DC output, which is inverted to power an air conditioner. The air conditioner is used for the purpose of cooling equipment in the facility in the event the primary source of AC power fails. The air conditioner is located so that it is devoted to one or more computing devices in the facility. The selected devices are ones which perform some critical function, e.g., emergency communications.

Claims

1. A power system for a facility air conditioning system to provide a consistent climate control utilizing a backup power arrangement, said system comprising:

a turbine generator, adapted to function as a primary AC power source for said system, for providing AC power to a rectifier when the power system is in a primary mode of operation;

the backup power arrangement comprising a fuel cell, adapted to consume hydrogen, for producing DC power fed directly into a DC bus when the power system is in a backup mode of operation, wherein the fuel cell is adapted to come online upon a failure of the turbine generator such that the backup mode of operation is used when the primary mode of operation is nonfunctional;

the rectifier for converting the AC power, received from the turbine generator, into DC power that is fed directly into the DC bus;

the DC bus for receiving the DC power created by the fuel cell or the converted AC power created by the turbine generator, and for distributing the DC power to computing equipment within the facility;

a conversion device for converting the DC power available in the DC bus into a source of AC power;

the computing equipment, each device of the computing equipment being provided the DC power via the DC bus during both the primary mode of operation and the backup mode of operation, wherein each device of the computing equipment is grouped as either selected equipment or less-important equipment based on operations performed by each device, and wherein devices of the computing equipment are grouped as the selected equipment if they are devoted to perform emergency communication functions;

an air conditioner adapted to operate on said source of AC power, said air conditioner used for the purpose of cooling each device of the computing equipment during the primary mode of operation; and

at least one localized air conditioning system adapted to activate during the backup mode of operation and to deactivate when the air conditioner is in use, wherein the at least one localized air conditioning system is employed to focus localized cooling to the devices of the computing equipment are grouped as the selected equipment.

2. The system of claim 1 comprising a battery for bridging between said primary AC power source and said fuel cell, wherein bridging comprises:

maintaining a power level in the DC bus during the primary mode of operation; and

temporarily backing up the primary AC power source by providing DC power to the DC bus in an interim before the fuel cell comes online, wherein the fuel cell is adapted to come online upon the occurrence of both the failure of the turbine generator and the complete drainage of the batteries.

3. The system of claim 1 comprising:

the rectifier having an output into said DC bus and being electrically connected to said primary AC power source; and

said conversion device being electrically connected into said DC bus.

4. The system of claim 1 wherein said conversion device is an inverter.