Methods and apparatus for providing uninterruptible power

• US 8,148,846 B2
• Filed: 11/06/2009
• Issued: 04/03/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 01/23/2004
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Schneider Electric IT Corporation (Schneider Electric SE)
• Original Assignee: American Power Conversion Corporation (Schneider Electric SE)
• Inventors: Masciarelli, Francis J., Mutabdzija, Srdan, Demissie, Eyob, Ingemi, Michael J., Charlantini, Donald Lee
• Primary Examiner(s): Deberadinis, Robert L.
• Application Number:
  US12/613,892
• Publication Number:
  US 20100201194A1
• Time in Patent Office: 879 Days
• Field of Search: 307/66, 307/26
• US Class Current: 307/66
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 9/062 for AC powered loads

Abstract

Power supply systems and methods are provided. In one aspect, a power supply system includes a frame, a power input to receive input power from a power source, a power output to provide output power to a load, at least one battery module mounted in the frame and having a battery output that provides battery power, at least one power module mounted in the frame and coupled to the power input to receive the input power, coupled to the battery output to receive the battery power, and coupled to the power output to provide the output power from at least one of the battery power and the input power, a first controller coupled to the at least one power module, and a second controller, substantially similar to the first controller, coupled to the first controller, and coupled to the at least one power module, wherein each of the first controller and the second controller are configured to determine operational parameters of the power supply system and store a first set of parameters determined by the first controller and a second set of parameters determined by the second controller.

Claims

1. A power supply system comprising:

a power input to receive input power from a power source;

a power output to provide output power to a load;

at least one battery having a battery output that provides battery power;

at least one power circuit coupled to the power input to receive the input power, coupled to the battery output to receive the battery power, and coupled to the power output to provide the output power from at least one of the battery power and the input power;

a first controller coupled to the at least one power circuit;

coupled to the first controller, and coupled to the at least one power circuit;

a first storage device associated with the first controller, and

a second storage device associate with the second controller;

wherein each of the first controller and the second controller is configured to determine operational parameters of the power supply system; and

wherein the power supply system is configured to store a first set of parameters determined by the first controller and a second set of parameters determined by the second controller in each of the first storage device and the second storage device.

2. The power supply system of claim 1, wherein the first controller functions as a main controller in the power supply system and controls output power to the load, and wherein the first and the second controller are configured to allow the second controller to control the output power upon failure of the first controller.

3. The power supply system of claim 2, further comprising a communications bus coupled to the first controller and the second controller.

4. The power supply system of claim 3, wherein the first controller is configured to compare the first set of data with the second set of data and provide an alarm upon detection of differences between the first set of data and the second set of data.

5. The power supply system of claim 3, wherein the first controller is configured to function as master of the communications bus and control communications on the bus and the second controller is configured to function as master of the communications bus upon failure of the first controller.

6. The power supply system of claim 1, wherein each of the first controller and the second controller is configured to receive an input signal and based on a state of the input signal to function as a main controller or a redundant controller.

7. The power supply system of claim 1, further comprising a frame, and wherein the at least one power circuit includes a plurality of power modules, each separately installed in the frame.

8. The power supply system of claim 7, wherein the at least one battery includes a plurality of battery modules each separately installed in the frame.

9. The power supply system of claim 8, wherein each of the first controller and the second controller comprises a housing separately installed in the frame.

10. The power supply system of claim 1, further comprising an output fuse, and a detection circuit, coupled to the output fuse and to the first controller, that is configured to detect a voltage across the output fuse.

11. A method of controlling a power supply having a first controller and a second controller, the method comprising:

obtaining a first set of values corresponding to operational parameters of the power supply using the first controller;

obtaining a second set of values corresponding to the operational parameters of the power supply using the second controller;

storing the first set of values and the second set of values in a memory associated with the first controller;

storing the first set of values and the second set of values in a memory associated with the second controller;

designating one of the first controller and the second controller as a main controller and designating one of the first controller and the second controller as a redundant controller;

controlling output power of the power supply using the main controller.

12. The power supply system of claim 11, further comprising:

detecting failure of the main controller, and controlling output power of the power supply using the redundant controller.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the power supply includes a communications bus, and wherein the method further includes controlling communications over the communications bus using the main controller.

14. The method of claim 11, further comprising comparing the first set of values with the second set of values and providing an alarm upon detection of differences between the first set of values and the second set of values.

15. The method of claim 11, wherein the power supply has a power input that is configured to receive input power having a first input phase line, a second input phase line and a neutral input line, and wherein the method further comprises:

detecting an input phase difference between the first input phase line and the second input phase line; and

providing output power having a first output phase line, a second output phase line and a neutral output line, with an output phase difference between the first output phase line and the second output phase line substantially equal to the input phase difference.

16. The method of claim 11, wherein the power supply further includes a battery to provide battery power for a backup mode of operation, and at least one cold start button, and wherein the method further comprises controlling the power supply to be powered on from battery power with no input power present when the at least one cold start button is activated by a user.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising detecting loss of input power and providing output power from the battery.