Modular direct current (DC) architectures

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11303121-B2
Application number	US-202016806637-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 2, 2020
Priority date	Dec 20, 2016
Publication date	Apr 12, 2022
Grant date	Apr 12, 2022

Abstract

This specification describes a power distribution system comprising a first section that receives power from a first source. The power at the first section is adjusted by a rectifier coupled to a power bus of the first section. The system includes a second section that is separate from the first section and that receives power from a second source. The power at the second section is adjusted by a rectifier coupled to a power bus of the second distribution section. The system includes a swing rectifier connected to each of the first and second sections. The swing rectifier is configured to provide power to the first power bus and to the second power bus and to dynamically adjust the power capacity of the first section that is available to computing loads, and to dynamically adjust the power capacity of the second section that is available to computing loads.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An electronic system comprising:
a control device that includes one or more processing devices; and
one or more non-transitory machine-readable storage devices storing instructions that are executable by the one or more processing devices to perform operations comprising:
monitoring, by the control device, power received by a first distribution section, wherein a characteristic of the received power is adjusted by a first rectifier unit coupled to a first power bus of the first distribution section;
monitoring, by the control device, power received by a second distribution section, the second distribution section being separate from the first distribution section, and wherein a characteristic of the received power is adjusted by a second rectifier unit coupled to a second power bus of the second distribution section;
based on a first control signal generated by the control device while monitoring power received by the first distribution section, dynamically adjusting, using a first swing rectifier connected to the first distribution section and to the second distribution section, available power capacity of the first distribution section to power one or more loads; and
based on a second control signal generated by the control device while monitoring power received by the second distribution section, dynamically adjusting, using the first swing rectifier, available power capacity of the second distribution section to power the one or more loads.

2. The electronic system of claim 1 , wherein dynamically adjusting available power capacity of the first distribution section comprises:
increasing, using the first swing rectifier, power to the first power bus when a first demand for power exceeds a threshold demand.

3. The electronic system of claim 2 , wherein the operations further comprise:
a first switch breaker unit associated with the first power bus and disposed in the first distribution section, and
a second switch breaker unit associated with the second power bus and disposed in the second distribution section,
wherein the first and second switch breaker units each include a power rating that is indicative of a total power output of the respective first and second distribution sections.

4. The electronic system of claim 3 , wherein the operations further comprise:
engaging a swing function of the first swing rectifier; and
increasing an amount of available power provided to the one or more loads in response to engaging the swing function of the first swing rectifier.

5. The electronic system of claim 4 , wherein the first swing rectifier is coupled to the first and second switch breaker units to enable the provision of available power from the first power bus and from the second power bus.

6. The electronic system of claim 2 , wherein dynamically adjusting available power capacity of the second distribution section comprises:
increasing, using the first swing rectifier, power to the second power bus when a second, different demand for power exceeds the threshold demand.

7. The electronic system of claim 1 , wherein:
the first distribution section further includes at least one additional rectifier unit that cooperates with the first rectifier unit to form a first ring bus architecture for the first power bus; and
the operations further comprise:
generating, by the control device, a first power adjustment control signal;
distributing, based on the first power adjustment control signal, adjusted power to the one or more loads; and
monitoring adjusted power received by the first ring bus from each of the rectifier units.

8. The electronic system of claim 7 , wherein:
the second distribution section further includes at least one additional rectifier unit that cooperates with the second rectifier unit to form a second ring bus architecture for the second power bus; and
the operations further comprise:
generating, by the control device, a second power adjustment control signal;
distributing, based on the second power adjustment control signal, adjusted power to the one or more loads; and
monitoring adjusted power received by the second ring bus from each of the rectifier units.

9. The electronic system of claim 1 , wherein the first distribution section and second distribution section are arranged in a radial power distribution architecture to provide power to a plurality of devices disposed within a data center facility.

10. A method comprising:
monitoring, by a control device, power received by a first distribution section, wherein a characteristic of the received power is adjusted by a first rectifier unit coupled to a first power bus of the first distribution section;
monitoring, by the control device, power received by a second distribution section, the second distribution section being separate from the first distribution section, and wherein a characteristic of the received power is adjusted by a second rectifier unit coupled to a second power bus of the second distribution section;
based on a first control signal generated by the control device while monitoring power received by the first distribution section, dynamically adjusting, using a first swing rectifier connected to the first distribution section and to the second distribution section, available power capacity of the first distribution section to power one or more loads; and
based on a second control signal generated by the control device while monitoring power received by the second distribution section, dynamically adjusting, using the first swing rectifier, available power capacity of the second distribution section to power the one or more loads.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein dynamically adjusting available power capacity of the first distribution section comprises:
increasing, using the first swing rectifier, power to the first power bus when a first demand for power exceeds a threshold demand.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein:
a first switch breaker unit is associated with the first power bus and disposed in the first distribution section, and
a second switch breaker unit is associated with the second power bus and disposed in the second distribution section,
wherein the first and second switch breaker units each include a power rating that is indicative of a total power output of the respective first and second distribution sections.

13. The method of claim 12 , further comprising:
engaging a swing function of the first swing rectifier; and
increasing an amount of available power provided to the one or more loads in response to engaging the swing function of the first swing rectifier.

14. The method of claim 13 , wherein the first swing rectifier is coupled to the first and second switch breaker units to enable the provision of available power from the first power bus and from the second power bus.

15. The method of claim 11 , wherein dynamically adjusting available power capacity of the second distribution section comprises:
increasing, using the first swing rectifier, power to the second power bus when a second, different demand for power exceeds the threshold demand.

16. The method of claim 10 , wherein:
the first distribution section further includes at least one additional rectifier unit that cooperates with the first rectifier unit to form a first ring bus architecture for the first power bus; and
the method further comprises:
generating, by the control device, a first power adjustment control signal;
distributing, based on the first power adjustment control signal, adjusted power to the one or more loads; and
monitoring adjusted

Assignees

• Google Llc

Inventors

• Lao Eduardo
• Sastry Jyoti
• Kennedy James
• Malone Christopher Gregory
• Sakalkar Varun

Classifications

• H02J4/25

  for transfer of electric power between AC and DC networks, e.g. for supplying the DC section within a load from an AC mains system · CPC title

• H02M7/04 Primary

  by static converters · CPC title

• H02J4/00

  Circuit arrangements for mains or distribution networks not specified as AC or DC; Circuit arrangements for mains or distribution networks combining AC and DC sections or sub-networks (arrangements using intermediate DC-AC-DC conversion H02J1/002; arrangements using high-voltage DC [HVDC] links H02J3/36) · CPC title

• H02J3/38

  Arrangements for feeding a single network from two or more generators or sources in parallel; Arrangements for feeding already energised networks from additional generators or sources in parallel · CPC title

• H02J3/04

  Arrangements for connecting networks of the same frequency but supplied from different sources · CPC title