Systems and methods for providing scalable uninterruptable DC power to a rack-level power infrastructure

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9389666-B2
Application number	US-201514831550-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 20, 2015
Priority date	Feb 1, 2012
Publication date	Jul 12, 2016
Grant date	Jul 12, 2016

Abstract

In accordance with the present disclosure, a battery back-up unit (BBU) element for providing uninterruptable direct current (DC) power in a rack-level power infrastructure is describe. The BBU element may include a rack-mountable chassis with a battery drawer. A battery may be disposed within the battery drawer, and at least one power module may be coupled to the battery. The BBU element may also include a power module controller that causes the battery to charge from or discharge to a busbar coupled to the BBU element. The power module controller may also communicate power management information to a power infrastructure controller.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A battery back-up unit (BBU) element for providing uninterruptable direct current (DC) power in a rack-level power infrastructure, comprising:
a rack-mountable chassis comprising a battery drawer;
a battery disposed within the battery drawer;
a first power distribution unit (PDU), wherein the first PDU receives input alternating current (AC) power;
a second PDU, wherein the second PDU is cross-cabled with the first PDU to provide redundant AC input;
a busbar coupled to the first PDU, the second PDU, and the battery;
at least one power module coupled to the battery; and
a power module controller, wherein
the power module controller causes the battery to charge from or discharge to the busbar, and
the power module controller communicates power management information to a power infrastructure controller.

2. The BBU element of claim 1 , wherein the power management information includes at least one of battery state, battery health, battery capacity, and battery temperature.

3. The BBU element of claim 1 , wherein the power module controller receives a control signal through a PDU interface and causes the battery to charge from or discharge to the busbar in response to the control signal.

4. The BBU element of claim 3 , wherein the control signal comprises a simple network management protocol (SNMP) command.

5. The BBU element of claim 1 , wherein the BBU element further comprises an emergency power off switch.

6. The BBU element of claim 1 , wherein the battery is hot-swappable.

7. The BBU element of claim 1 , wherein the BBU element includes a connector coupled to the at least one power module, wherein the connector accepts DC power at a voltage higher than the voltage on the busbar.

8. The BBU element of claim 1 , wherein the busbar is at a common 12 volt potential.

9. The BBU element of claim 1 , wherein the input AC power is interruptible.

10. A method for providing uninterruptable direct current (DC) power in a rack-level power infrastructure, comprising:
providing a first power distribution unit (PDU), wherein the first PDU receives input alternating current (AC) power;
providing a second PDU, wherein the second PDU is cross-cabled with the first PDU to provide redundant AC input;
coupling the first PDU and the second PDU to a busbar, wherein the first PDU and second PDU are operable to output DC power to the busbar; and
coupling a battery back-up unit (BBU) element to the busbar, wherein the BBU element includes:
a rack-mountable chassis comprising a battery drawer;
a battery disposed within the battery drawer;
at least one power module coupled to the battery, and
a power module controller, wherein the power module controller causes the battery to charge from or discharge to the busbar.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein the BBU element further comprises a PDU interface.

12. The method of claim 10 , wherein the power module controller receives a control signal through the PDU interface and causes the battery to charge from or discharge to the busbar in response to the control signal.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein the control signal comprises a simple network management protocol (SNMP) command.

14. The method of claim 10 , wherein the BBU element further comprises an emergency power off switch.

15. The method of claim 10 , wherein the battery is hot-swappable.

16. The method of claim 10 , wherein the power module controller communicates bi-directionally with a power infrastructure controller.

17. The method of claim 16 , wherein the power module controller communicates power management information to the power infrastructure controller, wherein the power management information includes at least one of battery state, battery health, battery capacity, and battery temperature.

18. The method of claim 17 , wherein the power management information comprises power sharing between the power infrastructure and the BBU element.

19. An information handling system, comprising:
a processor;
a memory element coupled to the processor;
a direct current (DC)/DC power supply coupled to the processor, wherein the DC/DC power supply receives power from a rack-level power infrastructure, wherein the rack-level power infrastructure comprises:
a first power distribution unit (PDU), wherein the first PDU is operable to receive alternating current (AC) power and output direct current (DC) power to a busbar;
a second PDU, wherein the second PDU is operable to receive AC power and out DC power to the busbar, and wherein the second PDU is cross-cabled with the first PDU to provide redundant AC input;
a battery back-up unit (BBU) element coupled to the busbar, wherein the BBU element is operable to charge from and discharge to the busbar;
a controller communicably coupled to the first PDU and the BBU element, wherein the controller is operable to cause the BBU element to discharge to the busbar in response to the first PDU losing AC power.

20. The information handling system of claim 19 , wherein the BBU element includes:
a rack-mountable chassis comprising a battery drawer;
a battery disposed within the battery drawer;
at least one power module coupled to the battery, and
a power module controller coupled to the at least one power module, and
a PDU interface coupled to the power module controller; wherein the power module controller receives a control signal through the PDU interface and causes the battery to charge from or discharge to the busbar in response to the control signal.

Assignees

• Dell Products Lp

Inventors

• Bailey Edmond I
• Pike Jimmy D
• Vivio Joseph A
• Schmitt Ty
• Wang Kunrong

Classifications

• Y04S20/12

  Energy storage units, uninterruptible power supply [UPS] systems or standby or emergency generators, e.g. in the last power distribution stages · CPC title

• G06F1/263

  Arrangements for using multiple switchable power supplies, e.g. battery and AC (G06F1/30 takes precedence) · CPC title

• G06F1/30 Primary

  Means for acting in the event of power-supply failure or interruption, e.g. power-supply fluctuations (for resetting only G06F1/24) · CPC title

• H02J9/061

  for DC powered loads · CPC title

• H02J13/14

  the power network being locally controlled, e.g. home energy management systems [HEMS] · CPC title