Automatic transfer switch with power quality module

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9720476-B1
Application number	US-201514657811-A
Country	US
Kind code	B1
Filing date	Mar 13, 2015
Priority date	Mar 13, 2015
Publication date	Aug 1, 2017
Grant date	Aug 1, 2017

Abstract

An automatic transfer switch (ATS) includes power quality conditioners to condition electrical power fed to a power output of the automatic transfer switch. In some embodiments, the power quality conditioners include a surge protection circuit or a filter circuit. In some embodiments, the automatic transfer switch includes a battery module configured to supply electrical power to the power output of the ATS during a power disruption event.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A data center, comprising:
a plurality of rack mounted computers; and
an electrical power distribution system comprising:
a plurality of automatic transfer switches, wherein individual ones of the automatic transfer switches comprise:
a primary power input, a secondary power input, and a power output, wherein the power output is electrically coupled to a group of the plurality of rack mounted computers of the data center;
a power monitor configured to:
monitor electrical power received via the primary power input, and
in response to a disruption in electrical power received at the primary power input, output a signal;

a switch configured to:
electrically couple the primary power input to the power output or to electrically couple the secondary power input to the power output, such that electrical power received via the primary power input or the secondary power input is fed to the power output; and
in response to the signal from the power monitor, switch to electrically couple the power output to the secondary power input instead of the primary power input;

one or more power quality conditioners configured to condition electrical power output from the power output; and
a battery module configured to, in response to the signal from the power monitor, feed uninterrupted electrical power to the power output; and

a plurality of rack mounted power distribution units, wherein individual ones of the rack mounted power distribution units are configured to distribute electrical power from a power output of an individual automatic transfer switch to a group of rack mounted computers;
wherein, the one or more power quality conditioners of the individual automatic transfer switches are configured to condition electrical power fed to the individual ones of the rack mounted power distribution units such that additional electrical current or voltage filtration is not included in the individual ones of the rack mounted power distribution units.

2. The data center of claim 1 , wherein the one or more power quality conditioners of a particular automatic transfer switch of the plurality of automatic transfer switches are further configured to:
isolate electrical power disturbances associated with a particular group of rack mounted computers electrically coupled to the particular automatic transfer switch such that electrical power disturbances associated with the group do not propagate to one or more other groups of rack mounted computers that are fed electrical power via another automatic transfer switch of the plurality of automatic transfer switches, wherein the particular automatic transfer switch and the other automatic transfer switch receive electrical power from a common power source in the power distribution system.

3. The data center of claim 1 , wherein the battery module is configured to, in response to receiving the signal from the power monitor, supply uninterrupted electrical power to the power output while the switch is switching from being electrically coupled to the primary power input to being electrically coupled to the secondary power input.

4. The data center of claim 1 , wherein the battery module is configured to, in response to the signal from the power monitor, supply uninterrupted electrical power to the power output while a generator in the electrical power distribution system is transitioned from an idle or off state to a power generating state.

5. The data center of claim 1 , wherein the electrical power distribution system comprises a primary power system that comprises an uninterruptible power supply (UPS), wherein the primary power system is configured to feed electrical power to the primary power input of individual automatic transfer switches via the UPS, wherein the UPS is configured to:
operate in a bypass mode, wherein in the bypass mode electrical power bypasses one or more components of the UPS; and
operate in an active mode, in response to the disruption of electrical power in the primary power system, wherein in the active mode electrical power is fed from a battery of the UPS;

wherein, the battery module of the automatic transfer switch is configured to provide an uninterrupted supply of electrical power to the power output while the UPS is transitioning from the bypass mode to the active mode.

6. The data center of claim 1 , wherein the electrical power distribution system comprises a primary power system that feeds electrical power to the primary power input of individual automatic transfer switches, wherein the primary power system does not include an uninterruptible power supply (UPS); and
wherein, the power monitor is further configured to:
output a preliminary signal in response to the disruption in electrical power received at the primary power input;
delay outputting the signal until a threshold amount of time has passed since the power disruption event; and
output the signal, in response to the threshold amount of time passing without electrical power being received at the primary power input;

wherein, the battery module of the automatic transfer switch is configured to supply electrical power to the power output of the automatic transfer switch during the threshold amount of time; and
wherein, the switch continues to electrically couple the primary power input to the power output during the threshold amount of time until the signal is received.

7. The data center of claim 1 , wherein the one or more rack mounted computers comprise one or more power supplies configured to supply electrical power to the one or more rack mounted computer systems for a period of time less than a period of time required for the switch of the automatic transfer switch to switch to electrically couple the power output to the secondary power input instead of the primary power input;
wherein, the battery module is configured to supply uninterrupted electrical power to the one or more power supplies such that the one or more rack mounted computers receive uninterrupted electrical power while the switch switches to electrically couple the power output to the secondary power input instead of the primary power input.

8. An automatic transfer switch, comprising:
a primary power input;
a secondary power input;
a power output;
a power monitor configured to:
monitor electrical power received via the primary power input, and
in response to a disruption in the electrical power received at the primary power input:
delay outputting a signal until a threshold amount of time has passed since the power disruption event; and
output the signal in response to the threshold amount of time passing without electrical power being received at the primary power input;

a switch configured to:
electrically couple the primary power input to the power output or to electrically couple the secondary power input to the power output, such that electrical power received via the primary power input or the secondary power input is fed to the power output; and
in response to the signal from the power monitor, switch to electrically couple the power output to the secondary power input instead of the primary power input; and

one or more power quality conditioners configured to condition electrical power output from the power output.

9. The automatic transfer switch of claim 8 , further comprising:
a battery module configured to feed electrical power to the power output during the threshold amount of time.

10. The automatic transfer switch of claim 9 , wherein the battery module is configured to supply uninterrupted electrical power to the power output for at least 12 milliseconds.

11. The automatic transfer switch of claim 9 , wherein the ba

Assignees

• Amazon Tech Inc

Inventors

• Nguyen Huyen Van
• Stevens Richard Arvel
• Pham Hoang

Classifications

• G06F1/28

  Supervision thereof, e.g. detecting power-supply failure by out of limits supervision · CPC title

• G06F1/263 Primary

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

• G06F1/266 Primary

  Arrangements to supply power to external peripherals either directly from the computer or under computer control, e.g. supply of power through the communication port, computer controlled power-strips · CPC title