Parallel redundant power distribution

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9829960-B2
Application number	US-201414564489-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 9, 2014
Priority date	Mar 14, 2007
Publication date	Nov 28, 2017
Grant date	Nov 28, 2017

Abstract

Systems and methods are provided for reliable redundant power distribution. Some embodiments include micro Automatic Transfer Switches (micro-ATSs), including various components and techniques for facilitating reliable auto-switching functionality in a small footprint (e.g., less than ten cubic inches, with at least one dimension being less than a standard NEMA rack height). Other embodiments include systems and techniques for integrating a number of micro-ATSs into a parallel auto-switching module for redundant power delivery to a number of devices. Implementations of the parallel auto-switching module are configured to be mounted in, on top of, or on the side of standard equipment racks. Still other embodiments provide power distribution topologies that exploit functionality of the micro-ATSs and/or the parallel micro-ATS modules.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A parallel auto-switching module comprising:
an enclosure sized to fit within a single standard equipment rack space;
a plurality of automatic transfer switches disposed within the enclosure, each configured to:
receive a first parallel power feed from a primary power source disposed external to the enclosure;
receive a second parallel power feed from a secondary power source disposed external to the enclosure;
detect a power failure on the first parallel power feed; and
automatically switch an output power feed from being electrically coupled with the first parallel power feed to being electrically coupled with the second power feed when the power failure on the first parallel power feed is detected.

2. The parallel auto-switching module of claim 1 , wherein each automatic transfer switch comprises at least two mechanical relays configured to automatically switch the output power feed from being electrically coupled with the first parallel power feed to being electrically coupled with the second power feed when the power failure on the first parallel power feed is detected.

3. The parallel auto-switching module of claim 1 , wherein each automatic transfer switch is configured within a volume of less than ten cubic centimeters.

4. The parallel auto-switching module of claim 1 , wherein the enclosure has a height of approximately 1.75 inches.

5. The parallel auto-switching module of claim 1 , wherein each automatic transfer switch has a power density of at least two kilowatts per ten cubic inches.

6. The parallel auto-switching module of claim 1 , wherein the output power feed of each automatic transfer switch is coupled with a receptacle accessible via an external face of the enclosure.

7. The parallel auto-switching module of claim 1 , wherein the output power feed of each automatic transfer switch is coupled with an output power cord configured to interface with a receptacle of a rack-mounted device.

8. The parallel auto-switching module of claim 1 , wherein each output power cord is configured to interface with the receptacle via a plug having a means for removably and physically locking the plug to the receptacle.

9. The parallel auto-switching module of claim 1 , wherein the first parallel power feed is electrically coupled with a first input power cord in electrical communication with the primary power source, and the second parallel power feed is electrically coupled with a second input power cord in electrical communication with the secondary power source.

10. The parallel auto-switching module of claim 1 , wherein:
at least the primary power source is a polyphase power source;
the first parallel power feed includes a parallel sub-feed for each phase of the primary power source; and
each automatic transfer switch comprises a switching circuit corresponding to each sub-feed of the first parallel power feed.

11. The parallel auto-switching module of claim 1 , wherein the primary power source and the secondary power sources are polyphase power sources, each parallel power feed includes a parallel sub-feed for each phase of the corresponding power source, and each automatic transfer switch is configured to:
detect the power failure on the first parallel power feed when the power failure is detected on any sub-feed of the first parallel power feed; and
automatically switch the output power feed from being electrically coupled with each sub-feed of the first parallel power feed to being electrically coupled with each corresponding sub-feed of the second power feed when the power failure on the first parallel power feed is detected.

12. The parallel auto-switching module of claim 1 , further comprising:
a control module configured to synchronize automatic switching of the plurality of automatic transfer modules for polyphase operation.

13. The parallel auto-switching module of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of automatic transfer switches comprises twelve automatic transfer switches.

14. An equipment rack system, comprising:
an equipment rack having a number of ports for receiving equipment;
a number, N, of electronic data processing systems (EDPs) mounted in at least some of said ports of said rack; and
a number, S, of independently operating automatic transfer switches (ATSs) disposed in said rack, each said ATS configured: to receive input power from first and second external power sources; to detect a power failure related to the first external source; and to automatically switch its output power feed to be coupled to the second external source when a power failure related to the first external source is detected;
said equipment rack system having a switch density ratio defined as S/N;
said equipment rack system further having a switch overhead ratio, defined as a ratio of the number of the ports occupied only by the ATSs to the number of the ports collectively occupied by the ATSs, and the EDPs, that is less than S/(N+1).

15. A system as set forth in claim 14 , wherein said switch density ratio is at least 1/4 and said switch overhead ratio is less than 1/5.

16. A system as set forth in claim 14 , wherein said EDPs occupy at least 20 ports of said rack and there are no more than two of said ports occupied solely by ATSs.

17. A system as set forth in claim 14 , wherein at least one of said ports, having a height of 1 u, is occupied by both a first EDP and a first ATS.

18. A system as set forth in claim 17 , wherein said first ATS is disposed external to a housing of said first EDP.

19. A system as set forth in claim 14 , wherein said switch overhead ratio is no more than 1/11.

20. A system as set forth in claim 14 , wherein said switch overhead ratio is 0.

21. A system as set forth in claim 14 , wherein an alternate switch overhead ratio is S′/N′, where N′ is a number of rack height u's occupied by the EDPs and S′ is a number of rack height u's occupied by at least one ATS and free from any EDPs, and said alternate switch overhead ratio is less than S/(N+1).

22. A system as set forth in claim 14 , wherein at least two of said ATSs are disposed in a single one of said ports having a height of no more than 1 u.

23. A method for use in supplying redundant parallel power electronic data processing systems (EDP) mounted in an equipment rack having a number of ports for receiving equipment, comprising the steps of:
disposing a number, N, of EDPs in at least some of said ports of said rack;
disposing a number, S, of independently operating automatic transfer switches (ATSs) in said rack, each said ATS configured to: received input power from first and second external power sources; detect a power failure related to the first external source, and automatically switch its upward power feed to be coupled to the second external source when the power failure related to the first external source is detected;
said steps of first and second disposing being accomplished such that said equipment rack has a switch density ratio defined as S/N, and said equipment rack further has a switch overhead ratio, defined as a ratio of the number of the ports occupied by the ATSs to number of ports collectively occupied by the ATSs and EDPs, that is less than S/(N+1); and
electrically connecting said ATSs to said EDPs so as to provide parallel, redundant power to the EDPs from the first and second external power sources.

24. A method as set forth in claim 23 , wherein said first and second disposing steps are accomp

Assignees

• Zonit Structured Solutions Llc

Inventors

• Pachoud William
• Chapel Steve

Classifications

• H02J9/06 Primary

  with automatic change-over {, e.g. UPS systems} · CPC title

• G06F1/3287 Primary

  by switching off individual functional units in the computer system · CPC title

• Y10T307/615

  Cross-Sectional Technologies · mapped topic

• Y10T307/344

  Cross-Sectional Technologies · mapped topic