System for common redundant bypass feed paths in uninterruptible power supplies

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9831675-B2
Application number	US-201213727762-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 27, 2012
Priority date	Dec 27, 2012
Publication date	Nov 28, 2017
Grant date	Nov 28, 2017

Abstract

An uninterruptible power supply (UPS) system includes an inverter feed path and a plurality of bypass feed paths configured to couple to an AC voltage source such that each bypass feed path includes a switch configured to couple the AC voltage source to the load when closed. The switch in each bypass feed path may be rated to conduct current that corresponds to an output of the inverter feed path. Each bypass feed path may be coupled in parallel with each other and the inverter feed path. The UPS system may also include at least one controller coupled to a respective inverter and to a respective rectifier in the inverter feed path and a plurality of controllers. Each controller may be coupled to a respective switch such that the at least one controller and the plurality of controllers communicate with each other via at least two communication buses.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An uninterruptible power supply (UPS) system, comprising:
a rectifier configured to couple to an alternating current (AC) voltage source;
an inverter configured to couple to the rectifier and configured to output a controllable AC voltage to a load;
a plurality of switches configured to couple to the AC voltage source and configured to conduct current to the load when closed, wherein each switch in the plurality of switches is coupled to each other in parallel, and wherein the plurality of switches is coupled to the rectifier and the inverter in parallel;
at least one controller configured to couple to the rectifier and the inverter; and
a plurality of controllers, wherein each controller of the plurality of controllers is configured to couple to a respective switch in the plurality of switches, wherein the at least one controller and the plurality of controllers communicate with each other via at least two communication buses.

2. The UPS system of claim 1 , wherein each switch in in the plurality of switches is rated to conduct current that corresponds to an output of the AC voltage source.

3. The UPS system of claim 1 , wherein each switch in the plurality of switches is a static switch module (SSM).

4. The UPS system of claim 3 , wherein each switch comprises a plurality of forced commutation devices.

5. The UPS system of claim 3 , wherein each switch comprises a plurality of Integrated Gate-Commutated Thyristors (IGCTs).

6. The UPS system of claim 4 , wherein each controller of the plurality of controllers is configured to control an operation of each of the plurality of forced commutation devices in each switch.

7. The UPS system of claim 1 , comprising an isolation switch configured to couple between each switch of the plurality of switches and an input terminal configured to couple to the AC voltage source.

8. The UPS system of claim 1 , wherein the at least one controller is configured to send a first signal to the rectifier and the inverter, wherein the first signal is configured to conduct current from the AC voltage source to the load via the rectifier and the inverter, and wherein the plurality of controllers is configured to send a second signal to each switch in the plurality of switches, wherein the second signal is configured to open each switch when a quality of an AC voltage output by the AC voltage source is not within tolerance levels.

9. The UPS system of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of switches is configured to simultaneously provide power to the load from the AC voltage source.

10. The UPS system of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of switches is configured to cyclically provide power to the load from the AC voltage source.

11. A method, comprising:
monitoring a plurality of currents conducting through a plurality of switches, wherein each switch is configured to couple an AC voltage source to a load;
determining whether at least one switch in the plurality of switches has failed; and
sending a signal to a plurality of controllers to provide power to the load using at least one rectifier and at least one inverter when at least one switch in the plurality of switches fails, wherein the plurality of controllers comprise:
a first set of the controllers each coupled to the at least one rectifier and the at least one inverter; and
a second set of the controllers each coupled to a respective switch in the plurality of switches.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein determining whether the at least one switch in the plurality of switches has failed comprises receiving an indication that a current is conducting through the at least one switch when the at least one switch is open.

13. The method of claim 11 , wherein determining whether the at least one switch in the plurality of switches has failed comprises receiving an indication that at least two of the plurality of currents differ substantially from each other when each switch in the plurality of switches is closed.

14. The method of claim 11 , comprising:
determining whether at least one of the plurality of currents is being back fed into at least one of switch of the plurality of switches; and
providing power to the load using the at least one rectifier and the at least one inverter when the at least one switch in the plurality of switches fails, wherein the at least one rectifier and the at least one inverter is coupled to the plurality of switches in parallel.

15. The method of claim 11 , wherein providing power to the load using the at least one rectifier and the at least one inverter comprises switching off each switch in the plurality of switches, wherein each switch switches off using at least one forced commutation device.

16. A controller, configured to:
couple to a first rectifier and to a first inverter, wherein the first rectifier is configured to couple to an AC voltage source, and wherein the first inverter is configured to output a controllable AC voltage to a load;
communicate with a plurality of other controllers via a plurality of communication buses, wherein each of the plurality of other controllers is configured to respectively couple to:
a second rectifier and a second inverter, wherein the second rectifier is configured to couple to the second inverter, and wherein the second rectifier and the second inverter is configured to couple to the first rectifier and the first inverter in parallel;
a switch configured to couple to the AC voltage source and configured to provide an AC voltage from the AC voltage source to the load; or
a combination thereof;

send a signal to a respective other controller coupled to the switch, wherein the signal is configured to open the switch when a quality of the AC voltage is not within tolerance levels, wherein the switch comprises a plurality of forced commutation devices, and wherein a respective other controller of the plurality of other controllers is configured to control an operation of the plurality of forced commutation devices.

17. The controller of claim 16 , wherein the switch is rated to conduct current that corresponds to an output of the first rectifier and the first inverter.

18. The controller of claim 16 , wherein the controller is configured to send a signal to the first rectifier and the first inverter to conduct current from the AC voltage source to the load via the first rectifier and the first inverter when a quality of the AC voltage is not within tolerance levels.

Assignees

• Colombi Silvio
• Giuntini Lorenzo
• Gen Electric

Inventors

• Colombi Silvio
• Giuntini Lorenzo

Classifications

• Y02P80/14

  District level solutions, i.e. local energy networks · CPC title

• H02J9/062

  for AC powered loads · CPC title

• H02J3/38 Primary

  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

• H02J2105/12

  supplying households or buildings · CPC title

• Y10T307/615

  Cross-Sectional Technologies · mapped topic