Battery energy storage auxiliary power (power)

Abstract

The BESSP platform mitigates changes in power due to momentary i) starting currents and / or ii) other inrush currents compared to steady-state current. The electrical controller is electrically connected to the remote electrical tap and the sensor and senses characteristics of the power provided by the primary power source. The electrical controller is configured to discharge the battery to mitigate fluctuations from steady-state current back to steady-state current caused by momentary i) starting currents and / or ii) other inrush currents that exceed a threshold amount, thereby preventing fluctuations from steady-state current caused by momentary i) starting currents and / or ii) other inrush currents from reaching and affecting loads of electrical equipment connected to the BESSP platform.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] Related Applications This application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. § 119 to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 63 / 413,567, filed October 5, 2022, entitled "BATTERY ENERGY STORAGE SUPPLEMENTAL POWER."

[0002] The present design embodiment relates to power distribution. [Background technology]

[0003] Diesel and other generators can be used to provide power. Summary of the Invention

[0004] A method, system, and apparatus for a Battery Energy Storage Supplemental Power (BESSP) platform is disclosed.

[0005] In one embodiment, a Battery Energy Storage Supplemental Power (BESSP) platform mitigates power changes due to instantaneous i) startup currents and / or ii) other inrush currents compared to steady-state currents. The BESSP platform can include at least a set of batteries constituting a battery storage facility, a bidirectional power conversion unit, and a set of circuit breakers. The battery storage facility, the bidirectional power conversion unit, and the circuit breakers are housed in and electrically interconnected with the BESSP platform.

[0006] An electrical controller, such as a programmable logic controller, controls and regulates both i) the discharging of the batteries comprising the battery storage facility when a threshold amount of instantaneous i) start-up current and / or ii) other inrush current greater than a steady-state current is detected, and ii) the charging of the batteries comprising the battery storage facility when the batteries are 1) not in a discharging mode and 2) not fully charged. The electrical controller is electrically connected to the remote electrical tap and sensor and detects characteristics of the power provided by the primary power source. The electrical controller is configured to discharge the batteries to mitigate fluctuations from steady-state current back to steady-state current caused by the instantaneous i) start-up current and / or ii) other inrush current that exceed the threshold amount, thereby preventing fluctuations from steady-state current caused by the instantaneous i) start-up current and / or ii) other inrush current from reaching and affecting loads of electrical equipment connected to the BESSP platform.

[0007] These and many more embodiments are discussed.

[0008] The drawings relate to exemplary embodiments of the invention included in and submitted herewith. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0009] [Figure 1A] FIG. 1 is an exemplary single-line diagram of a Battery Energy Storage Supplemental Power (BESSP) platform showing the electrical interconnectivity of the BESSP equipment.

[0010] [Figure 1B] 1 illustrates an exemplary BESSP platform providing power to an exemplary load.

[0011] [Figure 2] 1 is a diagram illustrating the layout of exemplary BESSP container equipment within a BESSP container, including a set of batteries, a bidirectional power conversion unit, a distribution board, a power panel, an electrical controller (electronics), and a set of circuit breakers that make up a battery storage facility.

[0012] [Figure 3] FIG. 1 illustrates an example application of a BESSP platform providing auxiliary power to an electrical load to mitigate fluctuations from a steady state current back to a steady state current that exceed a threshold amount, caused by instantaneous i) start-up current and / or ii) other inrush currents, thereby preventing fluctuations from a steady state current caused by instantaneous i) start-up current and / or ii) other inrush currents from reaching and affecting the load of an electrical device connected to the battery energy storage auxiliary power platform.

[0013] [Figure 4] FIG. 1 illustrates another application of the BESSP platform to provide auxiliary power to an electrical load and discharge batteries comprising a battery storage facility when a threshold amount of instantaneous i) start-up current and / or ii) other inrush current is detected compared to steady-state current.

[0014] [Figure 5A] 1 is a flow diagram of an example operation of the BESSP platform. [Figure 5B] 1 is a flow diagram of an example operation of the BESSP platform. [Figure 5C] 1 is a flow diagram of an example operation of the BESSP platform.

[0015] [Figure 6] FIG. 1 is a block diagram of one embodiment of one or more computing devices that may be part of the electronic controller and other components of the BESSP platform discussed herein. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0016] While the invention is susceptible to various modifications and alternative forms, specific embodiments thereof have been shown by way of example in the drawings and will herein be described in detail. It is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the particular forms disclosed, but on the contrary, the intention is to cover all modifications, equivalents, and alternatives falling within the spirit and scope of the invention.

[0017] In the following description, numerous specific details are set forth, such as examples of specific data signals, specified components, connections, and amounts of emergency power, to enable a thorough understanding of the present invention. However, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the present invention can be practiced without such specific details. In other instances, well-known components or methods have not been described in detail but rather in block diagram form to avoid unnecessarily obscuring the present invention. Furthermore, specific numerical references may be made, such as to a first housing. However, the specific numerical references should not be construed as a literal order, but rather as a first housing being different from a second housing. Thus, the specific details described are merely exemplary. Specific details may be varied from the present invention and still be considered to be within the spirit and scope of the present invention.

[0018] FIG. 1A illustrates an exemplary single-line diagram of a Battery Energy Storage Supplemental Power (BESSP) platform, showing the electrical interconnectivity of the BESSP devices.

[0019] In one embodiment, the BESSP platform 100 incorporates battery energy storage and DC power system components to provide auxiliary power to remote, off-grid systems. The BESSP platform 100 can be used to mitigate large power inrush events. The BESSP platform 100 cost-effectively eliminates the need for spinning reserve as well as the need to run additional diesel generators to accommodate large motor start-ups. The BESSP platform 100 can be used in any application requiring excessive and repetitive start-up or inrush currents, which often result in surges in current demand.

[0020] The BESSP platform 100 mitigates power changes due to instantaneous i) starting currents and / or ii) other inrush currents compared to steady-state currents. The BESSP platform 100 may include at least a set of batteries constituting a battery storage facility, a bidirectional power conversion unit, and a set of circuit breakers. The battery storage facility, the bidirectional power conversion unit, and the circuit breakers are housed in the BESSP platform 100 and electrically interconnected.

[0021] An electrical controller, such as a programmable logic controller, controls and regulates both the discharging of the batteries comprising the battery storage facility when a threshold amount of instantaneous i) start-up current and / or ii) other inrush current greater than a steady-state current is detected, and ii) the charging of the batteries comprising the battery storage facility when the batteries are (1) not in a discharging mode and (2) not fully charged. The electrical controller is electrically connected to the remote electrical tap and sensor and detects characteristics of the power provided by the primary power source. The electrical controller is configured to discharge the batteries to mitigate fluctuations from steady-state current back to steady-state current caused by the instantaneous i) start-up current and / or ii) other inrush current that exceed the threshold amount, thereby preventing fluctuations from steady-state current caused by the instantaneous i) start-up current and / or ii) other inrush current from reaching and affecting the load of the electrical equipment connected to the BESSP platform 100.

[0022] In one embodiment, the integrated power platform comprising the battery energy storage auxiliary power platform 100 includes two or more arrays of battery storage facilities, power conversion units, and circuit breakers / electrical protection units, which can be electrically connected in parallel with other arrays of these same electrical components. An electrical controller, such as a programmable logic controller, controls and coordinates the charging and discharging of the arrays of battery storage facilities, power conversion units, and circuit breakers / electrical protection units, which are electrically connected in parallel with each other. The multiple arrays of battery storage facilities, power conversion units, and circuit breakers / electrical protection units are housed and interconnected on a platform, such as a skid frame structure within a weatherproof container. The skid frame structure can include integral wheels, or at least fasteners, to which the wheels can be attached to allow the BESSP platform 100 to be moved.

[0023] The bidirectional power conversion unit can be implemented in several ways. In one embodiment, the bidirectional power conversion unit is an AC-to-DC and DC-to-AC power conversion unit. In one embodiment, the bidirectional power conversion unit is a DC-to-DC power conversion unit configured to convert from a first steady-state DC voltage level, such as a 30-volt battery voltage, to a different second steady-state DC voltage level, such as 1000 VDC, supplied to an electrical load. The power conversion unit includes: i) electrical components (e.g., converters) that perform power conversion from a first level voltage, e.g., 30-50 VDC DC power, supplied from the power conversion unit's corresponding battery storage facility, to a second level voltage, which is the operating voltage level of the system to which the BESSP supplies auxiliary power. The power conversion unit can thus provide an output, such as 1000 VDC, providing an auxiliary power source that can be coupled with another power generating source to supply power to the receiving system.

[0024] The electrical controller communicates with other electrical components within the BESSP platform 100 to direct them to provide regulated and regulated DC power to stay within set voltage levels, eliminating voltage amplitude fluctuations that would deviate from the set, regulated and regulated DC voltage levels even when DC power provided from the main DC power source would normally fluctuate in voltage levels due to electrical inrush. The BESSP platform 100 prevents voltage fluctuations from reaching and affecting the electrical equipment loads by providing the instantaneous amount of current needed by heavy equipment at the start of an operation to move something, such as a crane lifting a heavy load, or an excavator lifting a heavy cable load.

[0025] The battery storage facility of the BESSP platform 100 can use fast-discharge and recharge batteries. In one embodiment, fast-discharge and recharge batteries, such as silicon-ion batteries, replace existing supercapacitor technology. Silicon-ion batteries can perform more efficiently and at a lower cost than existing supercapacitor technology. Thus, not only can the battery be a silicon-ion based battery that supports rapid discharge of energy from the battery and frequent recharging of the battery, but the electrical controller is configured to quickly switch the operating mode of the battery storage facility, power conversion unit, and circuit breaker from a local source of additional instantaneous power to a charging mode that replenishes and recharges the battery.

[0026] The battery storage facility may have a capacity, in ampere hours (Ahrs), to provide a continuous auxiliary DC power source to supply downstream connected electrical loads.

[0027] In one embodiment, the BESSP platform 100 incorporates components of a battery energy storage system (BESS) and a DC power system to provide auxiliary power to remote, off-grid systems. The BESSP platform 100 can be used to mitigate large power inrush events. The BESSP platform 100 cost-effectively eliminates the need for spinning reserve as well as the need to run additional diesel generators to accommodate the start-up of large motors. The BESSP platform 100 can be used in any application requiring excessive and repetitive start-up or inrush currents, which often result in surges in current demand.

[0028] In one embodiment, the integrated power platform comprising the battery energy storage auxiliary power platform 100 includes two or more arrays of battery storage facilities, power conversion units, and circuit breakers / electrical protection units, which can be electrically connected in parallel with other arrays of these same electrical components. An electrical controller, such as a programmable logic controller, controls and coordinates the charging and discharging of the arrays of battery storage facilities, power conversion units, and circuit breakers / electrical protection units, which are electrically connected in parallel with each other. The multiple arrays of battery storage facilities, power conversion units, and circuit breakers / electrical protection units are housed and interconnected on a platform, such as a skid frame structure within a weatherproof container. The skid frame structure can include integral wheels or at least fasteners for mounting the wheels and enabling movement of the BESSP platform 100. Thus, the battery energy storage auxiliary power platform has a skid frame structure that includes: 1) integral wheels; or 2) at least fasteners for mounting the wheels and enabling movement of the battery energy storage auxiliary power platform.

[0029] The power conversion unit includes electrical components (e.g., converters) that perform power conversion of i) a first level of voltage, e.g., 30-50 VDC DC power, supplied from the power conversion unit's corresponding battery storage facility, to a second level of voltage that is the operating voltage level of the system to which the BESSP platform 100 is supplying auxiliary power. The power conversion unit can thus provide an output, such as 1000 VDC, to provide an auxiliary power source that works in conjunction with another power generating source to supply power to its receiving system.

[0030] The electrical controller communicates with other electrical components within the BESSP platform 100 to direct them to provide regulated and regulated DC power to stay within set voltage levels, eliminating voltage amplitude fluctuations that would deviate from the set, regulated and regulated DC voltage levels even when DC power provided from the main DC power source would normally fluctuate in voltage levels due to electrical inrush. The BESSP platform 100 prevents voltage fluctuations from reaching and affecting the electrical equipment loads by providing the instantaneous amount of current needed by heavy equipment at the start of an operation to move something, such as a crane lifting a heavy load, or an excavator lifting a heavy cable load.

[0031] The battery storage facility of the BESSP platform 100 can use fast-discharge and recharge batteries. In one embodiment, fast-discharge and recharge batteries, such as silicon-ion batteries, replace existing supercapacitor technology. Silicon-ion batteries can perform more efficiently and at a lower cost than existing supercapacitor technology.

[0032] The battery storage facility may have a capacity, in ampere hours (Ahrs), to provide a continuous auxiliary DC power source to supply downstream connected electrical loads.

[0033] The integrated power platform comprising the Battery Energy Storage Supplemental Power Platform 100 combines modified components from A) a Battery Energy (Chemical Energy) Storage System (BESS) and B) a DC power system to obtain a single device / integrated electrical apparatus configured to interface with another power source for the critical electrical loads within a facility. Note that the BESSP platform 100 may also include a DC to AC voltage converter that provides a similar function for powering the critical electrical loads from the AC power within the facility.

[0034] The BESSP platform 100 may generally consist of one or more integrated power units, integrated power unit electrical controllers, integrated power unit associated circuit breakers and / or other overcurrent and undervoltage protection mechanisms, distribution panels, and possibly other similar sets of electrical equipment integrated into a single, potentially mobile, platform.

[0035] Each BESSP platform 100 has multiple operating modes that allow the device to quickly switch from being a local source of additional instantaneous power to a charging mode that replenishes and charges the battery.

[0036] To reiterate, the power conversion module can include electrical components (e.g., voltage inverters, voltage regulators, electrical filters, uninterruptible power supplies, etc.) that perform not only the power conversion to step up the lower voltage DC power provided by the battery to the DC voltage level power delivered to the electrical load, but also the step-down voltage conversion required to charge the battery storage facility from another, higher power, main DC voltage power source that supplies power to the electrical load. The other main DC voltage source could be, for example, a diesel generator connected to an AC to DC converter.

[0037] The BESSP platform 100 can use silicon-ion battery technology to supplement the power needed to operate large motors in off-grid environments. Unlike other battery technologies, silicon-ion batteries have the ability to discharge and recharge very quickly.

[0038] The BESSP platform 100 can be comprised of the following exemplary components: Silicon-ion battery, BMS (Battery Monitoring System), BPS (Battery Protection System), DC / DC converters, and DC collection switchboard.

[0039] The BESSP platform 100 is containerized. The container is mobile. The BESSP platform 100 can be easily manufactured off-site and then transported to and from site to site.

[0040] Each BESSP platform 100 can be configured with one or more battery storage facilities (referred to as batteries), each of which includes a scalable amount of batteries and one or more power electrical power conversion modules (PSCMs) that convert voltage levels to and from the integrated power unit. The power conversion modules convert electrical energy through rectifiers and inverters, electrical filters, and regulators. Thus, the battery energy storage auxiliary power platform 100 has an expansion connection that allows additional battery energy storage auxiliary power platforms 100 to be electrically connected in parallel with the battery energy storage auxiliary power platform 100, thereby enabling the battery energy storage auxiliary power platform's capacity to be increased or decreased over its operational life by adding additional power capacity from the additional battery energy storage auxiliary power platforms.

[0041] Again, an exemplary one-line diagram of the BESSP platform 100 is shown, with exemplary electrical components that make up the BESSP, such as a set of batteries that make up the battery storage facility, a bidirectional power conversion unit, and a set of circuit breakers. The one-line diagram of the BESSP shows the interconnectivity of the BESSP equipment.

[0042] The BESSP platform 100 uses silicon-ion battery technology to supplement the power required to operate large motors in off-grid environments. Unlike other battery technologies, silicon-ion batteries have the ability to discharge and recharge very quickly. The BESSP platform 100 consists of silicon-ion batteries, a battery monitoring and management system including a PLC cabinet, a battery protection system, a DC / DC converter, and a DC distribution panel.

[0043] The single-line diagram of the BESSP shows how the above-described components are interconnected. The BESSP, in this example, has seven silicon-ion battery strings. Each silicon-ion battery string has 14 battery cells, with an exemplary rating of 25 kW at 750 A @ 32 VDC, and an integrated battery monitoring system (BMS). The BESSP platform 100 has seven string DC protection string systems. Each string DC protection system includes DC circuit breakers, DC fuses, DC contactors, and protection electronics. The BESSP platform 100 has 14 bidirectional DC-DC converters (rated for the current capacity of the entire string). The BESSP has seven DC-DC converters. The BESSP platform 100 has one DC-AC inverter (e.g., rated for 50 kW, 208 / 120 V, 3-phase, 4-wire) to support the AC electrical load for the BESSP platform 100. The BESSP platform 100 includes a distribution panel (e.g., rated at 225A, 208 / 120V, 3-phase, 4-wire). The BESSP platform 100 is skid-mounted and, in some cases, containerized within a weather-resistant enclosure. The BESSP platform 100 is a completely "self-contained" system. The battery energy storage auxiliary power platform is constructed with materials that not only withstand the weather and outdoor conditions within the weather-resistant container, but also quickly and frequently dissipate heat caused by the frequent discharging and charging of the battery storage facility's batteries. During the operation of large motors such as cranes, the batteries will need to be discharged to compensate for momentary inrush currents for a few milliseconds. Then, once the current reaches a steady state, the BESSP platform 100 can stop discharging. After discharging a certain amount, when the battery level reaches, say, 90%, the electrical controller will switch to charging the batteries.

[0044] Second, each battery storage system with a backup battery power pack can increase or decrease the energy storage capacity of both battery storage systems by simply stacking more battery cells electrically connected in series or parallel within the battery storage system.

[0045] FIG. 1B below illustrates an exemplary BESSP platform 100 supplying power to an exemplary load. The BESSP platform 100 is connected to a primary power source to maintain voltage levels during large inrush surges. The battery energy storage auxiliary power platform includes a line reactor to compensate for and eliminate at least one or more of the following problems with the AC voltage level, frequency, and phase of the AC voltage: i) surges; ii) transients; and iii) harmonic issues that occur in the AC power supplied from the primary power source from reaching and affecting the load of electrically connected electrical equipment.

[0046] The BESSP platform 100 accommodates the exemplary operation of large motors that consume large amounts of power when starting and / or moving heavy loads.

[0047] Figure 2 shows an example BESSP container equipment layout diagram within a BESSP container, including a set of batteries, a bidirectional power conversion unit, a distribution board, a power panel, an electrical controller (electronics), and a set of circuit breakers that make up the battery storage facility. All BESSP components of the system can be packaged in a container measuring, for example, 44 feet by 11 feet.

[0048] The following equipment can be seen on the BESSP platform inside the container: Silicon-ion batteries, DCP electronics, including electronic controllers; BESSP system control unit, DC-DC converters, DC-AC inverter, Internal power distribution panel, ·DC collector / switchboard, HVAC, if required ·illumination, Security, Fire detection, and Fire extinguishing.

[0049] 3 illustrates an example application of the BESSP platform to provide auxiliary power to an electrical load, mitigating fluctuations from a steady state current back to a steady state current that exceed a threshold amount, caused by momentary i) starting current and / or ii) other inrush currents, thereby preventing fluctuations from a steady state current caused by momentary i) starting current and / or ii) other inrush currents from reaching and affecting the load of an electrical device connected to the battery energy storage auxiliary power platform. The BESSP platform 100 corresponds to an exemplary operation of a large motor. The BESSP platform 100 corresponds to various operational stages during typical operation of a large motor.

[0050] In this example, the drilling rig's motor begins to lift a heavy load. At point 1, the BESSP platform 100 provides auxiliary power for the first seven seconds. In this example, silicon-ion batteries, unlike lithium-ion or other battery chemistries, allow for rapid discharge of energy from the battery system. From point 2 to point 3, auxiliary power from the battery supplements the current requirement from an average of just over 1500 amps to approximately 2600 amps (a difference of 1100 amps required by the electrical load), bridging the seven-second example gap without a drop in voltage level. After the initial surge of 2600 amps, the current requirement decreases from points 3 to 5, returning to just over 1500 amps (a jump between the 1600 and 1800 amp points), which the primary DC power source can supply without a voltage level fluctuation. Another graph line shows that the motor can operate at a constant speed for the next 25 seconds before dropping off the heavy load. During this time, the main DC power can charge the battery of the BESSP platform 100 to restore the charge level. Thus, during periods 3-5, the electronic controller can switch the equipment mode for the BESSP platform from discharging to charging until the battery is full.

[0051] The following details the energy requirements of the BESSP during motor operation: 1. First launch a.6.6MJ b.946kW@7 seconds c.910A 2. Constant speed a.46.6MJ b.710kW@65.9 seconds c.683A 3. Deceleration (battery recharge) a.1.44MJ b.209kW@7 seconds c.198A

[0052] 4 illustrates another application of the BESSP platform 100 to provide auxiliary power to an electrical load, discharging batteries comprising a battery storage facility when a threshold amount of instantaneous i) starting current and / or ii) other inrush current is detected compared to steady-state current. The BESSP platform 100 also accommodates application to an exemplary arrangement of several heavy loads operating on other large motors.

[0053] An example application of the BESSP platform 100 is presented in Figure 4 above. Figure 4 illustrates the BESSP platform 100 responding to various operational stages during typical operation of a large motor. Three surges occur where the BESSP needs to rapidly discharge large amounts of current to meet the instantaneous load demands, followed by corresponding dips while the BESSP's batteries recharge. The three surges are indicated by dotted ellipses around the three graph lines. The top graph line represents the peak power graph. In this example, 15.2 kilowatt-hours of peak power is required for a 38-second period. The second graph below the peak power graph is the maximum / peak current required graph. In this example, the maximum current required is 3309 amps. The third graph shown is the average / steady-state current consumed before the large motor begins operation. The steady-state current / average current during this 38-second period is 2121 amps, required for all other electrical loads consuming power other than the large motor. The large motor does not operate continuously, but rather for short periods, such as when initially picking up or dropping off a heavy load. During the initial power surge, the battery discharges during the initial moments of the power surge, reaching a maximum current of 3309 amps, locally providing the amount of current needed to reach the instantaneous peak current of 3309 amps from the steady-state current of 2121 amps. Note that auxiliary power is provided by the battery during the delay before the primary power source detects the increased need for more power. After the initial surge, indicated by the oval dotted line, there is a period during which the electronic controller can switch the operating mode from the BESSP platform 100 to battery recharging. Thus, the initial circular dotted line indicates 1.97 kilowatt-hours of regenerative power recharging operation, a maximum current of 1938 amps, and an average current of 694 amps during that approximately 35-second period while the battery is charging and returning to a fully charged state. This process is repeated two more times as the large motor starts and needs to move a heavy load, causing a surge due to the steady current draw by other electrical loads connected to its power lines.The surge is then processed and after a period of time, the electronic controller then begins charging the platform's batteries. Again, battery discharge is shown by the graph contained within the dotted oval, and battery charging is shown by the graph of power required contained within the circular dotted line. The following details the energy requirements of the BESSP platform 100 during motor operation: 1. Starting the motor a.54.7MJ b.1.44kW@38 seconds c.1385A 2. Deceleration (battery recharge) a.7.1MJ b.303.6kW@35 seconds c.195A 3. Starting the motor a.55.4MJ b.1.33kW@40 seconds c.1333A 4. Deceleration (battery recharge) a.6.8MJ b.194.4kW@35 seconds c.185A 5. Starting the motor a.56MJ b.1.3kW@40 seconds c.1365A 6. Deceleration (battery recharge) a.6.24MJ b.221.8kW@5 seconds c.213A

[0054] The BESSP's 3000A DC output is directly connected to the application's primary DC bus. The BESSP system features 52.5MJ storage. The application graphs above show the amount of ESS energy required for each application. The BESSP system's silicon-ion batteries are sized to have enough energy for twice the maximum current / peak power surge. In the example, an 1100-amp differential was required to compensate for the instantaneous electrical inrush current. Therefore, in this example, the silicon-ion batteries could be sized to handle a 2200-amp discharge without modifying the battery's performance. For example, in Application 1 (Figure 3), an excess amount is available, while in Application 2 (Figure 4), an equivalent amount of power is required. The silicon-ion batteries are capable of delivering the amount of energy (e.g., megajoules) for the short time frames shown in each application. The batteries are recharged whenever the system indicates it is slowing down or when there is no excessive demand to meet.

[0055] The containerized BESSP is field deployable. It can be easily transported to any location in the world. It is a completely self-contained system. All consumable power is supplied by the DC collective bus inside the BESSP.

[0056] An example integrated power unit is constructed with one or more electrical connections for adding additional power capacity, allowing capacity to be scaled over the operational life of the integrated power unit by adding 1) another set of new backup batteries and / or a new power conversion and conditioning module electrically in parallel with the set of existing electrical components (backup batteries and power conversion and conditioning modules) of the integrated electric unit. All new and existing electrical components are connected to the same output circuit breakers already installed, and 2) an expansion connection for adding multiple blocks of backup batteries to the existing backup batteries in the battery storage facility of the integrated electric unit. Each integrated power unit can have a scalable number of batteries electrically connected in series or parallel to supply power to electrical loads.

[0057] The controller of the integrated power unit has a remote electrical tap and a sensor to sense the characteristics of the AC power supplied by the main AC power source. This sensing of the AC power on the input feeder occurs far enough upstream from the electrical connection / feed to the electrical load so that voltage fluctuations are suppressed by the time power is supplied to the electrical load. Sensing of the main power source can be performed using a sensor configured to sense both voltage and current levels. Both voltage and current are measured within the sensor. If any of these parameters fall outside of acceptable ranges, the controller acts to supply auxiliary power from the power conversion module of the BESSP.

[0058] The power conversion and conditioning module may include a bidirectional inverter that can use utility power to charge the system's batteries.

[0059] Each battery backup power pack may be located in a temperature-controlled climate room and have its own dedicated cooling system.

[0060] The batteries in the BESSP platform 100 are less expensive to purchase, operate, and maintain than the cost of capacitors over their lifetime.

[0061] Heavy equipment such as drilling rigs and cranes that require auxiliary power may be mobile, and the BESSP platform 100 is similarly constructed to be mobile. Additionally, because the heavy equipment operates outdoors and is exposed to the weather, the BESSP platform 100 is constructed to withstand the weather within a weather-resistant container. Again, the container is constructed to control and dissipate heat from constant charging and discharging.

[0062] 5A-5C show a flow diagram of an exemplary operation of the BESSP platform.

[0063] In step 502, a set of batteries, a bidirectional power conversion unit, and a set of circuit breakers constituting a battery storage facility are provided in a battery energy storage auxiliary power platform.

[0064] In step 504, the battery storage facility, the bidirectional power conversion unit, and the circuit breaker are housed in and electrically interconnected with the battery energy storage auxiliary power platform.

[0065] In step 506, the battery energy storage auxiliary power platform is prepared to mitigate power changes due to instantaneous i) start-up currents and / or ii) other inrush currents compared to steady-state currents.

[0066] In step 508, an electrical controller is arranged to control and regulate both the discharging of batteries comprising the battery storage facility when a threshold amount of instantaneous i) start-up current and / or ii) other inrush current is detected compared to the steady-state current, and ii) the charging of batteries comprising the battery storage facility when the batteries are 1) not in a discharging mode and 2) not fully charged.

[0067] In step 510, an electrical controller is provided that is electrically connected to the remote electrical tap and the sensor to sense the characteristics of the power provided by the main power source.

[0068] In step 512, the electrical controller is arranged to discharge the battery to mitigate fluctuations from steady state current back to steady state current that exceed a threshold amount caused by momentary i) start-up current and / or ii) other inrush currents, thereby preventing fluctuations from steady state current caused by momentary i) start-up current and / or ii) other inrush currents from reaching and affecting loads of electrical equipment connected to the battery energy storage auxiliary power platform.

[0069] In step 514, the electrical controller is prepared to switch the operating mode of the battery storage facility, power conversion unit, and circuit breaker from a mode in which they are a local source of additional instantaneous power to a charging mode in which they replenish and charge the batteries.

[0070] In step 516, a skid frame structure is provided on the battery energy storage auxiliary power platform, including 1) integral wheels or 2) at least fasteners for mounting the wheels to allow the battery energy storage auxiliary power platform to be moved.

[0071] In step 518, the battery energy storage auxiliary power platform is provided with materials to not only withstand weather and outdoor conditions within the weather-resistant container, but also to dissipate heat caused by frequent discharging and charging of the batteries in the battery storage facility.

[0072] In step 520, the battery is a silicon-ion based battery that supports rapid discharge of energy from the battery and frequent recharging of the battery.

[0073] In step 522, an expansion connection is provided to the battery energy storage auxiliary power platform to allow additional battery energy storage auxiliary power platforms to be electrically connected in parallel with the battery energy storage auxiliary power platform, thus allowing the capacity of the battery energy storage auxiliary power platform to be increased or decreased over time of operation by adding additional power capacity from the additional battery energy storage auxiliary power platform with the expansion connection.

[0074] In step 524, a line reactor is provided in the battery energy storage auxiliary power platform to not only compensate for and eliminate at least one or more of i) surges, ii) transients, and iii) harmonic problems to the AC voltage level, frequency, and phase of the AC voltage that occur in the AC power supplied from the primary power source from reaching and affecting the loads of the electrically connected electrical equipment, but also to temporarily isolate the electrical loads when power from the primary power source is lost.

[0075] In step 526, the bidirectional power conversion unit may be an AC to DC power conversion and a DC to AC power conversion unit, or alternatively, the bidirectional power conversion unit may be a DC to DC power conversion unit configured to convert from a first steady-state DC voltage level to a second, different steady-state DC voltage level.

[0076] computer processing device FIG. 6 shows a block diagram of one embodiment of one or more computing devices that may be part of the electronic controller and other components of the BESSP platform 100 discussed herein.

[0077] The computing device may include one or more processors or processing units 620 for executing instructions, one or more memories 630-632 for storing information, one or more data entry components 660-663 for receiving data input from a user of the computing device 600, one or more modules including a management module, a network interface communication circuitry 670 for establishing communication links for communicating with other computing devices external to the computing device, one or more sensors whose output is used to detect certain trigger conditions and then generate one or more pre-programmed actions in response thereto, a display screen 691 for displaying at least a portion of the information stored in the one or more memories 630-632, and other components. Note that portions of this design implemented in software 644, 645, 646 are stored in one or more memories 630-632 and executed by the one or more processors 620. Processing unit 620 may have one or more processing cores coupled to a system bus 621, which couples various system components including system memory 630. System bus 621 may be any of several types of bus structures selected from a memory bus, an interconnect fabric, a peripheral bus, and a local bus using any of a variety of bus architectures.

[0078] The computing device 602 typically includes a variety of computer-processing machine-readable media. Machine-readable media can be any available media accessible by the computing device 602, including both volatile and nonvolatile media, and both removable and non-removable media. Use of computer-processing machine-readable media includes, by way of example and not limitation, the storage of information such as computer-readable instructions, data structures, other executable software, or other data. Computer storage media include, but are not limited to, RAM, ROM, EEPROM, flash memory, or other memory technology, CD-ROM, digital versatile disk (DVD), or other optical disk storage, magnetic cassettes, magnetic tape, magnetic disk storage, or other magnetic storage devices, or any other tangible medium that can be used to store the desired information and that can be accessed by the computing device 602. Transient media, such as wireless channels, are not included as machine-readable media. Machine-readable media typically embody computer-readable instructions, data structures, and other executable software. By way of example, volatile memory drive 641 is shown for storage of portions of an operating system 644 , application programs 645 , other executable software 646 , and program data 647 .

[0079] A user may enter commands and information into the computing device 602 through input devices such as a keyboard, touch screen, or software or hardware input buttons 662, a microphone 663, a pointing device such as a mouse, trackball, or touchpad 661, and / or a scrolling input component. The microphone 663 may be coupled with voice recognition software. These and other input devices are often connected to the processing unit 620 through a user input interface 660 coupled to the system bus 621, but may also be connected using other interface and bus structures, such as a light port, a game port, or a universal serial bus (USB). A display monitor 691 or other type of display screen device is also connected to the system bus 621 through an interface, such as a display interface 690. In addition to the monitor 691, the computing device may also include other peripheral output devices, such as speakers 697, a vibrating device 699, and other output devices, which may be connected through an output peripheral interface 695.

[0080] The computing device 602 can operate in a networked environment using logical connections to one or more remote computers / client devices, such as a remote computing system 680. The remote computing system 680 may be a personal computer, a portable computing device, a server, a router, a network PC, a peer device, or other common network node, and typically includes many or all of the elements described above with respect to the computing device 602. The logical connections may include a personal area network (PAN) 672 (e.g., Bluetooth), a local area network (LAN) 671 (e.g., Wi-Fi), and a wide area network (WAN) 673 (e.g., a cellular network). Such networked environments are commonplace in offices, enterprise-wide computer networks, intranets, and the Internet. A browser application and / or one or more local apps may reside on the computing device and be stored in memory.

[0081] When used in a LAN networking environment, the computing device 602 is connected to the LAN 671 through a network interface 670, which may be, for example, a Bluetooth® or Wi-Fi adapter. When used in a WAN networking environment (e.g., the Internet), the computing device 602 typically includes some means for establishing communications over the WAN 673. For mobile telecommunications technologies, for example, a wireless interface, which may be internal or external, may be connected to the system bus 621 through the network interface 670 or other appropriate mechanism. In a networked environment, other software, or portions of other software, depicted relative to the computing device 602 may be stored in a remote memory storage device. By way of example, and not limitation, remote application program 685 resides on the remote computing device 680. It will be understood that the illustrated network connections are exemplary and other means of establishing a communications link between computing devices may be used. Note that the design may be executed on a single computing device or on a distributed system in which different portions of the design are executed on different parts of the distributed computing system.

[0082] Note that applications described herein include, but are not limited to, program routines, objects, widgets, and plug-ins that are part of software applications, mobile phone applications, and operating system applications. Some portions of this description are presented in terms of algorithms and symbolic representations of operations on data bits within a computer memory. These algorithmic descriptions and representations are the means used by those skilled in the data processing arts to most effectively convey the substance of their work to others skilled in the art. An algorithm is here, and generally, conceived to be a self-consistent sequence of steps leading to a desired result. The steps require physical manipulations of physical quantities. These quantities usually, though not necessarily, take the form of electrical or magnetic signals capable of being stored, transferred, combined, compared, and otherwise manipulated. It has proven convenient at times, principally for reasons of common usage, to refer to these signals as bits, values, elements, symbols, characters, terms, numbers, or the like. Such algorithms can be written in a number of different software programming languages, such as Python, C, C++, Java, HTTP, or other similar languages. An algorithm may also be implemented as lines of code in software, configured logic gates in hardware, or a combination of both. In one embodiment, logic is comprised of electronic circuits that follow the rules of Boolean logic, software containing patterns of instructions, or a combination of both. A module may be implemented as hardware electronic components, software components, or a combination of both. A software engine is a core component of a complex system comprised of hardware and software, capable of performing its functions independently from other parts of the overall complex system, but designed to interact with other parts of the overall complex system.

[0083] Unless otherwise stated as is clear from the above discussion, discussions throughout this description utilizing terms such as "processing," "computing," "calculating," "determining," or "displaying" will be understood to refer to the acts and processes of a computer system or similar electronic computer processing device that manipulates data represented as physical (electronic) quantities in the computer system's registers and memory, and transforms it into other data that is similarly represented as physical quantities in the computer system's memory or registers or other such information storage, transmission, or display device.

[0084] Although several specific embodiments of the present invention have been described, the present invention should not be limited to these embodiments. For example, most functions performed by electronic hardware components may be reproduced by software emulation. Thus, a software program written to achieve those same functions may emulate the functionality of the hardware components of the input / output circuitry. The type of cabinet may vary, etc. It should be understood that the present invention is not limited to the specific embodiments described herein, but is limited only by the scope of the appended claims.

Claims

1. a battery energy storage auxiliary power platform configured to mitigate power changes due to instantaneous i) starting current and / or ii) other inrush current compared to steady-state current, the battery energy storage auxiliary power platform having a set of batteries constituting a battery storage facility, a bidirectional power conversion unit, and a set of circuit breakers, the battery storage facility, the bidirectional power conversion unit, and the circuit breakers housed in the battery energy storage auxiliary power platform and electrically interconnected; an electrical controller configured to control and regulate both i) the discharging of the batteries comprising the battery storage facility when a threshold amount of the instantaneous i) start-up current and / or ii) other inrush current is detected compared to the steady-state current, and ii) the charging of the batteries comprising the battery storage facility when the batteries are 1) not in a discharging mode and 2) not fully charged; An apparatus comprising: the electrical controller is electrically connected to a remote electrical tap and a sensor to sense characteristics of the power supplied by the primary power source, and the electrical controller is configured to discharge the battery to mitigate any fluctuations caused by the instantaneous i) start-up current and / or ii) other inrush currents from the steady-state current back to the steady-state current beyond the threshold amount, thereby preventing the fluctuations from the steady-state current caused by the instantaneous i) start-up current and / or ii) other inrush currents from reaching and affecting a load of an electrical device connected to the battery energy storage auxiliary power platform.

2. 10. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the battery energy storage auxiliary power platform is constructed of materials to not only withstand weather and outdoor conditions within a weather-resistant container, but also to dissipate heat due to frequent discharging and charging of the batteries in the battery storage facility.

3. 3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the battery energy storage auxiliary power platform has a skid frame structure including 1) integral wheels or 2) at least fasteners for mounting wheels to enable movement of the battery energy storage auxiliary power platform.

4. 2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the battery is a silicon ion based battery that supports rapid energy discharge from the battery and frequent recharging of the battery, and the electrical controller is configured to switch the operating mode of the battery storage facility, the power conversion unit, and the circuit breaker from a mode that is a local source of additional instantaneous power to a charging mode that replenishes and charges the battery.

5. 10. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the battery energy storage auxiliary power platform has an expansion connection to allow additional battery energy storage auxiliary power platforms to be electrically connected in parallel with the battery energy storage auxiliary power platform, thereby allowing the capacity of the battery energy storage auxiliary power platform to be increased or decreased over operational time by adding additional power capacity from the additional battery energy storage auxiliary power platforms with the expansion connection.

6. 2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the battery energy storage auxiliary power platform includes a line reactor to compensate for and eliminate at least one or more of: i) surges, ii) transients, and iii) harmonic problems to AC voltage level, frequency, and phase of AC voltage that occur in the AC power supplied from the primary power source from reaching and affecting the load of the electrically connected electrical equipment.

7. 10. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the bidirectional power conversion unit is an AC to DC power conversion and a DC to AC power conversion unit.

8. 10. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the bidirectional power conversion unit is a DC-to-DC power conversion unit configured to convert from a first steady-state DC voltage level to a second, different steady-state DC voltage level.

9. 1. A method of supplying power, comprising: Providing a battery energy storage auxiliary power platform to mitigate power changes due to instantaneous i) start-up currents and / or ii) other inrush currents compared to steady-state currents; Providing a set of batteries, a bidirectional power conversion unit, and a set of circuit breakers constituting a battery storage facility on the battery energy storage auxiliary power platform; providing the battery storage facility, the bidirectional power conversion unit, and the circuit breaker housed in and electrically interconnected with the battery energy storage auxiliary power platform; providing an electrical controller to control and regulate both i) discharging of the batteries comprising the battery storage facility when a threshold amount of the instantaneous i) start-up current and / or ii) other inrush current is detected compared to the steady-state current, and ii) charging of the batteries comprising the battery storage facility when the batteries are 1) not in a discharge mode and 2) not fully charged; Providing the electrical controller electrically connected to a remote electrical tap and a sensor to sense a characteristic of the power supplied from the main power source; and configuring the electrical controller to discharge the battery to mitigate any fluctuations from the steady-state current back to the steady-state current that exceed the threshold amount caused by the instantaneous i) start-up current and / or ii) other inrush currents, thereby preventing the fluctuations from the steady-state current caused by the instantaneous i) start-up current and / or ii) other inrush currents from reaching and affecting loads of electrical equipment connected to the battery energy storage auxiliary power platform; A method comprising:

10. 10. The method of claim 9, further comprising providing the battery energy storage auxiliary power platform with materials for not only withstanding weather and outdoor conditions within a weather-resistant container but also for dissipating heat due to frequent discharging and charging of the batteries of the battery storage facility.

11. 11. The method of claim 10, further comprising providing a skid frame structure to the battery energy storage auxiliary power platform, the skid frame structure including 1) integral wheels, or 2) at least fasteners for mounting wheels to enable movement of the battery energy storage auxiliary power platform.

12. the battery is a silicon ion based battery and supports rapid energy discharge from the battery and frequent recharging of the battery; and the method comprises:

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising the step of: preparing the electrical controller to switch an operating mode of the battery storage facility, the power conversion unit, and the circuit breaker from a mode in which they are a local source of additional instantaneous power to a charging mode in which they replenish and charge the batteries.

13. 10. The method of claim 9, further comprising providing an expansion connection to the battery energy storage auxiliary power platform to allow additional battery energy storage auxiliary power platforms to be electrically connected in parallel with the battery energy storage auxiliary power platform, thus allowing the battery energy storage auxiliary power platform to have an expansion connection and increase or decrease capacity over operational time by adding additional power capacity from the additional battery energy storage auxiliary power platform.

14. 10. The method of claim 9, further comprising providing a line reactor in the battery energy storage auxiliary power platform to compensate for and eliminate at least one or more of i) surges, ii) transients, and iii) harmonic problems to AC voltage level, frequency, and phase of AC voltage that occur in the AC power supplied from the primary power source from reaching and affecting loads of the electrically connected electrical equipment.

15. 10. The method of claim 9, wherein the bidirectional power conversion unit is an AC to DC power conversion and DC to AC power conversion unit.

16. 10. The method of claim 9, wherein the bidirectional power conversion unit is a DC to DC power conversion unit configured to convert from a first steady-state DC voltage level to a different second steady-state DC voltage level.

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