Method Of Controlling An Uninterruptible Power Supply System To Optimize Component Life

Abstract

A method of controlling an uninterruptible power supply system to increase component life includes decreasing a maximum output power limit of the uninterruptible power supply system when a temperature that the uninterruptible power supply system is experiencing has increased and increasing the maximum output power limit when this temperature has decreased. In an aspect, this temperature is ambient temperature of an equipment enclosure of the uninterruptible power supply system in which at least a rectifier and inverter of the uninterruptible power supply system are located. In an aspect, the method further includes upon the system going into an overload condition, determining an overload time limit based upon the temperature, the overload condition and an initial load condition. In an aspect, the method further includes upon the system going into a back-up power mode, determining a battery autonomy based upon the temperature.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method of controlling an uninterruptible power supply system with a controller of the uninterruptible power supply system to improve component life, comprising:
 periodically sensing an ambient temperature in an equipment enclosure in which at least a rectifier and inverter of the uninterruptible power supply system are located with a temperature sensor and receiving with the controller the sensed temperature from the temperature sensor;   after the controller receives each periodically sensed ambient temperature, updating with the controller a maximum power output limit of the uninterruptible power supply system based on the sensed ambient temperature most recently received by the controller by setting with the controller the maximum power output limit to a value in a range of values wherein the values in the range of values for the maximum power output are associated with values in a range of values for the sensed ambient temperature wherein as the values in the range of values for the sensed ambient temperature increase the associated values in the range of values for the maximum power output limit decrease so that anytime the value of the sensed ambient temperature has increased in the range of values for the sensed ambient temperature the maximum output power limit is decreased to the value associated with the value of the ambient temperature and anytime the value of the sensed ambient temperature has decreased in the range of values for the sensed ambient temperature the maximum power output limit is increased to the value associated with the value of the ambient temperature; and   then controlling the uninterruptible power supply system with the controller so that a maximum power output of the uninterruptible power supply system does not exceed the updated maximum power output limit.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the adjustment to the maximum power output limit does not change a power output at which the uninterruptible power supply is operating if that power output is less than the updated maximum power output limit.