A solution for improved simulation efficiency of a multi-domain marine power system model

Integrated Full Electric Propulsion (IFEP) marine power systems offer increased design flexibility and operational economy by supplying ship propulsion and service loads from a common electrical system. Predicting the behaviour of IFEP systems through simulation is important in reducing the design risk. However, the prevalence of power electronics and the potential for interaction between large electrical and mechanical systems introduce significant simulation challenges. This paper presents an integrated simulation tool, which brings together electrical, mechanical, thermal and hydrodynamic models, facilitating a holistic simulation capability. Approaches adopted for model validation and computational efficiency together with two case studies are discussed

Propulsion drive models for full electric marine propulsion systems

Integrated full electric propulsion systems are being introduced across both civil and military marine sectors. Standard power system analysis packages cover electrical and electromagnetic components but have limited models of mechanical subsystems and their controllers. Hence, electromechanical system interactions between the prime movers, power network, and driven loads are poorly understood. This paper reviews available models of the propulsion drive system components: the power converter, motor, propeller, and ship. Due to the wide range of time constants in the system, reduced-order models of the power converter are required. A new model using state-averaged models of the inverter and a hybrid model of the rectifier is developed to give an effective solution combining accuracy with speed of simulation and an appropriate interface to the electrical network model. Simulation results for a typical ship maneuver are presented

Investigations into electro-mechanical interactions within IFEP systems using a holistic simulation tool.

The Integrated Full Electric Propulsion (IFEP) concept is of increasing interest to the commercial and naval industries due to the advantages of flexibility, capability and efficiency it is believed to offer. IFEP systems exhibit tight coupling of electrical and mechanical sub-systems and disturbances are able to propagate easily between them. This leads to a particular requirement for an integrated simulation of the complete electro-mechanical system to ensure that its behaviour is clearly understood. This paper discusses some of the particular challenges of such an approach and presents the methods adopted by the authors in integrating a number of high-fidelity electrical and mechanical models to represent a complete vessel propulsion system. A case study is used to demonstrate the capabilities of the resulting integrated model in simulating the interaction of the electrical and mechanical components to a disturbance to the propulsion driv