Intelligent Microgrids

Center for Electromechanic

Experimental Test bed to De-Risk the Navy Advanced Development Model

This paper presents a reduced scale demonstration test-bed at the University of Texas’ Center for Electromechanics (UT-CEM) which is well equipped to support the development and assessment of the anticipated Navy Advanced Development Model (ADM). The subscale ADM test bed builds on collaborative power management experiments conducted as part of the Swampworks Program under the US/UK Project Arrangement as well as non-military applications. The system includes the required variety of sources, loads, and controllers as well as an Opal-RT digital simulator. The test bed architecture is described and the range of investigations that can be carried out on it is highlighted; results of preliminary system simulations and some initial tests are also provided. Subscale ADM experiments conducted on the UT-CEM microgrid can be an important step in the realization of a full-voltage, full-power ADM three-zone demonstrator, providing a test-bed for components, subsystems, controls, and the overall performance of the Medium Voltage Direct Current (MVDC) ship architecture.Center for Electromechanic

Cross-platform validation of notional baseline architecture models of naval electric ship power systems

To support efforts in assessing the relative merit of alternative power system architectures for future naval combatants, the Electric Ship Research and Development Consortium (ESRDC) has developed notional baseline models for each of the primary candidate architectures currently considered, medium-voltage DC (MVDC), conventional 60 Hz medium-voltage (MVAC), and high-frequency medium-voltage (HFAC). Initial efforts have focused on the development of a consistent set of component models, of which the system models can be comprised, and the basic definition of the system models. The broader objectives of the consortium, however, go beyond the definition of the baseline models. The focus is on the process by which the models are implemented in software and validated, the process by which the performance of the disparate system models are objectively and quantitatively assessed and compared, and, ultimately, the process by which the relative merits of the architectures may be assessed. This paper focuses specifically on cross-platform component validation.Center for Electromechanic

Modeling of Electric Ship Power Systems

The central element of a ship power system model is typically a circuit model. This level of modeling has been valuable in evaluating architectures for future electric ships as it provides initial power flow and stability information as well as performance specifications, perhaps most notably overall efficiency. This circuit model is typically the middle layer in what is a three layer approach. At the more basic level, the physics of the components and processes is captured. In a power system, there are interactions among the electromagnetic, mechanical, and thermal behaviors. The third level is even more approximate than the circuit level. It includes such models as cost-of-ownership models, models of physical layout and integration of the power system with the balance of plant. These models are critical in the design process and depend on the circuit model to specify components and their interconnections. Incorporating breakdown physics demonstrates the linkage between the basic physics and the circuit models. Rotor dynamics provides examples of phenomena that cannot be captured in a circuit model. The design of insulation systems is an example of a field in which the circuit modeling may lead to less costly electrical systems for future electric ships.Center for Electromechanic

Dynamic Load and Storage Integration

Modern technology combined with the desire to minimize the size and weight of a ship’s power system are leading to renewed interest in more electric or all electric ships. An important characteristic of the emerging ship power system is an increasing level of load variability, with some future pulsed loads requiring peak power in excess of the available steady– state power. This inevitably leads to the need for some additional energy storage beyond that inherent in the fuel. With the current and evolving technology, it appears that storage will be in the form of batteries, rotating machines, and capacitors. All of these are in use on ships today and all have enjoyed significant technological improvements over the last decade. Moreover all are expected to be further enhanced by today’s materials research. A key benefit of storage is that, when it can be justified for a given load, it can have additional beneficial uses such as ride-through capability to restart a gas turbine if there is an unanticipated power loss; alternatively, storage can be used to stabilize the power grid when switching large loads. Knowing when to stage gas turbine utilization versus energy storage is a key subject in this paper. The clear need for storage has raised the opportunity to design a comprehensive storage system, sometimes called an energy magazine, that can combine intermittent generation as well as any or all of the other storage technologies to provide a smaller, lighter and better performing system than would individual storage solutions for each potential application.Center for Electromechanic

Waveform-level time-domain simulation comparison study of three shipboard power system architectures

Detailed waveform-level modeling and simulation of three alternative shipboard power system architectures is presented herein. The three system architectures are based on conventional 60Hz medium-voltage ac (MVAC), higherfrequency 240Hz medium-voltage ac (HFAC) and mediumvoltage dc (MVDC) technologies. To support the quantitative assessment and comparison of these three different power system architectures, each technology was modeled using a common representative, notional baseline ship. The baseline ship represents a multi-mission destroyer fitted with an 80MW next generation integrated power system (NGIPS). Modeling of each power system architecture is set forth along with simulation studies for three fault scenarios. Each of the three power system architectures was implemented within the MATLAB/ Simulink environment. Continuity of service was evaluated for each architecture along with a fault scenario using an operability metric. After a brief description of the three power system architectures and the operability metric, quantitative results are presented.Center for Electromechanic

Analysis of the Power Quality Impact of Multiple Directed Energy Loads on an Electric Ship Power System

The electrical power system of an all-electric ship has been modeled in Simulink for the case of a ship supporting several high power directed energy loads, among which are a Free Electron Laser (FEL), an Active Denial System (ADS), and a Laser Weapon System (LaWS). Starting from a load centered approach, and a physical description of the components of the various loads, individual models of each load plus a combined model for a system supporting simultaneously one instance of all loads have been developed. Sample case studies are presented corresponding to expected operational scenarios for a US Navy ship and to potential emergency conditions. The models have been designed to be interactive, allowing the operator to change key settings dynamically while the simulation is running, thus mimicking an actual operation of the power system on a ship in real time. A preliminary graphical user interface has also been developed to demonstrate the ability of these models to be converted into top-level training tools for Navy personnel supported by a realistic representation of the ship power system

Large Scale Simulations of a Ship Power System with Energy Storage and Multiple Directed Energy Loads

A large scale Simulink® simulation model of the electrical power system of a ship is described. The model includes the major systems onboard, from prime movers to the actual loads, and incorporates several intermittent duty loads along with continuous duty loads. Three types of energy storage systems have been modeled: flywheels, batteries, and capacitors. Therefore, critical issues like stability, reconfigurability, fault management, and minimum rating of energy storage units can be studied. The presence of energy storage has also allowed the study of how these systems can be used to improve the overall performance of the ship. Typical functions, for example, would include load leveling of the power bus, an uninterruptible power supply function for sections of the ship, and the potential for fuel efficiency improvement by reducing the number of turbines being run at fractional loads to fewer being run closer to their optimal specific fuel efficiency point. Typical outputs of the simulations are presented and discussed. In addition, several challenges presented by the scale of the simulations, the software platform used, and the underlying modeling philosophy are discussed with an outlook toward future improvements both in the computing hardware and in the programming methods.Center for Electromechanic

Simulations of electromagnetic effects in high frequency capacitively coupled discharges using the Darwin approximation

The Darwin approximation is investigated for its possible use in simulation of electromagnetic effects in large size, high frequency capacitively coupled discharges. The approximation is utilized within the framework of two different fluid models which are applied to typical cases showing pronounced standing wave and skin effects. With the first model it is demonstrated that Darwin approximation is valid for treatment of such effects in the range of parameters under consideration. The second approach, a reduced nonlinear Darwin approximation-based model, shows that the electromagnetic phenomena persist in a more realistic setting. The Darwin approximation offers a simple and efficient way of carrying out electromagnetic simulations as it removes the Courant condition plaguing explicit electromagnetic algorithms and can be implemented as a straightforward modification of electrostatic algorithms. The algorithm described here avoids iterative schemes needed for the divergence cleaning and represents a fast and efficient solver, which can be used in fluid and kinetic models for self-consistent description of technical plasmas exhibiting certain electromagnetic activity

Surface Dependent Electron and Negative Ion Density in Inductively Coupled Discharges

Electron and negative ion density have been measured in a modfied Applied Materials DPS metal etch chamber using gas mixtures of BCl{sub 3}, Cl{sub 2} and Ar. Measurements were performed for four dflerent substrate types to examine the influence of surface material on the bulk plasma properties; aluminurq alumina, photoresist and 50 percent patterned aluminum / photoresist. Electron densities in the Cl{sub 2} / BCl{sub 3} mixtures varied from 0.25 to 4 x 10{sup 11} cm{sup -3}. Photodetachment measurements of the negative ion density indicate that the negative ion density was smaller than the electron density and that the electron to negative ion density ratio varied between 1 and 6. The presence of photoresist had a dominant intluence on the electron and negative ion density compared to alumina and aluminum surfaces. In most cases, the electron density above wafers covered with photoresist was a factor of two lower while the negative ion density was a factor of two higher than the aluminum or alumina surfaces