Drive system having dc power supply for a submarine

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2017133928-A1
Application number	US-201515318753-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jun 22, 2015
Priority date	Jun 27, 2014
Publication date	May 11, 2017
Grant date	—

Abstract

A drive system for a submarine may include a DC power supply system for supplying electrical energy to a drive of the submarine and a plurality of battery strings, which each may comprise a plurality of series-connected battery modules. The battery strings may each be connected to a string connection unit via which the battery string can be selectively connected to or disconnected from the DC power supply system. The string current flowing in the battery string can be adjusted by the string connection unit. The present disclosure also concerns corresponding methods for operating the drive system of the submarine.

First claim

1 .- 15 . (canceled)

16 . A drive system for a submarine comprising a DC power supply system for supplying electrical energy to a drive of the submarine and a plurality of battery strings, wherein each battery string includes a plurality of series-connected battery modules and is connected to a string connection unit via which the battery string is selectively connected to or disconnected from the DC power supply system, with the string connection unit being configured to adjust a string current flowing in the battery string.

17 . The drive system of claim 16 wherein the string connection unit is configured such that the battery string can be disconnected from the DC power supply system.

18 . The drive system of claim 16 wherein the string connection unit comprises a bidirectional voltage converter.

19 . The drive system of claim 18 wherein the bidirectional voltage converter is configured such that a system voltage on the DC power supply system is selectively convertible into a higher or a lower string voltage on the battery string.

20 . The drive system of claim 18 wherein the bidirectional voltage converter is configured such that both a system voltage on the DC power supply system and a string voltage on the battery string are adjustable.

21 . The drive system of claim 18 wherein the string connection unit comprises a switching device connected in series to the bidirectional voltage converter for galvanic isolation of the battery string from the DC power supply system.

22 . The drive system of claim 21 wherein the string connection unit comprises a common housing for the bidirectional voltage converter and the switching device.

23 . The drive system of claim 16 wherein the plurality of series-connected battery modules are comprised of lithium-ion batteries.

24 . The drive system of claim 16 wherein the string connection units are mutually independently controllable.

25 . The drive system of claim 16 wherein the string connection units are controllable by way of a drive system control unit.

26 . The drive system of claim 25 wherein the string connection units are controllable by a dedicated string control unit for each of the plurality of battery strings, which takes precedence over the drive system control unit.

27 . The drive system of claim 16 further comprising a fuel cell associated with the DC power supply system.

28 . A method for operating a drive system of a submarine, the method comprising:
supplying electrical energy from a DC power supply system to a drive of the submarine and a plurality of battery strings, wherein each of the plurality of battery strings includes a plurality of series-connected battery modules; selectively connecting or disconnecting each battery string to the DC power supply system with a string connection unit; and adjusting a string current flowing in each battery string with the string connection unit.

29 . The method of claim 28 comprising restricting the string current with a voltage converter in the string connection unit if a value of the string current exceeds a predefined first limiting value.

30 . The method of claim 29 wherein the string connection unit disconnects the battery string from the DC power supply system if a value of the string current exceeds a predefined second limiting value, which is quantitatively larger than the predefined first limiting value.

Assignees

• Thyssenkrupp Marine Sys Gmbh
• Thyssenkrupp Ag

Inventors

• Hollung Achim
• Dannenberg Norbert
• Sievers Tim

Classifications

• H02J2105/31

  for ships or vessels · CPC title

• H02J7/90 Primary

  Regulation of charging or discharging current or voltage · CPC title

• H02J7/34

  Parallel operation in networks using both storage and other DC sources, e.g. providing buffering (H02J7/14 takes precedence) · CPC title

• H02M3/1582

  Buck-boost converters (H02M3/1584 takes precedence) · CPC title

• B63G8/08

  Propulsion ({schnorkels B63G8/36;} nuclear propulsion B63H21/18; submerged exhausting apparatus F01N13/12) · CPC title