Vessel energy management system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2019023369-A1
Application number	US-201716068937-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jan 16, 2017
Priority date	Jan 20, 2016
Publication date	Jan 24, 2019
Grant date	—

Abstract

A vessel energy management system for controlling power supply to and from a propulsion system of a vessel, the energy management system has a motor/generator unit adapted to receive power from a prime mover of the vessel; a frequency converter; an energy storage unit and a controller. The energy storage unit includes one or more capacitors, super capacitors or ultra capacitors. The controller of the energy management system determines an instantaneous power requirement of the propulsion system and average power generated by the prime mover; and a comparator compares the instantaneous required power and average power. If the instantaneous required power exceeds the average power, the motor/generator unit receives energy from the energy storage unit; and, if the instantaneous required power is less than the average power, the motor/generator unit supplies power from the prime mover to the energy storage unit.

First claim

1 . A vessel energy management system for controlling power supply to and from a propulsion system of a vessel, the energy management system comprising:
a motor/generator unit adapted to receive power from a prime mover of the vessel; a frequency converter; an energy storage unit; and a controller; wherein the energy storage unit comprises one or more capacitors, super capacitors or ultra capacitors, chemical energy storage, batteries, or flywheel energy storage; wherein the controller of the energy management system determines an instantaneous power requirement of the propulsion system and an average power generated by the prime mover; a comparator to compare the instantaneous power requirement and the average power and provide a result; wherein when the instantaneous power requirement exceeds the average power based on the result, the motor/generator unit receives energy from the energy storage unit; and, wherein when the instantaneous power requirement is less than the average power based on the result, the motor/generator unit supplies power from the prime mover to the energy storage unit.

2 . The system according to claim 1 , further comprising:
an input from a main switchboard of the vessel, wherein when the instantaneous power requirement exceeds the average power based on the result, the motor/generator unit receives energy from an auxiliary generator via the main switchboard, in addition to energy from the prime mover, or the energy storage unit.

3 . The system according to claim 1 , further comprising:
an input to a main switchboard of the vessel, wherein when the instantaneous power requirement of the propulsion system is less than the average power, the main switchboard receives energy from the prime mover, or energy storage unit, via the energy management system.

4 . The system according to claim 1 ,
wherein the energy storage unit further comprises a chopper to control the rate of charging and discharging of the capacitors, super capacitors or ultra capacitors, or of the chemical energy storage, batteries, or flywheel energy storage.

5 . The system according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a clutch on the shaft that disconnects the propeller when the prime mover is powering the main switchboard alone.

6 . A method of vessel energy management for controlling power supply to and from a propulsion system of a vessel, the method comprising:
receiving at a motor/generator unit power from a prime mover of the vessel; determining an instantaneous power requirement of the propulsion system of the vessel; determining an average power generated by the prime mover; comparing the instantaneous power requirement and the average power and providing a result; when the instantaneous power requirement exceeds the average power based on the result, causing the motor/generator unit to receive energy from capacitors, super capacitors, or ultra capacitors, chemical energy storage, batteries, or flywheel energy storage, of the energy storage unit; when the instantaneous power requirement is less than the average power based on the result, causing the motor/generator unit to supply power from the prime mover to capacitors, super capacitors, or ultra capacitors, chemical energy storage, batteries, or flywheel energy storage, of the energy storage unit; monitoring the instantaneous power requirement and the average power in varying sea conditions and adapting accordingly.

7 . The method according to claim 6 , further comprising:
receiving power at the motor/generator unit from an auxiliary generator via the main switchboard of the vessel, when the instantaneous power requirement exceeds the average power based on the result.

8 . The method according to claim 6 , further comprising:
inputting power from the prime mover to a main switchboard of the vessel, when the instantaneous power requirement is less than the average power based on the result.

9 . The method according to claim 8 , further comprising:
disconnecting a propeller of the propulsion system and supplying all power from the prime mover to the main switchboard of the vessel.

Assignees

• Siemens Ag

Inventors

• Gjerpe Paul Fredrik
• Voss Wolfgang

Classifications

• B60L3/00

  Electric devices on electrically-propelled vehicles for safety purposes; Monitoring operating variables, e.g. speed, deceleration or energy consumption (methods or circuit arrangements for monitoring or controlling batteries or fuel cells B60L58/00) · CPC title

• H02J7/14

  for charging batteries from dynamo-electric generators driven at varying speed, e.g. on vehicle · CPC title

• B60L2200/32

  Waterborne vessels · CPC title

• B60L3/0092

  with use of redundant elements for safety purposes · CPC title

• B63H21/21 Primary

  Control means for engine or transmission, specially adapted for use on marine vessels · CPC title