Power Quality Management in Electric Ship Systems
Summary
Electric ship systems increasingly integrate propulsion, hotel load and auxiliary services into a unified electrical network. This shift delivers enhanced fuel efficiency and emissions reductions but introduces new challenges in maintaining stable voltage and frequency under variable loading and harsh marine environments. Power quality management encompasses monitoring, analysis and mitigation of voltage sags, swells, harmonic distortion and transients that can impair onboard equipment, increase losses in induction motors and compromise safety. Active filtering, real-time diagnostics and adaptive control of generator sets ensure compliance with international standards while supporting advanced functionalities such as dynamic positioning and high-power pulsed loads. Effective strategies combine hardware solutions—such as static synchronous compensators and modular multilevel converters—with software-based fault detection and load forecasting. A holistic approach addresses both technological design and crew training, safeguarding the reliability of cruise ships, naval vessels and offshore platforms globally.
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Power Quality Management in Electric Ship Systems publication trend
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Technical terms
Microgrid: A localized grouping of interconnected loads and distributed generation sources that can operate independently or in parallel with the main ship power system.
Harmonic distortion: The deviation of voltage or current waveforms from a pure sinusoid, caused by non-linear loads, leading to increased losses and potential equipment malfunction.
Voltage unbalance: Unequal voltage magnitudes or phase angles in a three-phase system, which can result in overheating of motors and reduced operational lifespan.
Dynamic positioning (DP): A control system that automatically maintains a vessel’s position and heading using its own propellers and thrusters, requiring precise power quality for continuous operation.
References
- Coefficient of Voltage Energy Efficiency. IEEE Access (2020).
- Case Study—Based Overview of Some Contemporary Challenges to Power Quality in Ship Systems. Inventions (2016).
- Supporting the operation of the electrical power system of modern special purpose vessels with dynamic positioning. Power engineering research equipment technology (2022).
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