Title: A Low-Voltage Test-bed for Electric Ship Propulsion Systems with Hybrid Energy Storage
Authors: Jun Hou, David M. Reed, Heath Hofmann, Jing Sun
Abstract: Electric propulsion systems with hybrid energy storage (HES) (Figure 1) are of interest for the future development of intelligent ships. In this ONR-sponsored project, we study the integration of HES devices, (including batteries, ultra-capacitors, and flywheels), with an electric drive system with respect to their ability to mitigate load fluctuations, thereby improving system efficiency and reliability. To maximize the benefits of HES, advanced control algorithms are needed to coordinate the power flows between the various storage elements. To experimentally validate advanced energy cycling control strategies for electric drive systems with HES, the Michigan Power and Energy Lab (MPEL) test-bed (Figure 2) has been constructed. The test-bed includes a system-level controller that can simultaneously control all power electronic converters interfacing the HES elements (Figure 3). This paper will document the test-bed development using a controller which seeks to mitigate power fluctuations on the DC bus and provide experimental results demonstrating the energy cycling capability of the MPEL test-bed for various HES device combinations, including flywheel energy storage.