Project Summary
This project focuses on a proof-of-concept and implementation of advanced energy storage systems based on ultra-capacitor and superconducting magnetic technologies including power-electronic converters and controllers, and their integration to electric vessels.
Project Achievements
Activities • Developed an efficient controller that reduces thermal stresses on batteries and has the potential to increase battery lifetime by 20%. • Developed a hardware-in-the-loop platform to test shipboard power systems of electric vessels with batteries and short-term energy storage. • Verified with hardware-in-the-loop simulations that DC grids reduce the power losses of electric vessels in comparison with traditional AC grids. • Verified that a further gain of efficiency of 2-3% can be obtained using Silicon- carbide devices. • Disseminated results at the NIST-CS workshop and prepared a technical paper for the international conference on Clean Electrical Power.
Conclusions
We have validated the proposed concept of short-term energy storage systems in electric vessels, which can increase the service life of the vessel’s battery, increasing the TRL from 3 to 4. Batteries can be downscaled by 25% whilst the vessel still delivers peak power for dynamic positioning. The hardware-in-the-loop platform has given the University the knowledge on energy storage to support the marine industry to decarbonise water transport through new research projects and consultancy. We had interest from several companies: Fincantieri, Vard Electro, Vard Design, Skeleton, ASG Superconductors, MSE International, Bibby Marine, Malakoff.
Next Steps
• The project outcomes have been used as seeds for a larger collaborative EU Horizon Innovative energy storage systems on-board vessels – to start at the beginning of 2023 in collaboration with academic and industrial partners from 5 EU countries. • We are also planning to collaborate with other academic and industrial partners in the UK on propulsion projects (Bibby Marine, Malakoff) and MSE International (port cranes). We will engage with our industrial partners in the railway sectors through our UK Rail Research and Innovation network, with initial discussions with Hitachi Rail.
