The shipboard power system design generally requires the following tasks:
- Selecting the optimum power system configuration and voltage level best suited for the ship
- Load analysis to size the electrical generator kW and kVA ratings and the prime mover’s kW or horsepower rating
- Power distribution routing for propulsion and service loads
- Sizing the feeder cables for required ampacity and for limiting the voltage
- drops per the applicable standard (usually 3%–5% of the rated voltage at steady state)
- Fault current analysis and protection device ratings at key locations
- Determining the sensor types and locations to monitor the system health
These tasks offer a great deal of design challenges and opportunities related to the ship power system analysis that meet all imposed or self-derived requirements in steady-state and transient conditions. More than a dozen power system modeling, simulation, and analysis tools are available in the market to help the design engineer perform these tasks.
Examples of such commercial software available for shipboard
or land-based power system design are:
EDSATM (often used by navy, submarine, and marine engineers)
EASYPOWERTM (often used by large corporations such as GE and by refineries)
SKMTM (similar to ESDA, used by navy, submarine, and marine engineers)
Many recommended standards exist for designing shipboard power systems, such as the IEEE, USCG, and ABS in the United States. Other countries have their own standards, and IEC covers the international standards.
