DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION OF CONTROL SYSTEM (CONTROL PANEL) FOR ELECTRIC VESSELS
Abstract
With the fast development of power electronics techniques, electrification, automation and control of shipboard power systems and propulsion systems control is an unstoppable trend in electric ships and all-electric ships. To meet the constantly increasing control demand in ship electrical propulsion systems, sophisticated, reliable and efficient automation are employed to electric and All-electric vessels. One of the major and primary control circuits in electric vessels is the one that regulates the speed of the propulsion motor as well as the ship's speed. This is the aim of this project. This work presents the modelling, design and construction of a control system for electric vessels, focusing primarily on the speed control of the electric propulsion system that uses alternative current (AC) motors. Matrix laboratory design and simulation of an AC propulsion motor were employed as the method to achieve the aim of the project. A variable frequency drive (VFD) was modelled and simulated in a matrix laboratory environment to mimic the speed control of the shipboard propulsion motor speed controller and results show that the speed of the propulsion motor varies with the input frequency of the supplied AC power. Hence, controlling the input frequency of the electrical power supplied to the motor regulates the speed of the AC propulsion motor. In line with the objectives of the project, a full-scale model of the electric vessel that uses this technology to control the speed of the AC propulsion motor was constructed to mimic the technology behind VFDs. The material used, methods, as well as various technologies employed in controlling the speed of ships' AC propulsion motors, are also discussed in their various chapters. It is recommended that more intensive research should be carried out to get updated with the ever-improving technology of marine control systems and better materials and more advanced concepts and methodologies should be used.
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