160 Generations Technical insight

161

G G G G G G G G

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Onboard DC Grid – a system
platform at the heart of Shipping 4.0
In March 2013, ABB delivered our first Onboard DC Grid system on the M M M M

MPSV Dina Star, making Myklebusthaug Management the first in the world —
The basic transformation
with an IMO vessel powered by a modern primary DC power system. from an AC based
power distribution
to a DC based power
M M M M
distribution
John Olav Lindtjørn The main focus at the time was variable speed gen- solutions onboard a vessel. Equipped with
Global Product Manager,
Onboard DC Grid erators, space savings and dynamic performance. sensors and communication infrastructure, data cruises for its suitability to integrate batteries • Variable speed generators for improved SFOC
[email protected] Much has happened since; the role of DC in the mar- is transmitted between systems in an instance. and fuel cells for extended zero-emissions opera- engine characteristic coupled with reduced
ine industry is maturing and it is clear that Ship- This gives access to information that enable the tion in sensitive areas. The larger of these vessels emissions and maintenance and improved SCR
ping 4.0 – electric, digital, and connected – spells a bridge to monitor and optimise their perform- will also enjoy the possibility of distributing main performance
bright future for DC-based electric propulsion. ance. And, better connectivity between ship and power at 1000Vdc instead of 690 or 660Vac, rep- • Most efficient integration of energy storage/
shore mean that performance management is resenting savings of up 40% or more on cabling. fuel cells/shaft generators from perspective of
The world is changing and the shipping industry taken to the next level. cost, functionality and weight and footprint
with it. For some, this new reality has already Onboard DC Grid – a system platform • Best in class fault-tolerance is intrinsic to the
made its presence known, for others it is looming Onboard DC Grid is gaining traction in a wide Onboard DC Grid is a system platform tailored design
on the horizon. Regardless, the future holds a new range of vessel types, and the reason for this var- to the needs of the next generation of vessels. It • Highly controllable power plant suited for ad-
mix of low- to zero-carbon energy sources and a ies. Ferries choose it because it is the most cost serves applications from low to mid-power range vanced operation and optimisation by overrid-
new level of digitalisation. efficient and functional platform for integrating by offering a competitive, flexible and state- ing controls (Advisory)
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energy storage, making hybrid and fully electric of-the-art system platform. It is especially well • Unique DC distribution capability
What is special about DC? operation a reality. This is true even to the extent suited to the integration of variable speed gen- • Unique remote diagnostic and service functionality
A DC-based power system enables simple, flex- that the two retrofit ferry projects Aurora and erators, energy storage and new energy sources
ible and functional integration of energy sources Tycho Brahe chose to update their AC power plant such as fuel cells in a safe, fault tolerant way. Protection Philosophy
such as variable speed gensets and shaft gener- into a predominantly DC power plant to get max- It is highly configurable, enabling a close fit for Onboard DC Grid employs a patented protec-
ators, batteries and fuel cells. imum benefits out of their new plant. the simplest to the most demanding application. tion scheme that uses a combination of fuses,
Also, a DC and power-electronics based power isolators and breakers and converter control to
system provides a unique platform for digital Offshore support vessels choose it primarily for It is a modular power system platform compris- effectively protect the system.
the heightened fault tolerance, variable speed ing modules for sources and loads built using
generators and ease of energy storage integra- industry leading power and automation products The protection system provides safe and reli-
tion, whilst a couple of icebreakers needed a way This approach reduces customer risk by enabling a able operation of the vessel and high safety for
of fitting an otherwise too large electric power high quality and efficient engineering process and personnel and equipment. This approach relies on
RoPax & RoRo Yacht OSV & OCV
plant within the confines of their hulls. post-delivery support whilst not forsaking neces- input circuits to segregate the system into two
sary flexibility needed for a tailored application fit. types of protection zones:
Shuttle-tankers will choose it for simple and func- • Grid (blue): this is the power distribution zone.
—
Reference Overwiew
tional integration of variable speed shaft gen- Some of the main benefits include: • DC-link (red): this is equivalent to the traditional
Car/Road Ferry Icebreakers & Icegoing OSV Shuttle Tanker
– October 2017 erators and, right around the corner, expedition • Footprint reduction of up to 30% dc-link of a multi-drive.
 162 Generations Technical insight 163

DG DG DG DG DG DG DG DG reduction in needed conductor cross section and be it for safety or efficiency, out of a power system. Variable Speed Engines
the possibility to use lower cost single-core cables The high level of integration also means that high Unlike AC based distribution systems where con-
as opposed to multi-core double-screened cables. quality information is available to an operator or nected generators need to match system voltage and
remote support service engineer should he need it. frequency, the DC Grid system only requires the gen-
Vessel Control System For vessels with automatic charging from shore, erators to match system voltage. This means that the
DC-link
Onboard DC Grid uses ABB’s 800xA automation the PEMS coordinates the process of connecting, generator and engine speed can be dynamically op-
GRID platform to implement system control functions, charging and disconnecting from charging station. timised to the system load situation. When the engine
INPUT
CIRCUIT
including PEMS and VMS. The system integration load decreases, the engine speed is also reduced.
and control is done in such a way that it plays to The PEMS is structured so that each energy
the strengths of the various energy sources in the source forms an autonomous subsystem. This in- The most immediate benefit of this change is
M M
system, and keeps tight control on consumers. creases the fault tolerance of the system controls reduced fuel consumption, visualised in the graph
by reducing interdependence between energy above. There are also additional benefits to vari-
ABB has adopted a new approach to power and sources. Sub-system functionality is realised able speed operation, summarised below:
— The input circuit forms the boundary between the
energy management in the form of the Power as far as practicable on a sub-system level, only • Reduce Specific fuel consumption by up ~20%
Onboard DC grid link and grid zones and allows free flow of current
protection zones and Energy Management System – PEMS. PEMS involving the wider system when it becomes and ~40% for medium and high speed engines
in both directions during normal operation. In
manages both the balance of power (traditional necessary. This also means that operation of the respectively for partial load operation
case of faults on the grid side of an input circuit,
PMS responsibility) and energy in the power vessel remains intuitive and simple even when • Cleaner combustion process with less build-up
the input circuit will block near instantaneously,
system. The latter becomes important when done so from local control since the majority of of soot when operating at partial loads
blocking fault current contribution in this direc-
adding sources like batteries or super capacitors sub-system functionality remains intact. • Reduced GHG emissions due to lower fuel con-
tion. Fault currents in the opposite direction are
with very finite amounts of energy available. The sumption and reduced particle emissions due to
not blocked.
balance of power also takes on new dimensions System Benefits – Why Onboard DC Grid cleaner combustion
in a DC Grid system when sources like variable This shift from AC to DC in the form of DC Grid is • Increased temperature of exhaust gases at
The DC-link zone is characterised by the fact that
speed generators, shaft generators and batteries primarily driven by three main features: lower loads means that SCRs can be fully op-
most converters connected to it have integrated
operate in parallel. 1. Variable Speed Engines erational at all load levels, reducing both NOx
capacitor banks that support the DC link voltage.
2. The integration of Energy Storage emissions and urea consumption
The capacitive nature of the DC link means that
So, what does it mean to “play to the strengths” 3. Ease of integrating other types of energy • Potential reduction of audible noise level by
fault currents in this zone have very short time
of a system’s energy sources? For a simple hybrid sources such as shaft generators and, in the more than 5dB
constants and consequently reach high levels
system this means that ES (Energy Storage) will near future, fuel cells • Reduced maintenance costs due to up to 30%
very quickly after a fault. This also means that
primarily perform an energy buffering function reduced wear and tear on the engine
any faults in the zone must be handled extremely
whilst engines provide the steady-state power. However the benefits with DC Grid is not limited
quickly to avoid adverse effects on its converters.
Some of the functionality to achieve this is im- to these points. The following sections will de- Energy Storage
This environment is ideally suited to solid-state —
plemented at lower levels, closer to the convert- The double-fed thruster scribe some of main benefits in more detail. Energy Storage (ES) and associated technologies
breakers and high speed fuses which clear faults
ers and ES – typically functions requiring fast have received a dramatic increase in attention in
in the range of a few microseconds to a few
response such as standard load sharing and DG DG DG DG DG DG DG DG recent years, not least in the maritime industry.
milliseconds. The input circuit ensures that faults
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overload protections. This is done autonomously Whilst this can be attributed to a number of
outside the link-zone do not immediately cause
by the different energy sources. Other functions different factors, what is certain is that ES has
the converters to trip on under voltage.
have been implemented at a higher level such as the potential to improve safety, efficiency and
the traditional PMS domain – typically functions performance of future vessels.
The Grid zone is characterised by fault currents
that require a level of coordination between Integrating Energy Storage into a Power System
with longer time constants. This means that it
sources. Optimal functionality and performance The availability of ES is only one part of improved
is possible to use a slower-acting protection
is achieved through tight horizontal integration safety, efficiency and performance. First, the en-
approach such as a fold-back scheme or air circuit
between power sources and consumers, as well ergy must be made available to consumers.
breakers in this zone. All entry points into the
as tight vertical integration between fast embed-
Grid are guarded by devices that can control fault
ded control of converters and generators and the Since most Energy Storage media are DC based,
current (e.g. the input circuits).
system level application. M M M
the integration into a DC distribution system be-
comes simpler and becomes more functional for
As a function of its low fault current level and
Onboard DC Grid has a harmonised control and com- less added cost than doing the same into an AC
fold-back or air circuit breaker protection, the
munication infrastructure that allows for a transpar- based distribution system.
grid zone is very well suited to distributing power
ent and lightning-fast flow of information between
throughout the vessel. This is an alternative to
system components. This ensures a holistic ap- DC solutions require less equipment in general
690 or 660Vac distribution resulting in >40% M
proach to the task of coaxing the best performance, and the converter (if used) also becomes signific-
 164 Generations Technical insight 165

DG DG DG DG portions of the consumed energy pass through • Closed bus operation in DP2 without additional
the battery on the way to the propeller. The equipment because common mode faults like gov-
converted based solution is preferred in applica- ernor and AVR failures are handled more effectively.
tions where controllability and fault tolerance are • Generators that can be online in close to 10
of higher importance than the efficiency of the seconds (for high-speed engines) because they
ES system. A good example of this is a DP vessel don’t need to wait for synchronisation.
where the battery is used to support the power • Engines that are virtually impossible to overload
system by means of functions like peak shaving, even when operated at lower speeds. This is
DC-link
enhanced dynamic support and spinning reserve. because each generator has built-in overload pro-
In these cases ES efficiency does not have a tection that limits output power. The end result is
SOLID STATE
BREAKER
significant impact on power system overall effi- that the engine does not stall and remains online.
ciency because the battery is primarily used as an • Clearing of major short-circuit currents in a
energy buffer and relatively little energy is passed “soft” way so that the system recovers quickly
through it during normal operation. — and predictably. This is a function of both system
PEMS main display
M M capacitance and converter control. The system
Energy Storage & Variable Speed Engines is therefore not plagued by ugly transients as is
SFOC [g/kWh]
The combination of ES and variable speed en- 270
often the case in AC systems when large fault
Fixed Speed
gines offers some additional synergies. currents are interrupted by protective devices.
—
A simpler variant of the
antly more compact than its AC counterpart. For Speed Range
250
60-100%
system – here two input basic functions where no selectivity or start- In a system with variable speed engines where A safe and fault tolerant system is a benefit in
circuits are functionally
bundled with an isolator
ing scenarios are considered, the AC converter energy storage is not included, the engine needs itself, but there is another often forgotten benefit
230
or breaker to make a solution is almost twice the length of the DC to be operated in such a way that it always has of this. Operators quickly understand that in the
bi-directional solid-state
breaker.
equivalent. If selectivity, overvoltage and start- enough reserves to be able to absorb load steps. rare event that failures do occur, the system will
210
ing scenarios are also considered, then this ratio The need to always have some power margins in recover quickly and reliably. Such confidence in
becomes closer to four. reserve means that some optimisation potential the system has proven to result in significantly
190
is left untouched. — more economical operation of the vessel because
Reduced fuel
The option of connecting the ES directly to the When a system is equipped with ES and the consumption with
the system is not split and additional generators
170
DC link can offer a slight reduction in length and Enhanced Dynamic Support function is activated, variable speed 02 04 06 08 01 00 load [% MrC] are not brought online until necessary.
improved efficiency compared to the converter the ES can take on the role of absorbing quick
option. However, this is at the expense of con- load changes and the engine optimisation has
trollability of the current in and out of the ES and one constraint less to consider, and can now op-
system voltage level. timise its operation even further. DC Distribution AC Distribution
Network with or Network with
without converter swbd
From a control perspective, this option means that Going from fixed speed to variable speed opera-
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ES power flow is determined by the sum of the tion, the speed vs. load path is moved from the ver-
actions of all other sources and consumers in the tical 1800rpm axis (red line, see left) to the propeller
system. This means that this method of connec- curve (blue line). When energy storage is added, this
Transformer
tion is only suited to a limited number of applica- path can be moved even further to the left, some-
tions, typically systems of low complexity where times all the way to the MCR curve (green line). The
batteries represent a dominant power source. effect this has on the specific fuel oil consumption
(SFOC) is shown in the graph below left. The figure Converter with
LCL Filter
From a system voltage perspective this option shows the SFOC for the traditional AC System (blue),
means that the system voltage is defined by the DC grid with variable speed (green) and DC grid
ES and its state of charge. This can vary signific- with variable speed and energy storage (orange).
antly and may therefore require the rest of the Energy Storage Energy Storage
system to be over-dimensioned. Safety Medium Medium
DC is inherently simpler than AC. When building
For these reasons, direct online solution is often up a system platform this means that it is easier
chosen when efficiency is more important than to predict fault scenarios and devise effective
—
controllability. An example of this is are ferries protection against them. For Onboard DC Grid DC solutions require less DC Direct DC with AC with
that operate in zero-emissions mode where large this has resulted in: equipment in general. Online Converter Converter
 166 Generations Technical insight 167

—
Symbol Name Description Pupose Energy Storage
Other Benefits • Shaft Generators: Variable speed shaft gener-
Functions: ES can be In addition to the benefits described above, there ators can be integrated in the same simple way
used in a wide range of
ways onboard a vessel
are numerous other benefits with DC distribution. as variable speed generators. Similarly, a PTI/
Spinning Unit is connected and running but not • Backup for running gensets and most of these can Some of these are summarised below: PTO solution can be solved in a very streamlined
be broken down into the
Reserve charging or discharging energy into • Fewer engines needed online few basic functions (or
• Power transmission: Distributing on 1000Vdc in- fashion, analogous with ES.
the system. On loss of generating • Improved fuel efficiency through higher combinations thereof) stead of 690Vac reduces cable need by as much • Fuel Cells: Fuel cells are already making an
described in the table to
capacity it steps in to take the load for a partial load the left.
as ~40% and permits use of lower-cost cables. entry into the marine industry, and the fuel-cell
predefined period of time. • Reduced engine running hours • Voltage distortion: (THD) common in AC systems business case may make them a viable power
with frequency converters is no longer an issue. source within a few years. Fuel cell integration
If other functions are activated • Shore connection: If shore connection is done into an Onboard DC Grid system is solved in a
simultaneously, this function ensures on the DC side, vessels can more easily use very streamlined fashion, analogous with ES
that sufficient energy is left in battery. shore connections in different ports because and shaft-generators.
network frequency is no longer an issue. Also, • Centralised Drive Lineup: Collecting all the
starting currents from motors and transformers drives in a central lineup means that the need
are not drawn from the shore connection, thus for ambient conditions (temp and humidity) and
Enhanced Same as spinning reserve, but on a local • ES storage solutions can give UPS like allowing more operational flexibility in ports cleanliness is reduced in e.g. thruster rooms.
UPS Ride Through level in a sub-system like a thruster or functionality for all or portions of power with low-power feeders. If ES is available on- This is particularly useful during construction
drilling drive. system board, then this can be operated in parallel to and commissioning.
• New ways of achieving higher ERN numbers take peak loads, improving operational flexibil- • Centralised vs Distributed: Whilst most systems
• Higher power system availability ity in port even further. will be highly centralised, the DC Grid platform
also supports fully distributed systems using
cables or bus-ducts.
kW nm
• Space and Weight Reduction: The number of
14000 engine
Peak Shaving Unit absorbs load variations in the • Level the power seen by engines 2400 Torque
components in the system has been reduced,
network so that engines only see the • Offset the need to start new engine 12000 Propeller resulting in a reduced footprint of up to 30% as
average system power. • Improved fuel efficiency 2000 Curve compared with an AC system.
10000 SFOC
• Reduced engine running hours 200 Contour • Electrical Efficiency: In the process of going
1600
iia 8000 from AC to DC distribution, the electrical sys-
Fixed
210
Speed
1200
6000 Curve tem efficiency has improved by 0.5-1 percent-
200 230 Maximum age points.
800 4000 Cont.
Enhanced Unit absorbs sudden load changes and • Instant power in support of running Rating • Variable Speed Motors: Fans and pumps
230 260
Dynamic then ramps the change over on running gensets 400 2000
(MCR) represent a large portion of the auxiliary loads
Performance engines. If peak shaving is used, then • Enable use of «slower» engines; i iib onboard modern vessels. Most of these can be
0 0
this function is automatically included. – LNG/Dual Fuel engines 400 800 1200 1600 2000 rPM operated at significantly improved efficiency
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– Fuel Cells by fitting variable speed drives. This enables
regulation of flow by means of adjusting fan or
SFOC [g/kWh] pump speed instead of e.g. throttling. The DC
360 Fixed Speed
Grid platform is uniquely suited to tapping into
Strategic Unit charges and discharges to • Charging and discharging ES media in such 340
Curve this potential in a cost-efficient manner.
Loading optimise the operational point of a way that it optimises the operating point
320
Propeller
Curve
running engines, ensuring that energy is of the gensets. Where does that leave us?
300 MCR/Propeller
produced at the lowest cost, taking the • Power is produced at peak efficiency Curve Shipping 4.0 spells a bright future for electric
280
efficiency of the ES system into account. MCR Curve propulsion, and the Onboard DC Grid system plat-
260
form will be at the heart of this transformation. It
240 is uniquely prepared to optimise current energy
220 sources, integrate new energy sources and tap
Zero Unit powers the system so that engines • Zero emissions in harbour — 200 into the very significant potentials afforded by di-
The effect for an
Emissions can be turned off. • Quiet engine room 180 gitalisation. It appears that the future of shipping
example high speed Engine load
Operation machine 02 04 06 08 01 00
[% of MrC] may very well be electric!
dB