Electrical Propulsion

 An electric propulsion arrangement for a ship is

often simply described as a diesel electric or turbo
electric system.
 For a direct current(dc ) propulsion motor the
electrical power may be from one or more dc
generators or it may be alternator derived and
delivered through a rectifier as a dc supply. The
rectification scheme can incorporate speed control
and the means of reversing.
 Power for an alternating current(ac) propulsion
motot is supplied by an alternating current
generator(alternator). The prime mover that
provides the generator drive may be a diesel
engine, a gt, or a boiler and st installation.
Electrical Propulsion
Flexibility of layout
 cable run is a very versatile transmission
medium
 diesel engines, gas turbines etc, their
associated services remote from the propeller
shaft.
 in a semi-submersible
 There is potential for reduction in the size of
propulsion machinery spaces, because
machinery is smaller
 and the generators, whether diesel, steam or
gas turbine driven, can be located anywhere.
One
Load diversity
 Certain types of vessels have a
requirement for substantial amounts
of electric power for ship services
when the demands of the propulsion
system are low. Eg, tanker, passenger
ship
Economical part-load running
Ease of control
Low noise
 An electric motor is able to provide a
drive with very low vibration
characteristics eg, warships, cruise ships
 Ship manoeuvrability is significantly
enhanced by using azipods and the
external propulsion unit releases some
internal space for more cargo/passengers
while further reducing hull vibration.
 They are rated as particularly
economical, environmentally friendly
and reliable, offer considerable comfort
in terms of operation and control, have
optimal manoeuvring and positioning
properties, low vibration and noise levels
and additionally enable the best possible
utilisation of space owing to their
reduced volume.
 The main advantage lies with the
flexibility and absence-of physical
constraints on machinery layout.
 Basic operation
 The electrical side of the system will be based on a direct
current or an alternating current motor, coupled to the
ship's propeller shaft, with speed and direction of propeller
rotation being governed by electric control of the motor
itself or by the alternation of the power supply.
 An electric motor used with a controllable-pitch propeller is
arranged for either constant or variable speed operation.
 Power for an a.c. propulsion motor is supplied obviously by
an alternator. The prime mover that provides the generator
drive may be a diesel engine, a gas turbine or a boiler and
steam turbine installation.
 Electrical propulsion has been used mainly for specialised
vessels rather than for cargo ships in general.
 These include dredgers, tugs, trawlers, lighthouse tenders,
cable ships, icebreakers, research ships, floating cranes and
vessels for the offshore industry.
Disadvantages of Electrical Propulsion
 Higher installation cost
 Lower efficiency compared with a
diesel propulsion system is likely.
Ward-Leonard Control
 The simple Ward-Leonard arrangement for
diesel-electric propulsion is an all-d.c. system with
a diesel engine as the prime mover driving the
single d.c. generator at constant speed.
 An exciter mounted on an extension of the
generator shaft provides field current both for the
generator and for the direct current propulsion
motor. The exciter is itself a d.c. shunt generator.
 While starting, the armature windings of the
exciter have current generated in them when they
pass through the field emanating from the
residual magnetism of the exciter poles. The small
current generated initially circulates through the
windings of the exciter poles, strengthening their
magnetic fields until the optimum output is
achieved.
 The current generated in the d.c. exciter is delivered
unchanged to its own field poles and to the field poles
of the d.c. propulsion motor.
 It is available to the field poles of the generator, but
only through the regulating resistance of the
manoeuvring control.
 If the control contacts are at the mid positions of the
resistances, then no current flows to the main
generator poles and there is no output from it to the
propulsion motor.
 Rotation of the manoeuvring hand wheel and gears
turns the threaded bars to move the contacts along the
resistance, in opposite directions.
 As the contacts travel towards the extremities and
resistance reduces, current from the exciter flows to
the generator and, in turn to the propulsion motor.
Propeller speed is proportional to the voltage
produced in the generator and is fed to the propulsion
motor.
 Turbo-electric Propulsion
 The necessary reversal and speed changes
essential for a synchronous motor coupled to
a fixed-pitch propeller are obtained in the
classic turbo-electric installation by
switching two phases of the three-phase
power supply to the motor and by altering
the speed of the steam turbine, respectively
 With this scheme, the variable-speed a.c.
generator and the electric propulsion motor
provide a system, which is a substitute for a
gearbox.
 Manoeuvring is partly by electrical and
partly by mechanical means.
 The arrangement allows flexibility in the
positioning of equipment, but the change of
speed and frequency of the turbine-driven
alternator is essential to the control of
propulsion motor speed.
 This means that the alternator must be
dedicated to the propulsion motor and cannot be
used simultaneously to supply power to other
motors.
 A turbo-electric propulsion arrangement can be
used as the alternative to a reduction gearbox for
coupling a steam turbine which is most efficient
at high speeds and a propeller that provides best
results at low speeds.
 An advantage of turbo-electric propulsion is that
an astern turbine is not required, as reversing is
effected through the switchgear.
 The components of the simple turbo-
electric installation are the propulsion
motor, which is coupled to the propeller
shaft, the turbine-driven generator, and the
boiler, which supplies steam for the
turbine.
 Generator excitation must be capable of
continuous control to provide high
excitation and voltage for starting and a
varying excitation, as well as voltage for the
different speeds and frequencies.
 The synchronous propulsion motor runs at
a slow speed - say 106 rpm to suit propeller
efficiency and has a large number of salient
poles.
DC Motor Supplied from
Alternators
 Direct current propulsion motors
installed in more recently built ships are
supplied with power from alternators
through control and rectification
systems.
 An output from the three-phase exciter is
rectified and delivered to the alternator
rotor as direct current.
 The level of this current is controlled by
an AVR to maintain a constant voltage
output from the alternator.
 The alternating current output from the
alternator is delivered to the d.c.
propulsion motor armature through a
thyristor bridge, as direct current.
 Control of the gate signals for the silicon-
controlled rectifiers alters the level of
voltage and hence the speed of the motor.
 The smoothing reactor reduces ripples.
 Reversal of the propulsion motor is
effected by changing the direction of
direct current through the field poles
Nuclear Propulsion
 The components of the nuclear power plant
include a high-strength steel reactor vessel, heat
exchanger(s) (steam generator), and associated
piping, pumps, and valves. Each reactor plant
contains over 100 tons of lead shielding, part of
which is made radioactive by contact with
radioactive material or by neutron activation of
impurities in the lead.
 The propulsion plant of a nuclear-powered ship
or submarine uses a nuclear reactor to generate
heat. The heat comes from the fissioning of
nuclear fuel contained within the reactor. Since
the fisioning process also produces radiation,
shields are placed around the reactor so that the
crew is protected.
 Naval power plants are quite similar to land-based nuclear
power reactors. They produce heat through a nuclear reaction
that is used to boil water, which then turns a turbine. T
 his spinning turbine either directly turns the propeller of the
ship, or is connected to a turbo-electric drive system that
produces electric power to turn the propeller. [2] Naval
nuclear power reactors still have a few distinct properties
from land-based ones.
 Due to space considerations, these reactors are small (a few
hundred megawatts compared to a few gigawatts on land),
and have a higher output power density. They generally use
pressurized water, run on highly enriched uranium, and use
uranium-zirconium or uranium-aluminum alloy, or a metal-
ceramic.
 [2] They have long core lives, therefore need little refueling,
and they contain a safe yet compact pressure vessel.
Furthermore, due to the need of flexible power output and
space constraints, the thermal efficiency of naval reactors are
less than land-based nuclear power plants.
 Pros and Cons
 Naval nuclear reactors provide more miles per unit of raw fuel compared to combustion-
driven power sources. Thus, nuclear ships are much faster, need to carry much less fuel, and
do not need an oxygen source. [3] Furthermore, with rising oil prices, nuclear ships might be
more economical than conventionally powered ships, since savings in fuel costs might offset
the additional up-front costs of nuclear-powered ships. [4]
 Additionally, nuclear ships are environmentally friendly: nuclear fission releases no
greenhouse gasses, the confinement against radioactive leakage is excellent, and nuclear ships
are even recyclable. For example, after the ship's life cycle ends, the U.S. Navy recycles the
ship by defueling the reactor, inactivating the ship, removing the reactor compartment for
land disposal, recycling the remainder of the vessel, and disposing of the non-recyclable
materials. [2]
 Through the usage of the newest technologies, good training programs, and high levels of
standardizations nuclear powered propulsion is one of the safest means of transportation. The
United States Navy has had an accident-free record up to this day, operating for 5500 reactor-
years. [5] To further perfect this technology, there are many laboratories in the U.S. that
specialize on naval nuclear propulsion work, such as Bettis and Knolls Atomic Power
Laboratories. [2]
 Yet, there are problems with this technology, with the leading one being the expense. Nuclear
powered ships are much more expensive than those with conventional sources of power
(petroleum based), and especially during peace times, it is not entirely clear which technology
is cheaper in the long run. [6] Plus, there are additional problems with the stress on the
mechanical system, salt-water corrosion, and operation under shaking and vibrations.