Power Converters for “All-Electric” Ship

SatCon Technology Corporation, a specialist in power and energy management products, has been awarded a further $4.1 million contract from General Atomics to continue the development of its Integrated Power System (IPS). The total value of this program is $7.0 million. SatCon will deliver 100kW and 300kW modular, electrical power converter and control assemblies to be tested as part of a full-scale demonstration program for the Navy’s "all-electric" ship. When combined, these SatCon IPS power distribution and conversion modules are designed to handle up to 2 megawatts of turbine generated power.

"We’re very pleased with the progress of this critical program," said David Eisenhaure, SatCon president and chief executive officer. "These power systems are being designed and built to support the production of an ‘all-electric’ ship. The benefit to the Navy is to replace mechanical systems with electrical systems that would reduce cost and weight, improve performance and eliminate environmental pollution.”“The all-electric ship is designed to operate with a common source of power for all of its systems, namely electrical power," continued Eisenhaure.

"As such it can be rapidly reconfigured in case of damage. Electrical power, unlike mechanical power, can be easily redirected to undamaged propulsion systems or mission critical combat systems. A modular architecture with large accessible spaces and standardized utility interfaces also allows it to be rapidly reconfigured for different missions. Because mechanical systems require higher maintenance than these new electrical systems, the ‘all-electric’ ship is designed for reduced maintenance costs."