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This paper presents some of the key advances in power electronics pertaining to shipboard electric power system applications. The focus is on the emerging wide bandgap semiconductor devices, i.e., silicon carbide (SiC) and gallium nitride (GaN) devices, and their potential impact on future shipboard power conversion and drives. Their benefits on power converter efficiency and power density are explained through a case study of a medium-voltage (MV) class motor drive system. SiC and GaN also enable new applications, including solid-state transformers, while posing new design and application challenges such as gate drive, protection, and interaction with loads. In addition to device related topics, this paper also overviews other important advances in power electronics, including topology, control, passive components, thermal management, filters, and packaging. The significance of power electronics building blocks (PEBBs) concept for shipboard power system development is discussed. Recognizing the growing complexity of shipboard power systems, some system-level technologies related to future MV direct current (dc) system architecture are highlighted.

This paper presents the evolution, state of the art, and prospective future of Silicon-Carbide (SiC) based power electronics conversion for shipboard electrical power systems. The latter, having fully profited from the integrated power system (IPS) all-electric ship concept, now face the challenge of an ever increasing electrical payload, with enhanced service and advanced sensors and weapon systems that are forecasted to surpass the onboard propulsion power in next generation ships. Power density has accordingly become crucial in this development, and SiC, with its innate high-voltage, high-frequency and high-temperature characteristics, the sought solution. The Office of Naval Research (ONR) together with the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) have accordingly devoted an immense effort towards the development of 10 kV SiC MOSFETs and Junction-barrier-Schottky (JBS) diodes, having successfully demonstrated the capabilities of this technology in several applications thus far. Furthering this effort, ONR is presently directing the development of SiC-based PEBB units for next-generation shipboard systems, embodying the future of this concept. This technological evolution, as well as the challenges set forth by SiC-based power conversion, represent the mainstay of this paper.

Systems for ships, offshore platforms, chemical plants, foundries, and utilities are rapidly changing as a result of the second electronic revolution. The first revolution was with integrated circuits which gave us the microprocessor, PCs, cell phones, and MP3 players. The second electronic revolution started with power electronics, which give us motor controllers, switching power supplies, hybrid cars, and electric ships. Just as the first electronic revolution changed our concepts of information, the second electronic revolution is redefining control. This paper discusses these changes and the opportunities enabled by new technologies and levels of control. Most notably, this paper provides a logical argument for future controller abilities to control any system to near perfection-accurately, precisely, reliably, and safely. This paper also proposes the use of building block concepts with modeling and simulation to create new tools and methods for designing and building power systems.

Tomorrow's marine electrical systems will be profoundly different from today's systems. Power electronics is making major impacts on virtually every marine system including propulsion, power distribution, auxiliaries, sonar, and radar. Newly emerging materials, components, and system concepts (such as wide band-gap materials, silicon-carbide-based power semiconductor devices, power electronics building blocks (PEBBs), and integrated power systems) are, and will continue, enabling future marine systems as different from today's systems as steam ships were to sailing ships. However, these enabling technologies and concepts are not well known and have been difficult to understand. This paper will introduce these new concepts and technologies, identify potential impacts, and explore new design methods to simplify marine electrical system development.

Open system interfaces for high power electronics equipment used in zonal electrical distribution systems rated above 100 kW are identified in this standard. The required power, monitoring, information exchange, control, and protection interfaces are based on technological maturity, accepted practices, and allowances for future technology insertions. Also, rigorous assessment mechanisms, interface control management, and proactive conformance testing that shall be used to verify and validate open systems to enable plug-and-play operability independently of the components’ origin are defined. Airports, hospitals, major data processing centers especially those using uninterruptible power supply), broadcast systems, and maritime vessels and platforms are pplications covered by this standard. Existing terrestrial utility power systems that do not yet contain the electronic power interfaces and high-speed communication networks that are essential to use this standard shall be upgraded by its application.

The complexity of today's ship systems exceeds capabilities of existing tools for "total system engineering". As the power of systems increases, lower order effects have substantial amounts of energy and that cannot be ignored. Converters in the 10's of megawatt range can produce 100's of kilowatts of losses in the form of heat, electro-magnetic interference (EMI), and mechanical vibration. Today's designer must take into account these interactions, as well as predict many other effects such as: system cost, reliability, environmental effects, health effects, and so on. However, complex systems can be simplified by applying advanced technology. Using intelligent controllers and partitioning the system based on the physics of the materials, components, and methods of manufacture can produce building blocks, which allow systems to be designed, built, and operated in a rational predictable manner. This paper analyzes the challenges of Engineering "Total Electric Ship" and describes some new ideas such as a "relational" design process, enabled by physics-based modeling and simulation. Paper also describes the Marine Industries Subcommittee activities in this areas and the development of new interface standards based on collective industrial experience and consensus for marine power electronics and power systems connections to onshore power inside the ports during cargo unloading or power sources at times of natural disasters.

Power electronics building block (PEBB) concept is a platform-based approach where basic building blocks are consistent with one another, have a defined functionality & standardized hardware and control interfaces. Adoption of building block(s) that can be used for multiple applications, results in high volume production, reduced engineering effort; design testing, onsite installation and maintenance work. ONR has funded several universities and manufacturers to utilize PEBB concept for a broad range of applications. This paper describes the evolution of PEBB from concept to reality in marine and commercial applications