Allocation and Compilation Methodology for Modular Power Electronic Equipment Metamodels

Abstract

With the ongoing electrification of Navy vessels motivated by increased power demands, evolving operating environments, and more stringent pollution policies, modular distribution networks have been proposed to introduce survivability, affordability, and resiliency into future ship designs. A virtual prototyping process (VPP) has been introduced to produce scalable metamodels for the Leading Edge Architecture for Prototyping Systems (LEAPS) database that enables development of modular distribution networks on the U.S. Navy’s Smart Ship System Design (S3D) design platform. This work proposes an allocation and compilation methodology for use in the VPP that modularizes enabling technologies for integration into a modular distribution network through the use of spatial insulation, thermal, conductor, accessibility, and frame allocations. A use case, as distribution bus voltage varies from 5kV to 30kV, is performed on a DC no-load disconnect switch to demonstrate the methodology’s applicability. Performance metrics, termed MOP's, are output from the proposed allocation and compilation methodology and provide transparency into performance metric trade-offs introduced once technology is modularized. Calculated MOPS, power density and specific power, suggest diminishing returns on performance gains once a distribution bus voltage of 16kV is reached as insulation coordination requirements begin to dominate space claim.