Advanced Energy Management System for Generator–Battery Hybrid Power System in Ships: A Novel Approach with Optimal Control Algorithms

Abstract

Advancements in the reduction of carbon dioxide emissions from ships are driving the development of more efficient onboard power systems. The proposed non-equivalent parallel running operation system is explored in this study, which improves the efficiency of the main power generation source compared with traditional equal load-sharing methods used in power management systems. However, the asymmetric method reduces the efficiency of the auxiliary power sources. To address this issue, we propose a control method that integrates a battery system with an efficiency-based algorithm to optimize the overall system performance. The proposed approach involves establishing operation command values based on the characteristics of the power generation source and adjusting these commands according to the battery’s state of charge (SOC). MATLAB/Simulink simulations confirmed the effectiveness of this method across various operating modes and revealed no operational issues. When applied to a ship’s operating profile over 222 h, the method reduced fuel consumption by approximately 2.98 tons (5.57%) compared with conventional systems. Over 38 annual voyages, this reduction equates to savings of 115.96 tons of fuel or approximately 96.47 million Korean won. This study demonstrates that integrating an optimal efficiency algorithm into the energy management system significantly enhances both the propulsion and overall energy efficiency of ships.