Modeling of Weight and Volume for Advanced Alternating Current Electric Drive Machinery

Abstract

High power‐density motors and generators and reliable high power solid state motor speed controls make electric drives an attractive contender for naval propulsion systems. This paper presents several modeling techniques and scaling relationships to assist others in estimating the volumes and weights of propulsion generators and motors, solid state power conditioners, electrical switchgear, and associated electrical propulsion system components as functions of propeller shaft power. These modeling and scaling relationships are applied to a specific watercooled conceptual design propulsion plant to demonstrate the scaling method and to present the sizes and weights of “state‐of‐the‐art” components for propulsion systems in the 22 to 52 megawatt (30,000 to 70,000 horsepower) per propeller shaft range. Although the conceptual design discussed reflects watercooled technology, the provided relationships can be used for any given machine or machinery system configuration as long baseline data is available. For the purposes of this paper, some aircooled data is presented and the results compared to a specific watercooled Advanced Integrated Electric Propulsion Plant (AIEPP) design which was presented at ASNE DAY 1982 and published in the April 1982 issue of the Naval Engineers Journal. This paper permits application of the previously published AIEPP technology to a wide range of shaft horsepowers and propulsion plant configurations and thus serves as a major extension of the basic concepts set forth in the April 1982 paper for advanced alternating current electric drive machinery.

An Air‐Capable Combatant For the 21st Century

“…The DDG-51 was used as a model for the detailed weight and VCG data. The parametric equations the computer program used are comparable to those identified in References [4] and [5].…”