SatCon Technology Corp. (Cambridge, MA), a leader in power and energy management, announced that it has successfully demonstrated the ability of its Integrated Power System (IPS) to isolate power outages in a simulated "all-electric" ship power grid. The test was conducted at the Naval Business Center in Philadelphia for the Naval Surface Weapons Center.
From 2001 to the present, SatCon has been awarded contracts totaling $12 million to develop the IPS for the US Navy's all-electric ship program. With this distributed electrical power system, the Navy can replace mechanical systems with electrical systems that will reduce cost and weight and improve performance. The system is also designed to provide the important ability to isolate faults, outages or damage, including battle damage, while maintaining power to critical systems. As part of the test, power being passed through a port side power feeder was removed, as if damaged during a battle or power outage. The remaining starboard power feeder instantaneously isolated the power outage and redirected its feed to the final load to offset the difference.
The system has possible application to all future naval electric ships with a market potential estimated to be in excess of $500 million if fully implemented. The technology can also be applied to municipal power systems such as water treatment plants, as well as commercial ships, factories, and airports.
