At the heart of a hybrid or electric vessel is the electric drive. The marine electric drive market includes the electric motor, the variable frequency drive (VFD), and the control system.

Electric Motors for Marine Propulsion

The [LSI keyword: marine electric drive market] uses several types of electric motors. Permanent magnet (PM) motors are the most efficient and compact. The marine electric drive market for PM motors is the largest. Induction (asynchronous) motors are simpler and lower cost, but larger and less efficient. The marine electric drive market for induction motors is still significant. Synchronous reluctance motors (SynRM) are a newer technology with good efficiency. The marine electric drive market for "low-speed" direct drive motors (which can directly drive the propeller without a gearbox) is a niche. The marine electric drive market for "high-speed" motors (with a gearbox) is more common. The marine electric drive market for "podded" drives (where the electric motor is inside a pod that can rotate 360 degrees) is used on cruise ships and icebreakers.

The marine electric drive market includes the variable frequency drive (VFD), which converts the fixed voltage and frequency of the ship's grid (or battery) to variable voltage and frequency for the motor, controlling its speed and torque. The marine electric drive market for "PWM" (pulse width modulation) VFDs is standard. The marine electric drive market for "active front end" (AFE) VFDs (which can also feed power back to the grid during braking) is used for regenerative braking. The marine electric drive market for "common DC bus" (multiple VFDs sharing a common DC link) is common in diesel-electric systems.

Control and Integration

The marine electric drive market includes the control system. The control system coordinates the VFD and the engine/genset. The marine electric drive market for "field-oriented control" (FOC) (precise torque control) is standard. The marine electric drive market for "dynamic positioning" (DP) systems uses the electric drive for precise station-keeping. The marine electric drive market for "joystick" control (for maneuvering) is common. As the marine electric drive market continues to evolve, the focus will be on higher voltage (to reduce cable weight), on "silicon carbide" (SiC) VFDs (higher efficiency), and on "integrated" motor and VFD (compact). The marine electric drive is the enabling technology for hybrid and electric propulsion, and its efficiency is critical for overall system performance.

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