Marine Portable Power Unit

Many military missions involve the use of equipment that requires small batteries for power where AC grid power is unavailable. Also, there is a need for a high quality power output device that conditions a power input to make it suitable to power sensitive communications equipment. The weight of this equipment is also a factor which affects Its usefullness in quick moving military situations. Maintaining uninterrupted power at these locations can be critical in some situations. In the event of a power generation failure, there needs to be a carry-through period where the batteries in the power conditioning equipment can satisfy load requirements. The generators that supply power are often off-line unexpectedly and/or for random periods of time. Failure of this equipment can affect the ability of a military group to carry out its mission. An Uninterrupted Power Supply (UPS) is needed that supplies backup, has flexible input and output options, does not add significant weight or logistical burden to a mission and is rugged and able to withstand extremes of physical and environmental conditions. The currently available commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) UPS's are not suitable solutions for the above-described problem. These COTS units do not have variable input and output options, are not rugged and use valve regulated lead acid batteries that are heavy and make the unit inflexible for other applications. The research contemplated by this proposal would lead to the development of a Marine Portable Power Unit (MPPU) that can serve as both an UPS and a battery charging station. The unit should be designed around currently deployed military batteries so as to enhance its flexibility of use. The MPPU ideally would be under 50 pounds in weight. It should have multiple input and output power configurations, specifically 12 VDC, 24 VDC, and 120 VAC single phase 60 Hz capability. The unit should use the BB-2590/U Lithium Ion battery and be able to safely handle batteries in multiple series/parallel configurations. The system should be able to act as both an UPS and a battery recharging station with batteries easily able to hot swap in-and-out.