Reconfigurable Electrical Power System

Under this STTR Phase I program, we propose to develop and demonstrate dual-use Reconfigurable Electrical Power System (REPS) technology that will provide the intelligence and capability to automatically and dynamically reconfigure naval and commercial marine shipboard power systems (SPSs) while maintaining uninterrupted power to vital and sensitive loads. The proposed approach includes an intelligent control algorithm that optimizes the electrical system configuration with respect to specified system constraints. The Phase I effort will exploit recent work by Barron Associates that demonstrated an approach for the fast protection of shipboard electrical power systems based on a novel high-speed relay (HSR) algorithm. The HSR algorithm and REPS will work together to ensure that continuous quality power is maintained automatically to all vital and sensitive shipboard loads, thereby reducing manning and minimizing the ship's operating costs. The proposing team includes Barron Associates, a company with the proven ability to deliver high-quality algorithms, software, and hardware; the University of South Carolina, which has a sophisticated virtual test bed capability for simulating shipboard power systems; and Power Paragon, a manufacturer of SPS equipment for both military and commercial customers, which will enable rapid transition of the REPS technology into the fleet.