Reevaluating electric power system harmonic distortion limits for shipboard systems

The advent of high power, high voltage semiconductor technology is transforming the naval electric power shipboard design. Navy ships will feature an integrated electric power system and all-electric drives in order to accomplish goals like improved maneuverability, advance high electric power weapon capability, reduced manpower and maintenance, higher flexibility, and improved fight-through capabilities. The future electric naval ships will demand a much higher power and energy density than commercial ships. Therefore, traditional electric system design criteria are unlikely to be fully applicable for the design and operation of NAVY all-electric ships with adequate power quality and reliability. This paper investigates key design electrical interface criteria subject to possible alterations and proposes a novel approach to harmonic limits in standards. It concludes, that such the proposed flexible limits will better meet all the complex system requirements associated with future of all-electric navy ships.