Energy conversion solutions

Hybrid energy solutions

Hybrid applications in the maritime industry cover a wide variety of disciplines. Dual fuel systems and battery storage for spinning reserve and peak shaving are becoming increasingly integral to the technical scope of modern fleets and are widely implemented in existing vessels. Solutions you can expect from Alewijnse in this respect include:

• Modeling, supply, and integration of energy storage solutions
• Modeling, supply, and integration of AC and DC grid electric propulsion drive solutions
• Design of power conversion control and monitoring systems
• Supply and integration of hybrid fuel power management systems
• Battery sizing
• Hybrid grid AC/DC optimization for newbuilds 

Power quality measurement & analysis

In marine power plants, power quality is essential. AC grid disturbances, such as harmonic distortion, voltage dips, and fast electrical transients, need to be measured, analysed, and mitigated. 

Electromagnetic Interference (EMI) in the form of conducted and radiated emission effects in DC grid power plants can be much more severe than in AC grid power plants. 
 

Higher drive switching frequencies, combined with inadequate filtering and earthing measures, can result in poor fuel efficiency and reliability, increased generator maintenance, and excessive wear on connected semiconductors.

Alewijnse offers services to measure and analyse these effects in the time domain during the operation of existing vessels or during HAT and SAT of new builds, in accordance with IEC, MIL-STD, and class requirements. If required, we will provide an improvement and implementation plan as part of our recommendations to the customer.
 

Hardware-in-the-loop testbed (HIL)

State-of-the-art hybrid grid solutions need to be verified, preferably before the detailed engineering cycle begins. To establish proof of concept, Alewijnse builds the proposed power plant hardware configuration in a model. It is done on a real-time software-based platform that allows all studies, scenarios and requirements of the design to be tested and verified in the time domain.

In addition to Hardware-in-the-loop (HIL) functionality test runs and verification, our model can also perform short-circuit current calculations and fuse selectivity tests. This process creates a safe and sound proposition for the client while shortening the lead time of our engineering phase.

HIL offers our clients solid, evidence-based engineering, assists in studies, and automates essential parts of our engineering disciplines. If your project requires HIL modelling, you can contact us for a consultancy-based proposal. Our consultancy fee is reimbursed upon project grant, as it is included in the basic engineering.

 

Return of investment calculations

A hybrid solution is only effective when supported by a thoroughly charted power flow analysis. The operational profile with its specific requirements determines the optimal solution. Alewijnse uses mathematical modelling to analyse big data and visualise selected power events, ensuring hybrid optimisation of sizing and type.

Our maintenance component is included in our Pareto analysis to provide the best possible proposition to our customers. Our results include return on investment (ROI) prognoses, fuel savings, installed footprint, and maintenance effects, all clearly presented in our recommendations.

We also offer feasibility studies on a consultancy basis to assess the feasibility of hybrid solutions for a single vessel or even an entire fleet.

If your project requires ROI calculations, you can contact us for a consultancy-based proposal. Our consultancy fee is reimbursed if the project is granted, as it is included in the basic engineering.
 

Partnerships with Technical Universities

Since 2022, Alewijnse has provided and co-supervised master’s theses annually for the Faculty of Intelligent Electrical Power Grids (IEPG) at TU Delft and the Power Electronics group (PE) at TU Twente. Collaborating with students in their final year, Alewijnse researches and develops mathematical and analytical models, as well as hardware-in-the-loop emulations of the electrical plants onboard. This partnership strengthens our engineering department, fostering peer-to-peer learning and the application of advanced tools and creates “the bridge” between the academic world and the maritime industry.

Many graduates begin their professional careers at Alewijnse, leveraging their state-of-the-art knowledge to contribute to development projects and provide theoretical and practical support to our engineers and customers.
 

Electromagnetic pulse (EMP) - Lightning protection solutions

One of the new trends in the yacht-building industry is the implementation of composite materials in vessel construction. This approach offers certain advantages not found in vessels made solely of steel or in steel hulls with aluminium superstructures. As a result, we can expect an increase in the production of composite or composite-steel vessels in the future.

However, the composite construction of these vessels is non-conductive. It means it cannot protect the people on board and essential electronic equipment from electromagnetic fields generated by atmospheric electrostatic discharges or other EMP sources. The Alewijnse can provide a Lightning protection study (inclusive modelling) based on the IEC 62305 standards and class requirements. The study described the Primary and Secondary lightning protection systems.

This approach is slowly being adopted by another vessel’s project (conventional and NAVY vessels) as well, in line with the complexity of the electronic equipment onboard.  

More information is available on the website and in the white paper concerning the Lightning Protection Solution.