Advanced electric propulsion systems for ships

Over the last few years, ships designed for a wide range of tasks have been increasingly equipped with diesel-electric drives. On the world market, this means that three drive concepts, which fully utilise the advantages of AC over DC technology, have become predominant.

The main differences can be found in the kind of application and in the type of converter connections:

• Cycloconverter with synchronous or asynchronous machine or permanently excited synchronous machine
• Synchro converter (load-commutated inverter) with synchronous machine
• Pulse width modulated converter with synchronous or asynchronous machine of
  low-voltage or medium-voltage design

As one of the most experienced companies worldwide Siemens is leading in the design and manufacture of drives of all types and sizes for merchant vessels as well as for naval applications.

Our SIMAR DRIVE family provides drive systems based on the finest technology available:

• SIMAR DRIVE cyclo
• SIMAR DRIVE synchro
• SIMAR DRIVE PWM

And because SIMAR DRIVE is so versatile and permits so many combinations, we are able to provide the right diesel-electric drive system for every ship and every imaginable application customers ask for.

The most recent example of the use of a SIMAR DRIVE application is realised in the ingenious podded drive system SSP Propulsor.

We offer only those systems capable of meeting our customers' requirements for economy, availability and price/performance. That assumes systems engineering tailored to providing maximum customers benefits, which begins with in-depth consultation by drive specialists experienced in marine applications.

Consultation extends from the selection of the best-suited diesel-electric propulsion system for each ship through generators, switchboards, transformers, converters, propeller motors, and closed- and open loop control systems up to the turnkey concepts.

These include propeller shaft systems with gearboxes and fully assembled diesel generator sets, as required. What's more, we assume system responsibility, both for the complete propulsion system and individual components.