ABB to help UK dockyard enhance green energy options

September 5, 2018 - The naval base in Portsmouth, spread over 150 hectares, with 10 kilometers of waterfront, is home to almost two-thirds of the Royal Navy’s surface fleet, including frigates, vessels, the Fishery Protection Squadron and the Queen Elizabeth Class aircraft carriers. Now BAE systems, the contractor responsible for the dockyard electrical systems, is installing ABB´s shore-to-ship power solution to energize high power consumption vessels in a pioneering project.

Port operators in different parts of the world are adopting shore-to-ship power connections that enable berthed vessels to shut down their diesel engines and plug in to the port-side network to power their onboard loads. This offers a number of benefits, including saving fuel costs, cutting emissions and reducing the impact of noise and vibration on the local environment.

Previously, frequency conversion in the power supply at Portsmouth was carried out by rotary frequency converters (RFCs) - complex mechanical systems that combine motors, generators, drives and ancillary regulation and control equipment. As the RFCs in Portsmouth were nearing the end of their service life, BAE Systems turned to ABB for new solid-state power electronics technology.

ABB responded by developing a new solution based on medium voltage static frequency conversion (SFC) technology. Unlike the RFC, the SFC has no moving parts, apart from its cooling fans. Higher SFC efficiency (over 98%) allows a reduction in the total cost of ownership for end users

ABB is supplying the SFC as part of a complete package including a dry-type 11 kilovolt (kV) to 6.6 kV transformer and control equipment to interface with the dockyard’s electrical management system. The project is scheduled for completion in 2019.

About ABB

ABB is a specialist in power grids, electrification products, indus-trial automation and robotics and motion, serving customers in utilities, industry and transport & infrastructure globally. Continuing a history of innovation spanning more than 130 years, ABB operates in more than 100 countries with about 147,000 employees. 

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