Title of Invention

" A POWER SUPPLY DEVICE FOR A SUBMARINE"

Abstract

The invention relates to a power supply device for a submarine having at least one electrical propeller motor, one battery set, one charging generator with a drive and one power supply system with busbars including switching and automation devices, characterized in that the power supply device having an H2O2 fuel cell device comprising individual modules and connected to the busbars -in order to supply electrical power to the propeller motor - via a circuit breaker operable as a function of the voltage level of the fuel cell device, the circuit breaker connecting the fuel cell device directly to the power supply device, and in that the power supply device has a fuse link in a parallel path of the fuel cell device and the charging path, respectively, for short-circuits protection reasons.

Full Text

Description Power supply device for a submersible vessel The invention relates to a power supply for a submarine having at least one electrical propeller motor, one battery set, one charging generator with a drive and one power supply system with busbars as well as switching and automation devices, with the power supply device having an H2O2 fuel cell device. Power supply devices for submarines having the equipment mentioned above are known, and the object of the invention is to refine the known power supply device in such a manner that, with the same design in principle, it can not only be designed in new submarines but is also suitable, in particular, for retrofitting older submarines with snorkels, for example, Type 209. The older submarines with snorkels are intended to achieve a longer underwater range by being retrofitted in this way, as was already proposed some time ago, see the Siemens AG document "Electrical Systems for Submarines" dated 2001. In this case, it should be remembered that the electrical power which is installed on board the retrofitted submarines is considerably greater than the original installed electrical power, particularly when the battery sets are also replaced virtually at the same time as the retrofitting with a fuel cell device. The new batteries generally have a considerably higher performance than the originally installed batteries. Overall, the electrical system must be refined according to the object such that it is suitable for feeding more electrical power to the submarine propulsion system, and is suitable for the fuel-cell-specific characteristics. In this case, it should be borne in mind that the retrofitting with a fuel cell device, as mentioned in the cited document is carried out in such a way that the hull of the older submarine has a so-called AIP (Air Independent Propulsion) disk added to it. This contains the fuel cell device and the control and switching devices associated with it, as well as the necessary auxiliary devices, etc. The object is essentially achieved in that the fuel cell device is connected to the busbars for supplying electrical power to the propeller motor via a circuit breaker which is operated as a function of the voltage level of the fuel cell device. The simplest solution for retrofitting or else for the initial equipment of a submarine with a fuel cell device would be for this to be connected directly to the busbars for supplying electrical power to the propeller motor, since the fuel cell device can intrinsically be switched on and off and thus could be connected directly to the busbars for supplying electrical power to the propeller motor. This would satisfy the requirements for connection of the fuel cell device to the power supply system in a submarine in a particularly space- saving and simple manner. However, according to the invention, a circuit breaker is arranged between the fuel cell device and the busbars which are connected to the propeller motor and can be operated as a function of the voltage level of the fuel cell device. This allows the fuel cell device to be connected in a particularly advantageous manner, which allows the fuel cells to be switched on and to be tested, etc. particularly well. It is thus possible to meet the particular operating requirements of a fuel cell device for submarines. A refinement of the invention provides that the power supply device has a circuit breaker in the form of a two-pole circuit breaker for at least 1000 amperes. This results in an advantageously cost- effective, simple circuit breaker which ensures the necessary operational safety and reliability for a fuel cell device on board submarines. Another refinement of the invention provides that the circuit breaker is a three-pole circuit breaker designed for low stray fields, with the circuit breaker connecting the fuel cell device directly to the busbars of the power supply device in both cases. A three-pole circuit breaker is already considerably more complex than a two-pole circuit breaker but has the particular advantage that its design allows power to be transmitted with low stray fields. This embodiment thus results in a particularly advantageous power supply for the submarine via the fuel cell installation taking account of the stringent requirements for protection against detection. A refinement of the invention also provides that a DC/DC controller can also be arranged between the fuel cell device and the circuit breaker, if required. The arrangement of a DC/DC controller between the fuel cell device and the circuit breaker allows the fuel cell to be operated in a particularly advantageous voltage range, without the voltage level of the busbars having to correspond to this. This thus results in particularly advantageous availability for operation of the fuel cell device. The fuel cell can thus also be connected to the busbars during partial load operation. In addition, the voltage level for the power transmitted to the busbars can be maintained in the event of a failure of more than one module, when the fuel cell device comprises a plurality of modules, for example, eight modules, which are connected in series. One refinement of the invention also provides that the fuel cell device is operated with an on and off switching mode. The fuel cell device may thus in each case be started up and shut down optimally particularly when the circuit breaker, as is advantageously provided, is operated as a function of a fuel-cell-device-specific on and off switching mode. This considerably improves the operational reliability and safety and life, as well as the number of on and off switching processes, which the fuel cell device can carry out. The fuel cell modules are provided with a range of automation components both for operation and for test purposes, for example, sensors, pumps, and remotely-operated valves for hydrogen, oxygen, cooling water, nitrogen, vacuum and demineralized water. In addition, further operating components are included for operation and switching of the fuel cell modules, such as pressure reducers, heat exchangers, gas tanks, etc. to be precise in this case, as well as both for operation and for test purposes. This results in a fuel cell device which can be operated and tested completely "on the rig" in which case the on and off switching modes can likewise be tested. Overall, this therefore results in a fuel cell device which can be used as a "stand alone" device in the same way as the battery sets and can be connected as required to the busbars in order to supply electrical power to the electrical propeller motor. It is self-evident that the fuel cell device must be protected against damage resulting from short circuits in the vessel power supply system in the same way, for example, as battery sets. Provision is made for this purpose for a fuse link to be arranged in the parallel path of the fuel cell device and of the normal charging connection and to be connected in series with the circuit breakers. This ensures particular protection for the fuel cell installation which, in fact, represents a very high value. The value is not only due to the fact that the fuel cell device provides the submarine with a long submersion time and allows it to travel for a long distance under water but from the fact that the very high costs for repair or possibly even new production can actually also be avoided. The idea of equipping boats with fuel cells has already been in existence for a long time. This idea came about when the first spacecraft were equipped with fuel cells which, at that time, were still carbonate cells. However, since the power supply devices for submarines differ very considerably from the power supply devices for spacecraft, the idea was not implemented for a long time, despite extensive tests. The idea can be implemented particularly safely and reliably by means of the invention. This applies not only to new-built submarines, but also to the retrofitting of submarines, where it is of particular financial importance. Voltage dips necessarily occur in the main system, and can lead to operating disturbances when short circuits are disconnected by means of circuit breakers, or by circuit breakers in conjunction with fuse links when the short-circuit currents are very high. The disturbing voltage dips can be virtually avoided by the use of an HTS current limiter. Rapid current limiting likewise results in considerably reduced mechanical and thermal loads on the switchgear. For the purposes of the invention, it is particularly advantageous for the power supply device of the submarine to also have an HTS current limiter in conjunction with the fitting or retrofitting of fuel cell devices which HTS current limiter interacts with a circuit breaker and is cooled by means of a cryogenic liquid. A current limiter such as this operates with virtually no delay and represents the optimum protection for a fuel cell system and is therefore particularly advantageous for the power supply device according to the invention. The physical principles of an HTS current limiter have already been known for a long time, but HTS current limiters have now reached a maturity level which allows them to be cooled with liquid nitrogen. The liquid nitrogen can advantageously be produced by a compressor from the nitrogen in the air or, it is also possible to carry liquid nitrogen on board the submarine. For this purpose, the submarine advantageously has a supply container for cryogenic liquid, in particular for liquid nitrogen, which is cooled in particular by means of electrical equipment. In this case, it is particularly advantageous for a submarine which has a fuel cell device on board for the HTS current limiter to be connected to a supply container whose vaporization heat is used to heat the liquid oxygen which is provided for operation of the fuel cell device. It is particularly advantageous in this case for the HTS current limiter and the supply container to be arranged in the same segment as the power supply installation. Particularly if the HTS current limiter is arranged in the, for example, retrofitted AIP disk, this results in a retrofit segment for a submarine which contains the power supply components to be retrofitted in an optimum manner, so that there is no need to arrange them in the original boat body, which in fact is utilized down to the last small nook. When in the superconducting state, every HTS current limiter has a negligibly small electrical resistance which cannot be measured. In the case of a current which is above the rated current, the electrical resistance of the HTS current limiter rises suddenly until it changes over from its superconducting state to its normally conductive state. The HTS current limiter and its superconductor then assumes a finite resistance, until it is cooled down again. As in the exemplary embodiments described above, the HTS current limiter is used in a power supply system in conjunction with a DC-isolating element with a disconnection capability. It is also possible to use load-disconnecter switches. The DC-isolating element is driven automatically. This is done using the voltage difference which occurs between the input and output sides of the HTS current limiter in the normally conductive state. The DC-isolating element is reconnected by hand, once the short circuit has been rectified. The invention will be explained in more detail with reference to accompanying drawings from which, as well as from the dependent claims, further details which are significant to the invention can be obtained. In detail: FIGURE 1 shows the outline illustration of a submarine propulsion system with a fuel cell device, FIGURE 2 shows the outline illustration of a submarine propulsion system with a fuel cell device, which has been retrofitted, FIGURE 3 shows the outline circuit diagram of a two-pole circuit breaker, FIGURE 4 shows the outline circuit diagram of a three-pole circuit breaker, and FIGURE 5 shows the principle of an HTS current limiter system. In Figure 1, 1 denotes the propulsion motor of the submarine, which in this case may be a DC motor or a DC-fed motor. 2 denotes the generators which are generally driven by diesel engines and which charge the battery sets 3 during the snorkel phase. 4 denotes the fuel cell device and 5 the general charging connection. 6 denotes, by way of example, a fuse link and 7 a circuit breaker, in which case the circuit breaker may respond with (zv) or without (nv) a time delay. 6 and 7 are identified by symbols which are repeated in the drawing, although the arrangement of the circuit breakers and fuse links is in this case purely an example. Since this is an outline circuit, the illustration does not mean that the individual components are arranged in a corresponding manner in the submarine, and in fact they are distributed where they are matched to the spatial conditions. For example, the propulsion motor with its propeller is always arranged in the stern, but has no role for the outline circuit. In Figure 2, which shows the outline circuit of a propulsion system of a submarine which is used by way of example for new submarines, the same components as those in Figure 1 are denoted with the same symbols. The outline circuit can thus be understood without any problems by a person skilled in the art, in the same way, the person skilled in the art can immediately understand Figure 3 and Figure 4, since they use the generally conventional symbols in electrical engineering, so that there is no need for a separate description with reference symbols. Figure 5 shows the principle of an HTS current limiter system whose use in modern submarines is particularly advantageous in the same way as the use of fuel cell devices - as already explained in the above description. The current limiter system is denoted 10 and contains a cryostat 11 with current limiter modules 12 which are generally equipped with plates on which meandering HTS conductors are located. These are conductors without any resistance in the operating temperature state, but, when a predeterminable current density is exceeded, they lose their superconductivity, thus resulting in a non-conductive state. Since this is based on physical processes, the non- conductive state is reached with virtually no delay. An arc is thus suppressed as it occurs. The current limiter modules are cooled by means of a cryogenic liquid, advantageously liquid nitrogen, although liquid neon can also be used. The cryogenic liquid is kept continuously at the low temperature level by means of the cold head 13, allowing the superconductivity of the meandering conductors on the plates of the current limiter modules. The current supply and return pass via the busbars 14, 15 so that this results in the capability to fit and remove the HTS current limiter that is comparable to that of a circuit breaker. The temperature in the cryostat can be reached either by means of the cold head or else by vaporization of the coolant. In this case, it must of course be possible to compensate for the volume loss of the coolant by replenishment at any time. In one particularly advantageous embodiment, the cold head is cooled by a compressor 16 which is water cooled. The cold head is controlled and regulated in a unit 17 and the same applies to the compressor. Since the HTS current limiter has no switching characteristic, it advantageously operates in series with a circuit breaker, which opens the circuit after response of the current limiter and disconnection of the current flowing through the current limiter, thus allowing the current limiter to resume operation correctly once the cause of it responding has been rectified. To this extent, the current limiter advantageously interacts with a circuit breaker, thus resulting in a safe and reliable power generation and switching system on board the submarine, which allows operation even when subject to war influences when traveling underwater, without any considerable resultant voltage dips and major arcing noise. WE CLAIM 1. A power supply device for a submarine having at least one electrical propeller motor, one battery set, one charging generator with a drive and one power supply system with busbars including switching and automation devices, characterized in that the power supply device having an H2O2 fuel cell device comprising individual modules and connected to the busbars -in order to supply electrical power to the propeller motor - via a circuit breaker operable as a function of the voltage level of the fuel cell device, the circuit breaker connecting the fuel cell device directly to the power supply device, and in that the power supply device has a fuse link in a parallel path of the fuel cell device and the charging path, respectively, for short-circuits protection reasons. 2. The power supply device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the circuit breaker is at least one two-pole circuit breaker for at least 1000 A. 3. The power supply device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the circuit breaker, preferably a three-pole circuit breaker, is designed for low stray fields. 4. The power supply device as claimed in claim 1 to 3, wherein a DC/DC controller is optionally disposable between the fuel cell device and the circuit breaker. 5. The power supply device as claimed in one of the preceding claims, wherein the fuel cell device is operated with an on and off switching mode. 6. The power supply device as claimed in one of the preceding claims, wherein the circuit breaker is operated as a function of an on and off switching mode which is specific for the fuel cell and is battery-specific when used as a battery charging device. 7. The power supply device as claimed in one of the preceding claims, wherein a fuse link is arranged in series with the circuit breakers of the fuel cell device and the charging path, respectively. 8. The power supply device as claimed in one of the preceding claims, comprising automation components for operation and for on and off switching of the fuel cell modules, such as sensors, pumps and remotely- operated valves for hydrogen, oxygen, cooling water, nitrogen, vacuum and demineralized water. 9. The power supply device as claimed in one of the preceding claims, comprising automation components for test purposes for the fuel cell device, such as sensors, pumps and remotely-operated valves for hydrogen, oxygen, cooling water, nitrogen, vacuum and demineralized water. 10.The power supply device as claimed in one of the preceding claims, corresponding operation components for operation and for on and off switching of the fuel cell modules, such as pressure reducers, heat exchangers, and gas tanks. 11.The power supply device as claimed in one of the preceding claims, comprising operating components for test purposes for the fuel cell device, such as pressure reducers, heat exchangers, and gas tanks. 12.The power supply device as claimed in one of the preceding claims, wherein the power supply device is enabled to be retrofitted on conventional submarines. 13.The power supply device as claimed in one of the preceding claims, comprising at least one HTS current limiter which interacts with a circuit breaker and is cooled with a cryogenic liquid. H.The power supply device as claimed in claim 12, wherein the HTS current limiter is connected to a supply container for cryogenic liquid, which is cooled in particularly by electrical equipment. 15.The power supply device as claimed in claim 13 or 14, wherein the HTS current limiter is connected to a supply container, whose vaporization heat is used to heat the liquid oxygen which is required for operation of the fuel cell device. 16.The power supply device as claimed in any of claims 13 to 15, wherein the HTS current limiter and the supply container are arranged in the same segment as the power supply installation. ABSTRACT TITLE : "A POWER SUPPLY DEVICE FOR A SUBMARINE" The invention relates to a power supply device for a submarine having at least one electrical propeller motor, one battery set, one charging generator with a drive and one power supply system with busbars including switching and automation devices, characterized in that the power supply device having an H2O2 fuel cell device comprising individual modules and connected to the busbars -in order to supply electrical power to the propeller motor - via a circuit breaker operable as a function of the voltage level of the fuel cell device, the circuit breaker connecting the fuel cell device directly to the power supply device, and in that the power supply device has a fuse link in a parallel path of the fuel cell device and the charging path, respectively, for short-circuits protection reasons.

Documents:

02102-kolnp-2006-abstract.pdf

02102-kolnp-2006-asignment.pdf

02102-kolnp-2006-claims.pdf

02102-kolnp-2006-correspondence other.pdf

02102-kolnp-2006-correspondence others-1.1.pdf

02102-kolnp-2006-correspondence-1.2.pdf

02102-kolnp-2006-description (complete).pdf

02102-kolnp-2006-drawings.pdf

02102-kolnp-2006-form-1.pdf

02102-kolnp-2006-form-18.pdf

02102-kolnp-2006-form-2.pdf

02102-kolnp-2006-form-26.pdf

02102-kolnp-2006-form-3.pdf

02102-kolnp-2006-form-5.pdf

02102-kolnp-2006-international publication.pdf

02102-kolnp-2006-international search report.pdf

02102-kolnp-2006-pct form.pdf

02102-kolnp-2006-priority document-1.1.pdf

02102-kolnp-2006-priority document.pdf

2102-KOLNP-2006-(06-07-2012)-CORRESPONDENCE.pdf

2102-KOLNP-2006-(06-08-2012)-CORRESPONDENCE.pdf

2102-KOLNP-2006-(06-08-2012)-OTHERS.pdf

2102-KOLNP-2006-ABSTRACT.pdf

2102-KOLNP-2006-AMANDED CLAIMS.pdf

2102-KOLNP-2006-CORRESPONDENCE 1.1.pdf

2102-KOLNP-2006-CORRESPONDENCE.pdf

2102-KOLNP-2006-DESCRIPTION (COMPLETE).pdf

2102-KOLNP-2006-DRAWINGS.pdf

2102-KOLNP-2006-EXAMINATION REPORT REPLY RECIEVED.pdf

2102-KOLNP-2006-EXAMINATION REPORT.pdf

2102-KOLNP-2006-FORM 1.pdf

2102-KOLNP-2006-FORM 18.pdf

2102-KOLNP-2006-FORM 26.pdf

2102-KOLNP-2006-FORM 3.pdf

2102-KOLNP-2006-FORM 5.pdf

2102-KOLNP-2006-GPA.pdf

2102-KOLNP-2006-GRANTED-ABSTRACT.pdf

2102-KOLNP-2006-GRANTED-CLAIMS.pdf

2102-KOLNP-2006-GRANTED-DESCRIPTION (COMPLETE).pdf

2102-KOLNP-2006-GRANTED-DRAWINGS.pdf

2102-KOLNP-2006-GRANTED-FORM 1.pdf

2102-KOLNP-2006-GRANTED-FORM 2.pdf

2102-KOLNP-2006-GRANTED-SPECIFICATION.pdf

2102-KOLNP-2006-OTHERS 1.1.pdf

2102-KOLNP-2006-OTHERS.pdf

2102-KOLNP-2006-PETITION UNDER RULR 137.pdf

2102-KOLNP-2006-REPLY TO EXAMINATION REPORT.pdf

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