Optimizing Shipboard Integrated Power System Design with Power Flow Constraints

As electrification penetrates marine vessels, power networks on such vessels must support electric propulsion, weapon systems, navigation, and communication systems, as well as hotel loads. This makes shipboard power systems similar to islanded microgrids and involve significant lengths of cables and wiring. Such cables add to the cost and weight of vessels, so minimizing their size and numbers is essential. However, larger or additional cables are often required to maintain sufficient cable redundancy and respect power flow constraints. This paper proposes the use of genetic algorithm optimization to select cable types and quantities to minimize the costs associated with cabling, while meeting power flow constraints, e.g., the minimum voltage at each bus, for the construction of an integrated power system design.