Hybrid Electric Vessel Propulsion with Integrated Motor Assist
Hybrid electrical vessel propulsion with integrated motor assist (HEVIMA), is an Innovate UK supported project which is led by REAP Systems ltd, in collaboration with the University of Southampton and eight industrial partners. This project aims to develop an innovative modular parallel hybrid marine power system that surpasses the efficiency and emission levels of existing hybrid systems in the small commercial vessel market. Modularity is a key in this project to reduce the engineering and implementation cost of hybrid systems in ships.
HEVIMA focuses on three integrated technologies: First, electric integrated motors (in flywheel), where it explores new types of electrical motor, which have high torque densities. The construction of these machines is very modular and scalable. Second, it develops safe, reliable, modularised and scalable high density batteries with algorithm assessing the safety critical battery deterioration and state of health. Third, it investigates a versatile and open energy management and control system, that enhance the adaptability/flexibility of energy/electrical power use with potential impact across a wide spectrum of different marine vessels. This industrial project will span 3 years with a total project cost of £1.32M. The potential cost saving to the marine industry are 6.5 M/year and the emission reduction is estimated to be 30,000/year tonnes of CO2.
Professor Suleiman Sharkh - Southampton University
Professor Sharkh is Professor of Power Electronics Machines and Drives within Engineering and the Environment at the University of Southampton.
S. M. Sharkh obtained his BEng and PhD degrees in Electrical Engineering from the University of Southampton in 1990 and 1994, respectively. He is currently the Head of the Electro-Mechanical Research Group at the University of Southampton. He is also the Managing Director of HiT Systems Ltd, and a visiting Professor at the Beijing Institute of Technology and Beijing Jiaotong University.
He has 20 years research experience in the field of electrical and electromagnetic systems including electric switches, power electronics, electrical machines, control systems and characterization and management of advanced batteries. To date he has published about 150 publications. He is an established doctoral external examiner in the UK and abroad, including Europe, China and Australia. His research has contributed to the development of a number of commercial products.
