Coordinating multiple energy storages using MPC for ship power systems

Pulsed power loads present a difficult scenario for ship power systems to handle. Loads such as radar or energy weapons often demand a large amount of power in a short amount of time. This creates issues for the generators that supply the power to these loads due to the ramp rate constraints. By incorporating energy storage and combining the energy producers and users into a single power system, the ability to service a wide variety of loads is enhanced greatly. However, coordinating the generators and energy storages to meet the load demand is necessary. An Energy Management control layer must be used to dictate the power output of each of the producers to meet the load demand. A model predictive control technique within the Energy Management is used to provide optimal power setpoints for the energy storages in cases where the generators' ramp rates cannot meet the load demand.