PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT ASSOCIATES, INC. — Department of Defense SBIR Phase I: N171-073

Description

The Navys submarine fleet uses 3 phase delta power per MIL-STD-1399/300B. The power distribution system operates most effectively when loading per phase is balanced within 3%. COTS data processing equipment used by the fleet typically needs single phase power, so balancing is achieved by manually assigning COTS items to power phases in a manner that equalizes phase loading. Assigning COTS items to power phases is imperfect and cannot provide load balancing in dynamic shipboard environments where loads on COTS change as the mission changes. A Power Unbalance Corrector (PUC) that automatically corrects unbalance would provide superior operational results. The proposed rack mounted 40 kW PUC accepts power from the submarines power distribution system and uses it to power multiple racks. The PUC automatically compensates up to 12% unbalance presenting a balanced load to the submarines power distribution system. PDAs proposed PUC implementation introduces a novel Bidirectional Inverter circuit that passes the balanced part of the power directly from the source to the load; only the unbalanced power needs to be converted. This approach is more than 95% efficient and provides size, weight, reliability, and cost advantages and meets the SBIR requirements.