Redundant Coolant Pump Drive for Submarine Reliability
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing waterborne transportation drives, such as submarines and ships, face reliability issues due to inadequate cooling systems, which can lead to reduced operational capacity and performance limitations when coolant pump supplies malfunction.
Innovation Solution
A drive system with redundant coolant pump connections and data communication pathways, featuring dual coolant pumps, power converters, and high-availability controllers, ensures continuous cooling capacity and operational readiness by allowing switching to redundant systems in case of errors, utilizing inverters and contactors for power management and Profibus/Profinet for data connectivity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a single coolant pump supply is used, then the device complexity is reduced, but the reliability of the cooling system deteriorates when malfunctions occur
Solution Approach 1:
The first and second coolant pump supplies are designed with universal functionality, where each supply can operate both its assigned coolant pump and the other coolant pump through switchable connections. This multi-functionality allows either supply to take over cooling duties if the other fails, resolving the contradiction by providing redundancy without requiring completely separate independent systems.
Solution Approach 2:
The coolant pump supply system implements dynamic reconfigurability through switchable connections and controllable elements. The supplies can dynamically change their operational configuration to adapt to failure conditions, allowing the system to maintain reliability by redirecting cooling capacity from a failed supply to the functioning supply.
2Reliability
If redundant coolant pump supplies are implemented, then the operational availability increases, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The first and second coolant pump supplies are merged into a single integrated redundant system where both supplies share common control logic and can be operated by either sub-controller. This merging approach provides redundancy while reducing overall complexity compared to completely separate independent cooling systems, as the supplies can function together or independently based on system needs.
3Reliability
If data communication errors occur in sub-controller connections, then the control reliability deteriorates, but adding redundant communication pathways increases system complexity
Solution Approach 1:
Both sub-controllers are designed with universal control capability, where either sub-controller can control both coolant pump supplies. This multi-functionality in the control architecture provides communication redundancy, as data communication failures in one sub-controller connection can be compensated by the other sub-controller maintaining system control through alternative communication pathways.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The redundant cooling and communication systems significantly increase the operational availability of waterborne transportation drives, preventing complete cooling capacity failure and power restrictions, thus enhancing usability and operational readiness even in the event of malfunctions.
Implementation Method 1
The power supply includes, for example, an inverter that feeds the electric motor of the respective coolant pump
Implementation Method 2
cooling air is cooled by the cooling liquid in a heat exchanger that is supplied with cooling liquid
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention relates a drive (1) of a water-borne means of transport, such as a submarine or a ship, the drive (1) comprising an electric motor (3), a first coolant pump (4), a second coolant pump (5), a first coolant pump supply unit (6) and a second coolant pump supply unit (7). The first coolant pump supply unit (6) is connected to a first control sub-unit (17) and to a second control sub-unit (18) for data communication, and the second coolant pump supply unit (6) is connected to the first control sub-unit (17) and to the second control sub-unit (18) for data communication.