Electric Propulsion Optimization Model Based on Exploitation Profile and Energy Price

This paper presents an optimization model of merchant ship's electrical propulsion system. Proposed model is based on exploitation profile and average energy as optimization criteria. Energy price is calculated at the selected positions within the ship's power system by using an optimization module which consists of two main parts: power module and economic module. Each module is represented by corresponding transfer function that calculates energy price at the output of subsystem based on the energy price at its input and other relevant influential factors. This approach allows greater flexibility during energy price calculation and enables evaluation of different electrical propulsion solutions, even if all exploitation indicators are not available. The same model can be extended and applied to the ships with mechanical power transmission or with combined propulsion.