Automatic Reconfiguration of a Ship's Power System Using Graph Theory Principles

Shipboard control systems equip an expert operator with the ability to safely open and close breakers to facilitate electric plant operations. In more advanced systems, ship integrated power systems are equipped with automatic control systems that provide power management by automatically connecting and disconnecting power generation sources based on plant's present load and online generation capacity. What is generally lacking, however, is an effective manner to provide autonomous reconfiguration of the power system in response to electric plant casualties and ship's mission changes when the ship's electric plant is in a degraded condition. This paper explores the use of graph theory principles as they apply to developing automation control system algorithms to provide electric plant operations full autonomous control in the event of electric plant casualties and/or ship's mission changes.