Design, building and testing of plug-in hybrid electric drive for a small boat

Abstract

Nowadays the idea of having an electric drive partially or fully powering the individuals means of transport is gaining more and more interest. This increase in popularity can be mostly seen in the automotive industry as technology is advancing at a very fast rate hence making these vehicles very efficient. The marine industry is also making technological improvements in this sector. One can already opt to purchase a hybrid or fully electric boat. One example of this is the fully electric Pehn 550 electric boat equipped with a 4kW electric outboard motor and an 8kWH lithium-ion battery pack. With Malta being surrounded by the Mediterranean Sea, it is time to have cleaner drive systems for boats in order to conserve the natural habitats found in our seas and also help in reducing Malta’s carbon footprint by reducing the amount of carbon emissions being produced. This dissertation presents the design, building and testing procedure for a plug-in hybrid electric drive system for a small boat. The main objective of this project was to design a plug-hybrid drive system that can be used to make long trips such as a trip from Malta to Sicily. This dissertation will delve into each step that was carried out. The first objective was to carry out research in order to choose the components required to design and build such a system. Secondly, the designing procedure was commenced. Here, the sizing of all components was done and all circuits required were designed. Simultaneously, simulations were carried out to have an initial idea of the performance of some components. Finally tests were carried out to evaluate the performance of each component. This helped in making sure that the system would be as efficient, reliable and safe as possible.