A Survey on Pulse Power Load Applications and Tools for Simulation

Pulse power loads encompass various demanding applications, in which a certain electrical apparatus absorbs a large amount of power for a very short duration. The impact of this type of loads on the shipboard power system performance is of great interest for both new building and ships retrofitting. The goal of this work is, firstly, to investigate the theoretical definition and classification of the pulse power load, considering the relevant references today available. A survey on the typical applications is then conducted, considering also the type of technology adopted at the point of delivery. Time and frequency domain analysis techniques are then investigated, emphasizing the recommended performance requirements. Finally, a set of simulations is proposed considering a benchmark power profile. Results show that the tools identified represent an effective mean to investigate the expected performance of a shipboard power system in the presence of pulse power loads, toward the adoption of the model based design approach.