Power from H Nordic turbines routes from the DC generator through a DC/DC converter to the integrated battery storage. There is no grid synchronisation requirement. The system is compatible with the vessel's existing DC bus architecture without modification to the vessel's main switchboard. For vessels with AC distribution, a DC/AC inverter stage is added.
The power conversion chain in an H Nordic maritime turbine is straightforward:
1. The rotor drives a DC generator directly or through a simple first-stage reduction.
2. The DC output from the generator passes through a DC/DC converter, which regulates the voltage to match the battery bank.
3. The regulated DC charges the integrated battery -- 215 kWh for the 50 kW model, 430 kWh for the 100 kW model.
4. The battery management system (BMS) manages the charge/discharge cycle based on the battery's state of charge and the vessel's onboard load demand.
This architecture -- DC generator direct to battery -- eliminates the grid synchronisation requirement that is the most complex aspect of connecting a wind turbine to a vessel's power system. There is no inverter minimum threshold to clear, no frequency synchronisation to achieve, and no grid connection electronics that require a minimum wind speed to engage.
Generation begins at 2 m/s and every unit of energy produced goes directly into the battery.
Most modern commercial vessels have a DC bus architecture for onboard electrical distribution. The ship's generators produce AC power that is rectified to DC for distribution to drives, thrusters, and other DC loads, or used directly for lighting, heating, and AC loads through inverters.
H Nordic's DC output is directly compatible with this architecture. The battery connects to the vessel's DC bus through a standard bidirectional DC/DC converter interface. Power flows from the battery to the bus when the vessel's load demand exceeds what the generator is supplying, supplementing the generator output and reducing fuel consumption. When load demand is low and the battery is already charged, the turbines continue generating and the BMS manages the charge state.
No modification to the main switchboard is required for a standard DC bus integration. The H Nordic system appears to the vessel's power management system as a battery-backed supplementary power source.
For vessels with conventional AC distribution systems -- where the main generators distribute AC power directly to switchboards without a DC intermediate stage -- an additional DC/AC inverter stage is required.
The inverter converts the battery's DC output to AC at the correct frequency and phase for synchronisation with the vessel's AC bus. Modern grid-forming inverters handle this synchronisation automatically and reliably. The integration point is typically at the main switchboard or an existing sub-panel.
This adds a component and increases the integration scope, but does not change the fundamental installation model. The turbines still connect DC-direct to the battery; the inverter is the interface between the battery and the vessel's AC distribution.
H Nordic assesses the vessel's electrical architecture during the vessel survey and specifies the integration components required for that specific vessel.
The BMS is the intelligence layer of the integration. It monitors battery cell condition, manages charge and discharge rates to protect battery life, and communicates with the vessel's power management system to coordinate the turbine output with onboard load demand.
Key BMS functions in the maritime context:
The vessel's main generators, main switchboard, and primary power distribution are not modified by an H Nordic installation. The turbine system connects as a supplementary source. The vessel's power management system continues to function as primary controller; the H Nordic BMS coordinates with it rather than replacing it.
If the turbine system is taken offline for any reason -- scheduled maintenance, fault condition -- the vessel's primary power system operates normally with no dependency on the turbines.
See also: Turbine maintenance · How turbines perform in heavy weather
Tell us about your vessel's electrical architecture and we will outline the integration approach and any additional components required.
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