Multidisciplinary Design Approach for On-board High-speed Energy Conversion Machinery

High-speed technology represents a transformative opportunity for advancing the energy transition in shipping, enabling more efficient and compact power generation solutions. This study proposes a rapid, multidisciplinary design approach for on-board high-speed electrical machines. It integrates process, rotordynamics, magnetic bearings, electromagnetic, and structural parameters, while accounting for ship motion effects. Traditional sequential design methods are comprehensive but time-consuming. Analytical design methods offer a faster alternative by iterating geometric parameters based on power and speed. However, existing methods often lack integration of structural and rotordynamics viewpoints with key performance aspects for marine applications, such as process, generator topology, and effects of ship motion. This study addresses these gaps using a high-pressure shaft system from a gas turbine on a marine vessel, highlighting the design compromises and interactions between dynamics and other areas of design.