System configured to control and power a vehicle or vessel

Abstract

A system configured to power a vehicle or vessel. The system may include an enhanced power control system. The enhanced power control system having a distributed architecture such that power conversion and/or management is provided for individual energy supplies and/or system loads. The distributed architecture of the power control system may enhance the power efficiency of the vehicle or vessel. The distributed architecture of the power control system may enable a plurality of different energy supplies and/or system loads to be incorporated into the power system in a selectable, configurable manner. This may facilitate the addition and/or subtraction of energy supplies and/or system loads from the system to customize the vehicle or vessel for a specific use and/or mission without having to reconfigure the power control system as a whole.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A system configured to generate power within an underwater vessel, the system comprising:
 a fuel cell;   a chamber that holds a liquid in proximity to the fuel cell such that during operation of the fuel cell waste heat generated by the fuel cell vaporizes the liquid;   a steam generator having one or more turbines that, when driven, cause power to be generated by the steam generator;   a first conduit that carries the vaporized liquid from the chamber to the one or more turbines such that the one or more turbines are driven by the flow of the vaporized liquid;   a cold plate that receives vaporized liquid that has passed through the one or more turbines, the cold plate having a shape that corresponds to the shape of a hull of the vessel and is in thermal communication with the hull; and   a second conduit that receives cooled liquid from the cold plate and guides the cooled liquid back into the chamber.   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein an inner surface of the hull of the vessel is substantially the same shape and size as an outer surface of the cold plate. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein an inner surface of the hull of the vessel is cylindrical and has a first radius, and wherein an outer surface of the cold plate is cylindrical and has a second radius that is substantially the same as the first radius. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising an energy storage unit that is coupled to the fuel cell and the steam generator and one or more system loads associated with the underwater vessel, the energy storage unit being configured to selectively store power generated by the fuel cell and the steam generator, and to selectively power the one or more system loads. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 4 , further comprising a power management system configured to determine whether power from the fuel cell, the steam generator, and/or the energy storage unit is used to power the one or more system loads at a given time based on one or more parameters of the fuel cell, the steam generator, and the energy storage unit, and based on one or more mission parameters. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the vessel is unmanned. 
     
     
         7 . An unmanned underwater vessel configured to conduct surveillance, the vessel comprising:
 a primary energy storage unit;   a control system;   a main hull that houses the primary energy storage unit and the control system;   a sensor module that is buoyant and generates one or more output signals conveying information about the surroundings of the sensor module, wherein the sensor is deployed from the main hull while the main hull remains submerged;   one or more solar cells disposed on the sensor module, wherein the one or more solar cells provide power to the vessel.   
     
     
         8 . The vessel of  claim 7 , wherein the power generated by the one or more solar cells is transmitted from the one or more solar cells to the primary energy storage unit. 
     
     
         9 . The vessel of  claim 7 , wherein the power generated by the one or more solar cells provide power to the sensor module. 
     
     
         10 . The vessel of  claim 7 , wherein the primary energy storage unit is configured to selectively provide power to the sensor module when the sensor module is deployed. 
     
     
         11 . The vessel of  claim 7 , wherein the one or more output signals generated by the sensor module are transmitted to the control system. 
     
     
         12 . A vessel comprising:
 a primary energy storage unit;   a control system;   a main hull that houses the primary energy storage unit and the control system;   one or more impellers that are configured for selective exposure to flows of fluid through which the vessel is moving, the selective exposure of the one or more impellers being controlled by the control system;   a generator connected to the one or more impellers that generates power if the one or more impellers are exposed to and driven by flows of fluid through which the vessel is moving; and   one or more system loads that receive power generated by the generator.   
     
     
         13 . The vessel of  claim 12 , wherein the vessel selectively exposes the one or more impellers to flows of fluid through which the vessel is moving based on one or more parameters of the operation of the vessel. 
     
     
         14 . The vessel of  claim 12 , further comprising one or more torque converters coupled to the impellers and the generators.