ABSTRACT

A lot of interest has been stirred up with powering a boat with an electric motor in the
last couple of years. Why would a boat owner choose to have an electric boat? It has a lot of
advantages of electric boat such as cheaper than gasoline fueled boat, environmental friendly
and etc. The consolidation of propulsion power on electric boats results in lower fuel
consumption, less maintenance, and overall a more pleasant experience for the boat owner.

In our design, we choose to design a boat for touring. Therefore, the specifications of
our boat must be suitable for smooth wave condition. The number of passenger available for
this boat is 14 people. Here, we use 2 brushless DC motor, with output power of 4 hp each, 48
Volt and with speed of 10-12 km/h. For the source of the motor, we decided to use 10 pieces of
Deep Cycle AGM Battery 220AH 6V DC and Xantrex Truecharge2 Battery Chargers as its charger.
Also, the controller for the boat is the 4-Channel Interleaved DC-DC Buck Converter.
INTRODUCTION

While most boats on the water today are powered by diesel engines, and sail power and
gasoline engines, it is perfectly feasible to power boats by electricity too. Electric boats were
very popular from the 1880s until the 1920s, when the internal combustion engine took
dominance. Since the energy crises of the 1970s, interest in this quiet and potentially
renewable marine energy source has been increasing steadily again, for the first time making
possible motorboats with an infinite range like sailboats.

The main components of the drive system of any electrically powered boat are similar in all
cases, and similar to the options available for any electric vehicle;

 Electric motor
o A wide variety of electric motor technologies are in use. Today many boats use
lightweight permanent magnet DC motors. Some boats use AC motors or
permanent magnet brushless motors. The advantages of these are the lack of
commutators which can wear out or fail and the often lower currents allowing
thinner cables.
 Speed controller
o To make the boat usable and maneuverable, a simple-to-operate forward or stop
or backwards speed controller is needed. This must be efficient; it must not get
hot and waste energy at any speed and it must be able to stand the full current
that could conceivably flow under any full-load condition.
 Battery
o There have been significant technical advances in battery technology in recent
years, and more are to be expected in the future. The one that designed in our
assignment was Valve-regulated lead-acid (VRLA) batteries, usually known as
sealed lead-acid, gel, or AGM batteries, minimize the risk of spillage, and gases
are only vented when the batteries are overcharged. These batteries require
minimal maintenance, as they cannot and usually do not need to be refilled with
water.
  Charger
o Electric energy has to be obtained for the battery bank from some source.

Why buy an electric boat? Electric boat actually has a lot of advantages. One of them is
because of the low maintenance. The electric drive system itself is very low maintenance,
especially when compared to a gasoline fueled boat. The electric motor’s bearings and brushes
should be replaced on average once every four to five years, the same for the underwater shaft
bearing. These are very simple tasks for any marine mechanic. As far as the woodwork, the real
concern here is keeping the boat clean and out of direct sunlight as much as possible.

Another advantage is it has higher durability. The varnish used on electric boats has
better durability than conventional varnish. Still, any clear finish won’t last as long as a painted
finish when left exposed to the sun for prolonged periods. On average one should expect to
recoat the varnish work every four to six years.

Other advantages are they are environmentally friendly because this technology can
decrease pollution. Exhaust fumes, the smell of fuel, noise and vibration pollution are all
decreased or eliminated. It is also extremely economical to operate since we do not need to use
fuel. Ideal for no wake or limited speed controlled zones; they are well suited for both fresh
water lakes and saltwater harbors.

Therefore, for this subject, we were asked by the lecturer to design an electric boat,
with capacity of 14 passengers, using permanent magnet drives and control system. Further
information about the boat is written throughout this report.
SPECIFICATION OF THE ELECTRIC MOTOR AND THE BOAT

Specification

LOA 7.70 m

Width 2.20 m

Depth 1.10 m

Full Load draft 0.65 m

Passenger Capasity 14 Passengers 1 Crew

Tare Weight 1000 kg

Power 8 HP(2 x 4 HP)

Voltage 48 V

Speed 10-12 km/h

Cruise duration per charge 10 hours

Navigation Area Lakes, Parks, Reservoir

Electric Motor 6 kW

Controller 4-Channel Interleaved DC-DC Buck Converter

Apparatus

Chairs 15 seats

Fire Extingguisher 1

Life Vest 15

Life Buoy 1

Stainless steel shaft Stainless steel rudder

Battery(Maintenance free) 10 Pcs 6V 220AH

PLAN VIEW OF THE BOAT

ELECTRIC MOTOR

In our design, we use a permanent magnet brushless DC motor. This motor have pulsed
DC fed to the stator field windings to create a rotating magnetic field and a permanent magnet
rotor. It depends on electronic drive systems which produce rotating magnetic fields to pull the
rotors around.

Figure 1 : Brushless DC Motor

No current is supplied to, nor induced, in the rotors which are constructed from
permanent magnets and which are dragged around by the rotating field. With no currents in
the rotors these machines have no rotor I 2R losses. Without the mechanical commutator and
rotor windings, permanent magnet brushless DC motor have low rotor inertia allowing much
higher speeds to be achieved and with the elimination of this high current mechanical switch,
the source of sparking and RFI is also eliminated. Since all the heat generating circuits are in the
stator, heat dissipation is easier to control and higher currents and motor powers can also be
achieved.

Permanent magnet brushless DC motor has large starting torque because it is designed
with NdFeB magnet. NdFeB is considered one of the best PM materials presently since it offers
much higher residual flux density and coercive force. It develop maximum torque when
stationary and have linearly decreasing torque with increasing speed as shown in Figure 2.

Figure 2 : Torque vs speed characteristic

This motor has high efficiency and more efficient at converting electricity into
mechanical power than brushed DC motors. This is due to the absence of electrical and friction
losses due to brushes. This motor are microprocessor-controlled to keep the stator current in
phase with the permanent magnets of the rotor, requiring less current for the same effect and
therefore resulting in greater efficiency.

Besides of the good efficiency this motor provide longer lifetime (no brush and
commutator erosion), reliability, reduced noise, and overall reduction of electromagnetic
interference (EMI).With no windings on the rotor, they are not subjected to centrifugal forces,
and because the windings are supported by the housing, they can be cooled by conduction,
requiring no airflow inside the motor for cooling. This in turn means that the motor's internals
can be entirely enclosed and protected from dirt or other foreign matter.

The power factor of this motor close to 1 and the reactive power loss is low. This motor
is small in size, light in weight and particularly suitable for electric vehicles to reduce weight and
save battery power.

CONTROLLER

For controller design, we decided to use an interleaved 4-channel DC-DC converter. It

was designed and constructed which has the ability to control high currents. The efficiency of
the interleaved converter of the application is about 95 %, so it is a good solution for driving
low voltage and high current dc motors. This types of electric motors are used in electric
transportation applications such as electrical motorboat. A basic structure of the converter
which is constituted by 4 parallel channels shown in Figure 3.

Figure 3 : The basic structure of the four channel interleaved buck DC-DC converter
The disadvantage of the typical buck converter is its discontinuous pulsating input
current waveform. This pulsating input current of the converter is harmful for the batteries.
Therefore, to obtain a continuous input current a LC filter in the input of the converter is
necessary. In the output there is a capacitor which filters the AC component of the output
current. In the application, on account of practical and safety reasons we were led to the choice
of a low voltage permanent magnet DC brushless motor. This is resulting to a high value of
current to get the nominal power of 1.5 kW. The converter has been designed and constructed
for 2 kW (Vout=25 V, Iout=80 A), it is 0.5 kW more than the nominal power of the propulsion
motor.

Each channel consists of one IGBT, one freewheeling power diode and one inductor. The
4 parallel channels have a number of important properties. The total current is shared in each
of the four channels. Due to this sharing the total conduction losses (I2*RON) of the
semiconductor devices decrease depending on the number of the channels. Equation 1 shows
the relationship for the conduction losses between the number of channel interleaved and the
1-channel typical step-down converter (buck). In this application by using four channels we
have four times less conduction losses comparing to the typical 1-channel buck converter.

Equations 1:
 PCOND.LOSS.BUCK = I2TOTALRON ................................................................... (1)
 PCOND.LOSS.INTER. = N(I2CHANNELRON) = N(ITOTAL/N)2RON ............................. (2)
 PCOND.LOSS.INTER. = I2TOTALRON/N = PCOND.LOSS.BUCK/N ................................ (3)
 PLOSS.IGBT = PCOND.LOSS. + PSW.LOSS. = 26W + 2W = 28W .......................... (4)

Where :
RON : power semiconductor ON resistance
PCOND.LOSS.BUCK : the conduction losses in the typical buck converter
PCOND.LOSS.INTER : the conduction losses in the N - channel interleaved converter
PLOSS.IGBT : the total losses for an IGBT
PCOND.LOSS : the conduction losses for an IGBT
PSW.LOSS : the switching losses for an IGBT
N : number of channels
 The main drawback of adding more channels is that the switching losses would be
increase, depending again on the number of the channels. In our application, taking account
the chosen IGBTs, the switching frequency has been chosen at 20 kHz, a value that leads to
switching losses essential lower in comparison to the conduction losses. Equation 1(4) shows
the bigger possible IGBT losses in each of the four channels. The phase angle between the
channels is given by 3600 divided by the number of the channels. In this case we use four
channel, therefore the phase angle is 90 0. The total current ripple is therefore reduced in
comparison to the current of each single channel. It is obvious that parallel channels can
manage high currents.

The 4 channels are developed in two levels, with 2 channels in each level. This type of
development enables the ability to test the right operation of each channel. Also a very
important advantage of this converter, except its regular operation with 4 channels, is its ability
to work with 1, 2 or 3 channels in case of a problem. In case of a problem occur, there should
be a way to drive the boat back to the port using a part of its nominal power.

The 4-channel interleaved buck DC-DC converter and the propulsion motor have been
placed in the boat, both in waterproof boxes for their safety. The captain of the boat regulates
the armature voltage (output voltage of the interleaved converter), by adjusting the duty cycle
of the converter, to control the rpm of the DC propulsion motor.

The topology and the operation of the high efficient power converter result to a simple,
reliable and efficient electric drive system for the electric boat. The converter can be applicable
to bigger vessels applications as well, with the same topology for the electric drive system and
the propulsion system. The converter meets well the requirements of the low voltage – high
current applications.
BATTERY

A battery is an electrical storage device. Batteries do not make electricity, they store it.
As chemicals in the battery change, electrical energy is stored or released. In rechargeable
batteries this process can be repeated many times. Batteries are not 100% efficient-some
energy is lost as heat and chemical reactions when charging and discharging. If you use 1000
watts from a battery, it might take 1200 Watts or more to fully recharge it. Slower charging and
discharging rates are more efficient. A battery rated at 180 amp-hours over 6 hours might be
rated at 220 AH at the 20-hour rate and 260 AH at the 48-hour rate. Typical efficiency in a lead-
acid battery is 85-95%, in alkaline and NiCad battery it is about 65%.

Batteries are divided in two ways, by application on what they are used for and
construction on how they are built. The major applications are automotive, marine, and deep-
cycle. The major construction types are flooded (wet), gelled, and AGM (Absorbed Glass Mat).
AGM batteries are also sometimes called starved electrolyte or dry because the fiberglass
material is only 95% saturated with sulphuric acid and there is no excess liquid. Nearly all AGM
batteries are sealed valve regulated. Sealed batteries are known as maintenance free batteries.
Most valves regulated are under some pressure - 1 to 4 psi at sea level.
 Figure 4: Deep Cycle AGM Battery 220AH 6V DC

Absorbed Glass Mat Batteries do not leak, freeze and do not require any maintenance.
An AGM Battery can be stored for a long period of time without charging. To fully recharge 6V
battery, maximum voltage 7.8 Volts (regulated) is needed and also no current limit as long as
battery temperature remains below 125°F (51.7°C). Charge until current drops below 1 A. With
a full charge, the boat will operate for more than 10 hours at 5 MPH or a 50 miles range.

Therefore 10pcs of AGM batteries are used in the design of a 14 sitter electrical motor
boat. This newer type of sealed non-spillable maintenance free valve regulated battery is used.
The advantages of AGM batteries are no maintenance, sealed against fumes, hydrogen,
leakage, or non-spilling even if they are broken, and can survive most freezes. AGM batteries
are recombinant – which means the oxygen and hydrogen recombine inside the battery. These
gas use phase transfer of oxygen to the negative plates to recombine them back into water
while charging and prevent the loss of water through electrolysis. The recombining is typically
99% efficient, so almost no water is lost.

Charging voltages for most AGM batteries are the same as for a standard type battery so
there is no need for special charging adjustments or problems with incompatible chargers or
charge controls. Since the internal resistance is extremely low, there is almost no heating of the
battery even under heavy charge and discharge currents. AGM batteries have a very low self-
discharge rate (from 1% to 3% per month). So they can sit in storage for much longer periods
without charging. The plates in AGM's are tightly packed and rigidly mounted, and will
withstand shock and vibration better than any standard battery.

Due to their sealed design, AGM batteries eliminate water loss due to heat and
evaporation. Most people don't check their conventional battery's water level on a regular
basis, and as the electrolyte level in the battery goes down, sulphating begins, which will
dramatically shorten a conventional battery's life. Also the AGM battery's tight pack lead
calcium construction provides better resistance to vibration, thereby increasing its service life.

Most AGM motorcycle and power sport batteries can use the same low amp battery chargers
that conventional motorcycle batteries use. Furthermore AGM batteries are safer the
conventional wet or flooded motorcycle batteries. The AGM design incorporates special safety
valves in the battery case, which are designed to prevent pressure build up inside the battery
during periods of excess over charging.

CHARGER

The main charger needs to be carefully sized in relation to the battery bank and the time
that is allowed to charge the batteries from depleted to full. All good chargers are '3 stage',
meaning that as your battery fills up, the charging rate is adjusted to the optimum, finally going
in to top-up mode.

Chargers, particularly the smaller and lighter HF chargers, are normally carried on-
board, but if the boat always returns to the same base when charging - or one have more than
one boat that needs charging, then the charger might be better based shore-side. Mains
charger allows the boat to be charged from shore-side power when available. Shore-based
power stations are subject to much stricter environmental controls than the average marine
diesel or outboard motor. Both types will require an umbilical to the boat, and some clever
systems stop the boat from running its motor whilst it is still attached to the shore.

In any cases, a charge regulator is needed. This ensures that the batteries are charged at
the maximum rate that they safely can stand when the power is available. It also ensures that
they are not overcharged when nearing full charge and not overheated when a large charge
current becomes available.
 Charging time will depend on the batteries used and the charger. The suggested charger
size is a minimum of 10-20% of the battery capacity. If 100 Ah batteries are used, the charger
needs to be 10-20 A. The time needed to charge the battery pack will be 5-10 hours. A larger
ampere charger will be able to charge the batteries more quickly.

Offering a revolutionary technology and power to weight ratio, Xantrex technology is

said to be the benchmark for premium integrated power systems. DC Battery Chargers
providing longer battery life. Xantrex is technologically superior 3-stage charging for longer
battery life.

In addition to meeting global safety and regulatory standards, Xantrex

Truecharge2 Battery Chargers feature low electrical interference and efficient, power factor
corrected multistage charging. Truecharge2 Battery Chargers can be mounted virtually
anywhere, given their unique drip-proof design. Trouble-free installation is ensured with easy-
to-access AC and DC wiring compartments and reverse-polarity battery protection.

This charger is available in three 12-Volt models. They are versatile enough to be
used in a wide variety of conditions and locations. Auto-ranging AC input voltage capability (90 -
265 Volts AC) makes traveling abroad and handling poor-quality power a breeze. The easy-to-
read display can be augmented with an optional remote panel.

Other than that, it is also set for two and 3-stage charging. This charger is
settings for flooded, gel, AGM or lead-calcium batteries. Its features including auto-ranging
universal input voltage (90-265 Vac, 47-63 Hz) is also compatible with a generator or other low-
quality power sources. It also has power factor corrected for efficient charging.

For protection, this charger is equipped with reverse battery polarity protection,
drip-proof design, ignition protection, battery overcharging protection, DC over-voltage
protection and also over and under-temperature protection.

LIMITATION
 Some limitation also can be obtained from electric boat. One of them is that the
weight of the boat really influences the specification of the electric motor. For example, if we
have to add more batteries, the speed of the boat will decrease and therefore slower the boat.