Electric drives for maritime applications

A universal inverter developed by Bosch Rexroth has been approved for use in ships and offshore equipment by two international maritime classification organisations.

This will significantly reduce the engineering overheads for maritime plant suppliers. The IndraDrive ML universal inverter underwent comprehensive testing by both Det Norske Veritas Germanischer Lloyd (DNV GL) and the American Bureau of Shipping (ABS).

These two organisations set the global technical standards for all components and assemblies used in ship-building and offshore applications. The tests examined the reliability of the IndraDrive ML at various temperatures, levels of humidity and vibrations, as well as its electromagnetic compatibility and environmental impact.

Following these, Bosch Rexroth’s modular design system was declared “type approved”. The IndraDrive ML electric drive series covers a power range from 110KW to 4 MW, and can be used as both a power supply and a motor inverter, which makes it simple to handle, with reduced storage costs. Its capability to support a power supply from 380V to 690V, as well as its extensive drive capacity, means the series can cover many, if not all, application scenarios within the maritime sector.

Steve Smith, Northern Regional Sales Manager at Bosch Rexroth, said: “It’s great to see our modular drive systems receiving international recognition from two important industry bodies such as the DNV GL and ABS. Not only does this demonstrate the validity of our products, it also reduces cost overheads for marine plant suppliers, because design engineers can use the drives without needing to meet further compliance criteria.”