Are you an engineer looking to spec out a military-grade project that requires a naval power supply? Demanding environmental conditions encountered at sea, like temperature changes, salinity, and water movement, place a number of limitations on a power supply. Maritime electronics must be ruggedized to supply steady and dependable power despite these harsh circumstances.
Naval military-grade power supplies must meet the requirements outlined in MIL-STD-1399 to be reliable enough for use at sea. These military standards set a mandatory framework for shipboard equipment that utilizes AC electric power systems and must be used in designing and testing to ensure seaworthiness. In this article, we’ll dive more into the strict specifications for naval power supplies and learn about how to select the best option for your needs.
Naval power supplies convert a military vessel’s power sources into the appropriate current format and voltage. Depending on their function, they may increase or decrease voltage, convert alternating current (AC) to direct current (DC), or regulate the power to smooth output voltage.
Power supplies can be used above or below deck on a ship and may be sheltered or unsheltered. Unsheltered power supplies have more exposure to the elements. Some examples of maritime systems that require dependable power are:
In addition to the list above, shipboard power supplies are valuable for any other ship system(s) that require clean power and/or a different voltage other than the standard voltages available on the ship.
It’s no secret that military power supplies need to perform under pressure in varying natural and man-made conditions. Those used at sea are no different. To meet the power need demands of tough shipboard and submarine applications, power solutions must meet certain military standards such as MIL-STD-1399 for input voltage characteristics.
The MIL-STD-1399 standard specifies general provisions with interface requirements pertaining to frequency, voltage, waveform, and emergency constraints. It also defines test requirements and requires shipboard power supplies undergo various compliance tests, like grounding, power factor, harmonic content, and frequency tolerance, to verify that they meet interface requirements. In addition, MIL-STD-1399 requires that manufacturers submit a deviation request during the early development phase of nontraditional power solutions for special applications.
Other military standards such as MIL-STD-461 for EMI, MIL-STD-810 for shock and vibration, MIL-DTL-901 for high impact shock, MIL-DTL-917 for electric power equipment for shipboard, and MIL-STD-167 for mechanical vibration also need to be met for reliable power at sea. Power supplies designed to meet these strict standards provide the most dependability.
Choosing a military-grade naval power supply comes with benefits. Being held to the highest standards, they’re designed, built, and tested to perform. Here are some of the benefits of naval military power solutions:
Shipboard power supplies have to keep the sailors safe, especially with water around. Grounding, isolation, short circuit protection, and human body ground current requirements and testing meet this purpose and help to keep those aboard protected.
Built to provide conditioned power, naval power supplies prevent voltage surges and EMI from reaching critical and sensitive electronic equipment.
Power supplies for naval applications can be mounted in any orientation and most locations, such as the mast of the ship, on the deck, or upside-down on the ceiling.
Military power supplies are ruggedized and built to withstand regular usage in tough environments. Made from high-quality materials, including aluminum chassis and conformally coated circuit boards, these power supplies are designed, built, and tested for durability, so you can rely on them to perform over and over again.
Military operations require high-performing, dependable power supplies. When considering a power solution, you need to think about your specific application needs.
When investing in shipboard power supplies, consider these factors:
At Advanced Conversion Technology (ACT), we serve our country by providing ruggedized power supplies that are mission-ready. Our decades of field-proven work, streamlined processes, and in-house expertise and capabilities to design, manufacture, and test power solutions for the defense industry, make us the perfect power partner.
Known for our expert solutions and quick reaction readiness, we understand the need for precision-engineered power supplies that meet the unique requirements of the naval industry and your schedule. We offer ruggedized and reliable AC-DC MIL-COTS and DC-DC MIL-COTS power supplies for off-the-shelf needs, custom power solutions, and build-to-print services.
All of our power supplies are proudly designed, made, and tested under one roof in our vertically integrated facility in the United States. At ACT, our power supplies are designed to meet all required military standards. We’re seriously committed to safety and quality assurances and have our quality system certified to AS9100D and ISO9001:2015. Whether you require a power supply that’s off the shelf or one that’s custom, we’re at the ready to partner with you in building a power solution you can depend on. Contact us today!
