CFPs: European Defence Fund – Naval Hybrid Propulsion and Power Systems

Scope

• Proposals must develop a joint digital simulation environment using the knowledge gained from the civilian sector and several commercial national and EU research programmes. In addition, the proposal must develop a methodology to utilise various dislocated test facilities across Europa to evaluate the component behaviour (subsystems/components de-risking) and improve its system integration and control with a specific focus on military performance criteria such as autonomy at sea, survivability and minimal noise, infrared, electromagnetic and radar-cross-section signatures.

Objectives

• This approach allows to more rapidly pull-through commercially developed technology to military application for the following specific naval challenges:
  • DC electrical power systems can be applied to reduce the number of conversion stages in electrical systems with increasing amounts of variable speed drives and high-power DC sensor and weapon systems. The growing need for electrical power requires a technological effort to increase the working voltage for DC shipboard grids. Moreover, novel DC power systems can increase the power system resilience by the application of fast acting power electronic based or hybrid switches and novel fault protection strategies.
  • A modular, scalable hybrid propulsion and power system can enable the integration of diverse power sources such as dual fuel engines, gas turbines, fuel cells and batteries.
  • For low and medium speed engine, technology is available for diesel methanol dual-fuel combustion engines. However, for power dense and silent high-speed engines dual-fuel combustion engines still need to be developed, tested, and integrated, with a specific focus on establishing the optimal operating point for efficiency, signatures, and its response to dynamic loads.
  • While fuel cells are introduced in special maritime applications, like submarines or Autonomous Unmanned Vehicle demonstrators, the harsh dynamic loading, necessary reformer and shock requirements of surface vessels require specific design and integration changes for military applications and test and demonstration in an integrated hybrid power system.
  • The integration of batteries can provide an energy source to provide power to highly dynamic loads, provide a back-up power source for power source failures and achieve a very silent low speed purely battery-electric operation.
  • The integration of both low-flash-point fuels and energy dense battery systems requires specific integrated safety solutions to prevent fires and limit the impact of potential incidents, with a specific focus on military application.

Funding Information

• The estimated available call budget is EUR 40,000,000.
• Maximum amount: EUR 20,000,000.

Eligible Activities

• Activities that aim to create, underpin and improve knowledge, products and technologies, including disruptive technologies, which can achieve significant effects in the area of defence
• Activities that aim to increase interoperability and resilience, including secured production and exchange of data, to master critical defence technologies, to strengthen the security of supply or to enable the effective exploitation of results for defence products and technologies
• Studies, such as feasibility studies to explore the feasibility of new or upgraded products, technologies, processes, services and solutions
• Design of a defence product, tangible or intangible component or technology as well as the definition of the technical specifications on which such a design has been developed, including any partial test for risk reduction in an industrial or representative environment
• System prototyping of a defence product, tangible or intangible component or technology
• Testing of a defence product, tangible or intangible component or technology
• Qualification11 of a defence product, tangible or intangible component or technology
• Certification of a defence product, tangible or intangible component or technology
• Development of technologies or assets increasing efficiency across the life cycle of defence products and technologies.

Eligibility Criteria

• In order to be eligible, all applicants (beneficiaries and affiliated entities) must cumulatively:
  • be legal entities (public or private bodies)
  • be established in one of the eligible countries, i.e.:
    • EU Member States (including overseas countries and territories (OCTs))
    • non-EU countries:
      • EEA countries (‘EDF associated countries’)
  • have their executive management structure established in eligible countries
  • not be subject to control by a non-associated third country or non-associated third-country entity.

For more information, visit European Commission.