Government Services

Marine Power Systems

Ensuring the resilience, reliability, and security of shipboard electric power.

SEL provides electric power protection, monitoring, and control solutions that ensure the resilience, reliability, and security of mission-critical marine electric power systems.

Our experienced engineering teams will work closely with you to design, build, and commission electric power systems that are fit for the demanding applications and harsh environmental conditions of marine facilities and naval vessels.

System Design and Analysis

SEL engineers design and implement protection and automated power management solutions that make even the most complex systems manageable and meet the most demanding standards for reliability, resiliency, cybersecurity, and ease of operation.

These systems provide real-time visibility and control, facilitating the coordination of multiple switchboards and generation sources to protect equipment and ensure continuous power to propulsion and other mission-critical  systems.

If a fault occurs at Generator 1, electronic relays trip to protect mission-critical equipment and notify the master control within milliseconds. The system operator or master control system can then route power from Switchboard 2 to restore power to Switchboard 1.

Design and Requirements Analysis

We use advanced modeling and simulation, informed by decades of power engineering experience, to analyze system requirements, validate full system designs, and optimize the performance of the power system through the devices that protect and control it.

Switchboard and Control Systems

SEL products are designed from the ground up for performance, cybersecurity, and ease of use—helping to ensure that switchboard and control systems are secure, reliable, and easy for personnel to operate.

Ethernet security gateways provide a secure network perimeter and remote engineering access to protective relays. Our DoDIN-approved software-defined networking (SDN) switches improve network performance and cybersecurity. And the data processing and native HMI in our hardened Real-Time Automation Controllers (RTACs) provide operators with total system visibility and control.

Testing, Modeling, and Validation

We use advanced hardware-in-the-loop (HIL) control system testing to verify that protection and control functions meet or exceed all specifications and perform exactly as designed.

With the actual protection and control hardware that will be installed in your system wired into our Real-Time Digital Simulator (RTDS) test bed, we use our extensive library of validated software models to test the system’s response to thousands of faults and adverse scenarios—including events that would be too disastrous to test in the field.

This provides data equivalent to years of operational history in only a few days.

Consult with us in the early planning stages for help with electric plant specifications.

 

 

Product Customization and Qualification

SEL Government Services has more than 20 years of experience developing qualified products for naval applications.

We customize SEL commercial products—which meet or exceed electric power industry standards—and qualify them to MIL-STD requirements where those are more stringent.

Because they share the framework of commercial products that already lead the industry in quality and reliability, customized SEL devices retain the original factory warranty and come with full technical support.

Replacing Legacy Equipment

We replace your legacy equipment with military-grade electronics that deliver increased functionality and are lighter, more versatile, and easier to use.

SEL solutions are flexible and scalable, allowing you to build on existing platforms as you implement more advanced protection, control, and metering systems. Our solutions are interoperable with relays from any manufacturer and compatible with generators, transformers, and switchgear from virtually all major manufacturers.

In addition, SEL electronic relays have been observed to have an unavailability time due to failures and repairs that is 10 times lower than electromechanical relays.

We train both engineers and on-ship personnel in maintaining and operating our protection and control systems—and we stand behind our products and systems with a factory warranty and complete technical support.

SEL Testing and Research Capabilities

We harness SEL R&D and testing capabilities to help you achieve your objectives.

System Modeling and Factory Acceptance Testing

SEL Government Services has access to the most comprehensive library of validated system models in the electric power industry.

DoDIN Certified Cybersecure Networking

SEL’s software-defined networking (SDN) solution for operational technology (OT) systems is the only one on the DoDIN APL that offers true deny-by-default cybersecurity.

Protection for Mission-Critical Assets

We customize ultra-reliable SEL commercial products to meet both MIL-STD and project-based requirements. SEL devices—including the protective relays featured below—are currently supporting electric power systems in the U.S. Navy LHA, LHD, DDG, CVN, SBX, and TAGM-25.

Our manufacturing processes comply with the IPC-A-610 Class 3 workmanship standard for products requiring high reliability, such as those used in life-support and aerospace systems. We maintain an on-site testing laboratory certified by the American Association for Laboratory Accreditation (A2LA) to the ISO/IEC 17025 standard.

SEL networking and communications products are designed for the demands of operational technology (OT) systems and meet the same reliability standards as our protective relays.

SEL Software-Defined Networking (SDN)

Designed specifically for operational technology (OT) networking applications such as switchboard communications, the deny-by-default architecture of OT SDN improves cybersecurity, network performance, and situational awareness.

SEL software defined networking (SDN) switches are listed in the DoDIN APL. 

SEL-3622 Security Gateway

The SEL-3622 enhances cybersecurity by providing a secure network perimeter and secure engineering access to devices in the control system. SEL Government Services customizes this robust commercial product to meet your requirements.

  • Secure, authenticated, managed engineering access to devices inside the network perimeter
  • Deny-by-default firewall
  • Robust security logging
  • Anti-tampering alerts for physical intrusion and cable connection changes
Learn more 

SEL-700G Generator Protection Relay

A complete generator protection and synchronization solution with flexible I/O, advanced communication capabilities, and a variety of mounting options.

  • Current differential protection
  • Breaker wear monitoring
  • Overexcitation protection
  • Shore-power synchronization
  • Metering and reporting functions
  • Load shedding
  • Stator and rotor protection
Learn more 

SEL-849 Motor Management Relay

Comprehensive motor protection: short-circuit, load loss, load jam, frequent starting, imbalanced current, and phase reversal protection as well as an advanced thermal model.

  • Built-in arc-flash detection and mitigation capability.
  • Can be configured to protect feeder circuits.
  • Metering and monitoring functions for system awareness and rapid diagnostics.
  • Can be installed inside a motor control center (MCC) and connected to external HMI.
  • Ready for integration into supervisory or coordinated protection and control systems.
Learn more 

Proven Reliability and Lifetime Support

Every solution we provide comes with the most reliable devices in the electric power industry and complete technical support for SEL-manufactured products.

It’s been this way at SEL since the company was founded nearly 40 years ago—a major reason why we’re North America’s most trusted provider of protective relays.

Lifetime Product Support

Technical support and repair/replacement services are available for the entire life of every SEL product.

We also train engineers and on-ship personnel in maintaining and operating our protection and control systems.

Security Bulletins and Updates

We notify product owners of updates and security patches for the full life of the product. Software and firmware updates are distributed directly to our customers via secure file transfer, and their authenticity and integrity are verifiable through digital signatures and cryptographic hashes.

Proven Reliability

SEL electronic devices are designed for a working life of at least 20 years.

Our products are designed to withstand the world’s most challenging environments, exceeding all commercial standards for temperature, shock, and electric stress. An optional conformal coating gives electronic components extra protection against corrosion and contamination in marine environments and extreme conditions.

The mean time between returns for repair (MTBR) for SEL devices is more than 350 years.* This number includes unscheduled removals and unavailability for any reason—not only for a defect, but also for misuse, overcurrent, overvoltage, and external factors such as fire, water damage, or chemical corrosion.

By way of comparison, a reliability study based on 25 years of operational data shows that the unavailability time of SEL electronic relays due to failures and repairs is at least 10 times lower than electromechanical relays.

*This MTBR metric was calculated in April 2023.

SEL Factory Warranty

More About Our Product Reliability Calculations

The Industry’s Best Warranty

SEL products come with complete technical support and a ten-year factory warranty—the best in the electric power industry.

This warranty extends not only to factory standard devices, but also to all devices customized by SEL Government Services.

If a product fails under warranty, repair and replacement are free. We always do all that we can to repair any returned product, whether it meets our warranty or not.

Supply Chain Security

SEL manufacturing, research, and business facilities are protected by layered cybersecurity defenses and stringent physical security measures.

The information security, quality, safety, and environmental management systems that underpin SEL research, development, manufacturing, and corporate environments are each certified to internationally recognized standards by the British Standards Institution (BSI).

We practice secure supply chain management and comply with all applicable supply chain and cybersecurity standards, including meeting DFAR supply chain security and risk management clauses.

Our electronic devices are made in America, in facilities we own and operate. Printed circuit boards (PCBs) are sourced exclusively from American manufacturers. Source code is continually monitored for new threats; customers receive notifications of updates and security patches for the full life of the product.

Supply Chain Security

See how we ensure the reliability, availability, and cybersecurity of products and components.

SEL Factory Warranty

Our factory warranty—the best in the industry—applies to all devices customized by SEL Government Services.

Reliability of Electronic Relays

Read our technical paper assessing the long-term reliability of microprocessor-based digital protective relays.

Contact SEL Government Services

Our team of dedicated experts is ready to answer your questions and connect you with the resources you need.