Wind-assisted propulsion is increasingly being considered as a solution for decarbonizing maritime transport. Mechanics researchers at ENSTA (IRDL Laboratory) are developing a set of physical models capable of evaluating and optimizing the energy performance of ships equipped with this technology. The French Maritime Academy (ENSM) will then integrate these physical models into a 3D simulator designed to train sailors, merchant navy officers and marine engineers.
Rigid sails, semi-rigid sails, kite sails and rotors are just some of the technologies being considered to propel the vessels of the future. But their development remains complex and their efficiency difficult to quantify.
The addition of sails changes the ship’s behavior by creating additional forces that interact with the hull and the propulsion chain, and its trajectory becomes more dependent on the weather conditions. This poses challenges in terms of both routing and operation.
Finding the optimal configuration
The interaction between wind-assisted propulsion systems and vessels is still poorly understood and lacks scientific evaluation. This is why ENSTA and ENSM launched the SOMOS project in January 2024, awarded the IngéBlue label and funded by the French Defense Innovation Agency (AID).
At ENSTA, Charles Dhainaut is developing physical models to simulate the complex forces and interactions between wind-assisted propulsion systems and ships. These models are integrated into innovative solver software, capable of simultaneously optimizing several aspects: the design parameters of the ship and the wind-assisted propulsion system, the control parameters (engine speed, rudder angle, propulsion system settings, etc.), as well as the route, simulated over a wide range of departure points spread over one year of operation. This results in a realistic evaluation of the ship’s performance.
A comprehensive approach that includes routing is absolutely essential: two different wind-assisted systems will not have the same effect on a given vessel. We take a highly comprehensive and modular approach to include as many parameters as possible in our optimizations, sometimes involving thousands of variables. The aim is to accurately estimate the potential fuel savings
explains Matthieu Sacher, Associate professor at ENSTA specializing in fluid-structure interactions.
The impact of the use of these future ships on the organization and safety of maritime transport will be studied by Martin Hochhausen, who will start his thesis in 2025, under the joint supervision of ENSTA and ENSM. This work will make it possible to integrate international navigation rules to prevent collisions at sea into the solver.
Training for crew
A navigation simulator developed by Florent Richard at ENSM will integrate the physical models with all their parameters (deploying sails, etc.). “This tool will be used to train crews in the use of future wind-assisted propulsion systems and to assess their operational impact,” explains Pedro Merino-Laso, head of sustainable development research at ENSM.
Fuel consumption estimates, routing algorithms and international navigation rules will be among the parameters tested using human-machine interfaces such as joysticks and touch screens.
Christophe Vanhorick will contribute his expertise in CFD modeling to optimize aero-hydrodynamic coupling, hull drift, interactions, balance and maneuverability.
Once finalized, all of the digital tools will be made available on an online platform for use by other stakeholders, such as universities and manufacturers, to encourage sharing and collaborative innovation.
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