Operational considerations of kite assisted merchant ship propulsion

Abstract

One of the most promising sources of auxiliary propulsion for merchant ships is wind assisted propulsion by means of a kite to provide a force to the vessel. A dynamically flown kite can generate up to 25 times the force of a static aerofoil or kite of the same planform area. A kite attached to a relatively low mast also generates a much smaller heeling moment than a conventional sailing rig and occupies much less deck area – making it suitable as a retro-fit also. Advances in control technology allow a kite to be flown dynamically with minimal (or ideally no) crew intervention.

The intention of this study is to quantify the benefits in reduced fuel consumption and balance these against the potential safety risks in order to determine the feasibility of kiteassisted propulsion of merchant ships. The potential environmental benefits are assessed in terms of energy savings and CO2 reductions.

In order to simulate correctly the forces provided by a kite to the ship, a model of the dynamically flown kite is required. The assumptions and performance of a model of kite dynamics are presented and validated through comparison to experimental data. This model is integrated with a hydrodynamic model of the ship to determine a drift angle and consequent resistance increase together with the thrust required from the propeller in this (off design) condition. Using realistic engine performance data the power required by the propeller and fuel consumption in the ‘kite flying’ mode are determined.

This model of the integrated kite/ship/propeller/engine system is applied in a case study to a small merchant vessel. Overall fuel-savings are investigated for a trans Pacific route. A formal safety assessment is carried out to identify hazards and possible mitigation strategies to address key hazards are discussed.

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ORCID for D.A. Hudson: orcid.org/0000-0002-2012-6255

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