ABSTRACT
The increased environmental concerns of the society that lead to the introduction of strict measures for improving the energy efficiency of shipping revived the interest to the use of renewable energy resources. The paper analyzes the feasibility and efficiency of three wind-assisted ship propulsion systems (WASP): soft sails, Dynarig sails and Fletner rotors. A mathematical model of the powering performance of a ship with WASP under varying wind conditions has been developed. The model incorporates model test results, approximate empirical formulae and results of CFD simulations. The algorithm implementing the mathematical model has been applied to a ferryboat design based on an existing ship as a test case. Real weather data across the Black Sea have been used in the simulation. Three different types of WASP have been designed for the ship – traditional soft sails, Dynarig sails and Flettner rotors. The power savings and fuel oil consumption are estimated and compared for the studied WASP.
