KISS (Keep It Sustainable and Smart): A Research and Development Program for a Zero-Emission Small Crafts

This paper reviews a state-of-the-art zero emission propulsion system for a battery-powered small craft. The main aspects considered are the available propulsion systems, energy storage, and dock battery charging. This underlying activity is part of the KISS project, a research and development program in the frame of the EU-funded “Piano Operativo Regionale CALABRIA FESR-FSE 2014–2020 ASSE I–PROMOZIONEDELLA RICERCA E DELL’INNOVAZIONE”, which is aimed at designing and building a physical prototype. Its hull form is based on previous research conducted by the authors, and the powering performances were preliminarily predicted by CFD simulation. The KISS project represents a successful example of an electric small craft with performances and a mission profile comparable to competitors with conventional propulsion. Such a target has been achieved by a concurrent design that considers the hull form, engine, propulsion system, and energy storage onboard. Safety issues and the regulatory frame are also highlighted.

CONCEPT DESIGN FOR A SUEZMAX TANKER POWERED BY A 70MW SMALL MODULAR REACTOR

This paper describes a preliminary concept design study for a Suezmax tanker that is based on a conventional hull form with alternative arrangements for accommodating a 70MW Small Modular Reactor (SMR) propulsion plant. Emerging nuclear technology concepts, associated design risks and technical options available are outlined within the context of risk based ship design. It is concluded that the concept is feasible and the adoption of the technology would be compatible with the target application. However, further maturity of nuclear technology solutions and the development and harmonisation of the regulatory framework will be necessary before implementation of the ideas presented would be viable.

SUBCRITICAL WAVE WAKE UNSTEADINESS

Vessel wave wake in deep water is well understood, shallow water less so, specifically the effect of restricted water. This operational zone is highly dynamic and non-linear in nature, thus being worthy of closer examination. The paper reviews the primary mechanisms for unsteadiness in wave wake: starting acceleration and soliton generation. A comprehensive set of experiments was conducted using an NPL catamaran hull form to investigate unsteadiness in both wave height and wave angle. The results show that the unsteadiness was primarily due to soliton generation, and that blockage has a significant effect. As a result, additional metrics, aimed at defining shallow water effects in the transcritical region, are proposed.

ON THE MACRO HYDRODYNAMIC DESIGN OF HIGHLY EFFICIENT MEDIUM- SPEED CATAMARANS WITH MINIMUM RESISTANCE

A new class of fuel-efficient and environmentally friendly twin-hull vessels is currently under development. Compared to high-speed catamarans, a significant reduction in speed combined with an increase in deadweight tonnes will lead to a highly efficient medium-speed catamaran design. Recently-built conventional and high-speed ferries are compared to each other in terms of length, speed, deadweight and transport efficiency to classify the new design. The goal of this study is to find a preliminary macro design point for minimum total resistance by considering the main particulars of the catamaran vessel: block coefficient, prismatic coefficient and slenderness and separation ratios of the demihulls. Publications containing recommendations towards the optimum hull form parameters for moderate Froude numbers are reviewed and existing experimental data analysed to identify parameters for this new class of vessel. Designs with varied L/BOA-ratios and constant deck area are compared to find configurations of low total resistance for carrying a nominated deadweight at a particular speed, the associated change of the light ship weight has been taken into account. Two different model test series of catamaran models have been considered and their resistance curves agreed to each other. Recommendations are made; with the most important being the vessel should not exceed a speed of Fr = 0.35, with optimal prismatic coefficients around CP ≈ 0.5 and low transom immersion. This study presents the preliminary design of medium-speed single and twin-hull vessels for operations close to hump speed.

AN INTEGRATED SHIP RE-DESIGN/MODIFICATION STRATEGY

Herein, we present an integrated ship re-design/modification strategy that integrates the ‘Computer-Aided Design (CAD)’ and ‘Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD)’ to modify the ship hull form for better performance in resistance. We assume a modular design and the ship hull form modification focuses on the forward module (e.g. bulbous bow) and aft module (e.g. stern bulb) only. The ship hull form CAD model is implemented with NAPA*TM and CFD model is implemented with Shipflow**TM. The basic ship hull form parameters are not changed and the modifications in some of the technical parameters because of re-designed bulbous bow and stern bulb are kept at very minimum. The bulbous bow is re-designed by extending an earlier method (Sharma and Sha (2005b)) and stern bulb parameters for re-design are computed from the experience gained from literature survey. The re-designed hull form is modeled in CAD and is integrated and analyzed with Shipflow**TM. The CAD and CFD integrated model is validated and verified with the ITTC approved recommendations and guidelines. The proposed numerical methodology is implemented on the ship hull form modification of a benchmark ship, i.e. KRISO container ship (KCS). The presented results show that the modified ship hull form of KCS - with only bow and stern modifications - using the present strategy, results into resistance and propulsive improvement.

VESSEL WAVE WAKE CHARACTERISATION USING WAVELET ANALYSIS

This work focuses on characterising vessel wave wake (wash) using wavelet analysis when a vessel is operating in the sub-critical and critical zone. Such characterisation complements other wash characteristics: Froude depth number, bow wave angle, solitons and decay coefficient. The examination of experimental results indicates that differences in characteristics with respect to water depth, Froude depth number, vessel displacement, hull form and soliton generation can be identified through wavelet analysis. The results demonstrate “proof of concept” that wavelet analysis is a powerful tool for characterising vessel wash and captures the effects of key operational and vessel changes.

THE FLOODING AFTER DAMAGE OF A WARSHIP WITH COMPLEX INTERNAL COMPARTMENTS – EXPERIMENTS ON A FULLY CONSTRAINED MODEL IN CALM WATER AND REGULAR BEAM SEAS

In order to provide data to assist in developing and validating a numerical code to simulate the flooding immediately following damage scale model experiments were conducted on a fully constrained model to investigate the progressive flooding through a complex series of internal compartments within a generic destroyer type hull form. A 3.268 metre long model of a generic destroyer hull form with a simplified, typical internal arrangement was constructed to cover the configuration of greatest interest. A very rapid damage opening scenario was simulated by rupturing a taut membrane covering an opening. The model was instrumented to measure the levels of water and the air pressures in various compartments. In addition, video footage was obtained of the flooding process from both internally and externally of the model. Previous work presented by Macfarlane et al. (2010) showed the results for the unconstrained model. This paper reports on the outcomes from the experimental program where the model was fully constrained in all six degrees of freedom. Firstly, tests were conducted in calm water with damage opening extents ranging from 50% to 100%. When the damage opening was only 50% the rate of rise of water in each of the compartments was only marginally slower than for the 100% damage extent case. Secondly, the test results in calm water were compared against results from tests in regular beam seas. A ‘set-up’ of water inside each of the compartments on the 2nd Deck was found during the wave tests. The result of this is that the mean equilibrium water level in each compartment in the regular beam sea cases is noticeably higher than the equivalent calm water case, particularly for the two compartments on the port side, away from the damage. Finally, analysis of the data from further calm water and beam sea tests suggests that a similar result also occurs when the model is fixed at various non-zero heel angles.