Scientists from the Institute of Ocean Engineering and Shipbuilding (IOiO) of the Gdańsk University of Technology, together with partners from Belgium and Germany, are working on innovative solutions for ultra-large container ships. The aim of the research is to increase the propulsion efficiency of vessels and to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
Ultra-large container ships have the highest individual carbon footprint but on the other hand, they benefit from the economy of scale and transport a huge amount of goods around the world. The aim of the project is to minimize their fuel consumption, improve their manoeuvrability and increase the safety of navigation by introducing three innovative solutions: a configuration with two propellers, azimuth thrusters and counter-rotating propellers.
Conventional marine propellers have low efficiency. Most solutions waste around 40% of energy in axial losses, vortex generation, noise production, cavitation, etc. The recovery of such losses will contribute to greater, rational and environmentally friendly use of energy.
Hanna Pruszko from IOiO explains that the idea of her project is to develop a hybrid system from a classic drive system. Instead of just the conventional propeller on the shaft, there will be two propellers behind them and each will turn in the opposite direction to the propeller on the shaft. Each of these individual solutions is characterized by greater drive efficiency. She wants to check whether it achieves an increase in driving efficiency by applying the three solutions together.
The tests will be carried out using advanced numerical CFD methods and in a modern towing pool. The manoeuvring tests will be carried out using large manned models on a natural lake.
The project consortium includes the Gdańsk University of Technology, Seatech Engineering Ltd (Poland), Hamburgische Schiffbau-Versuchsanstalt GmbH, Center of Marine Technologies and Piening Propeller (Germany), and BRABO (Belgium). The leader of the project is the Polish Foundation for Shipping Safety and Environmental Protection. The works will last until 2023.
Arkadiusz Słomczyński