Korea invests in wind-assisted shipping
Wind tunnel tests were carried out in Italy using Flettner rotors, in collaboration with the Korean Research Institute of Marine Technology, to investigate the potential for wind-assisted propulsion.
Given the growing interest in WASP (Wind Assisted Ship Propulsion) technologies, the Dipartimento di Meccanica – Politecnico di Milano collaborated with KRISO (Korea Research Institute of Ships & Ocean Engineering) on a series of experiments focused on the aerodynamic performance of a Flettner rotor.
The wind tunnel tests were carried out in the low-turbulence section of the Politecnico di Milano Wind Tunnel. The aim of the campaign was to evaluate the aerodynamic forces and surface pressure distributions on the model, including through the use of flow trace visualisations.
According to Hee Jin Kang, principal investigator and director at KRISO, the test programme yielded valuable data for CFD validation and further studies into sustainable maritime propulsion technologies. KRISO intends to share the results to aid the development of the next generation of WAPS (Wind Assisted Propulsion Systems), designed to accelerate the green transition of coastal vessels.
Milestones
As project leader, he shares some recent milestones his team has achieved.
For instance, a pilot project has been launched with a 1.5 m x 9 m rotor sail, installed on a 100 kW-class electric catamaran designed and built by Vinssen, to verify its suitability for use in coastal waters. The aim is to commercialise a low-noise, low-vibration rotor sail that utilises magnetic bearing technology, with the goal of achieving a further reduction in CO₂ emissions of up to 10%.
As a technological milestone, Kang notes that the system has been patented in the United States, Japan, Norway and Korea, and has officially been awarded the New Excellent Technology (NET) certification by the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries (MOF) of Korea.
KRISO hopes that the project will help set a new standard for the environmentally friendly shipping industry.
Source: LinkedIn.
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