Optimised vessels, improved water transport
Nowadays, the design of an efficient hull form or a propulsion system of a ship vessel is a complicated task that depends on various parameters. By focusing on the related transport task, modern ship designers aim towards higher capacities and speeds without compromising the safety and cost issues. The EFFORT project focused on the extending the Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) prediction methods for the performance of the ship/propeller combination from model- to full-scale. On the basis of these extended codes, researchers ran full- and model-scale flow measurements in order to validate CFD predictions. Industrial project participants including shipyards as well as design, engineering and shipping companies have implemented the full scale CFD techniques. The prediction tool has already been employed in the design of six different ship types. In the case of inland shipping vessels, valuable information on the wakefield of these types of vessels in shallow and deepwater was obtained. On the basis of the calculated wakefield, propeller designs can be significantly optimised. The use of the extended CFD tool can significantly contribute to an improved shape of the aft ship. This innovation is expected to lead to better quality vessels displaying reduced resistance, improved propeller inflow and propulsive efficiency, as well as minimised cavitations and vibrations.
