Periodic Reporting for period 1 - GREEN WHS (NATURE FRIENDLY WATER HYDRAULIC STEERING SYSTEM)
Reporting period: 2019-10-01 to 2020-03-31
Our team developed a feasibility study on the implementation of a Nature friendly water hydraulic steering system for vessels, mainly sail boats (Green WHS). Green WHS has the potential to be a new, sustainable and environmentally friendly solution for steering systems in vessels and to provide many environmental and economic benefits.
Our objective was, after conducting research on the different types of possible solutions to the problem of currently complicated and fragile mechanical steering systems, to focus our study on the construction of Hydraulic steering/operating system. Such systems are currently used in a wide range of motor-operated vessels, whereas for sailing boats such steering systems are not available on the market. The greatest challenge of all existing hydraulic steering systems is environmental - hydraulic oil leakage. Namely, 1 drop of hydraulic oil damages 150 l of drinking water and the cleaning of 1000kg of polluted soil costs around 2.000€.
Our team concluded, that the only viable solution in developing a breakthrough steering solution is using a hydraulic system with an environmentally friendly medium. With the Green WHS steering system hydraulic oil leakage is impossible, since the hydraulic medium in our case is water. A vast majority of the sailing boats currently sailing the world’s seas are being steered with a complex mechanical steering system. A great disadvantage is in the complexity of the currently standard built-in mechanical steering systems with steel-wiring, intertwined with chains and transfers that is hidden in the boat’s hull that connect the steering wheel and the rudder, that require a lot of compromises in design and placement of the solutions, which are at the same time very fragile and prone to malfunctions. Green WHS addresses all those problems and at the same time also addresses the environmental issue of ‘dumpster marinas’, where old abandoned sailing boats decompose and burden water ecosystems many years; only in Spain the communities are dealing with more than 10.000 such vessels (https://bit.ly/2MiypXb(opens in new window)).
There are no currently known hydraulic steering system solutions for sailing boats available on the market. Currently available steering systems on the market are based on mechanic principles. We see our business opportunity in offering the market an advanced water hydraulic steering system for sailing boats that convinces the sailing boat manufacturers and buyers with its simplicity in terms of installation and maintenance requirements.
Our objective was, after conducting research on the different types of possible solutions to the problem of currently complicated and fragile mechanical steering systems, to focus our study on the construction of Hydraulic steering/operating system. Such systems are currently used in a wide range of motor-operated vessels, whereas for sailing boats such steering systems are not available on the market. The greatest challenge of all existing hydraulic steering systems is environmental - hydraulic oil leakage. Namely, 1 drop of hydraulic oil damages 150 l of drinking water and the cleaning of 1000kg of polluted soil costs around 2.000€.
Our team concluded, that the only viable solution in developing a breakthrough steering solution is using a hydraulic system with an environmentally friendly medium. With the Green WHS steering system hydraulic oil leakage is impossible, since the hydraulic medium in our case is water. A vast majority of the sailing boats currently sailing the world’s seas are being steered with a complex mechanical steering system. A great disadvantage is in the complexity of the currently standard built-in mechanical steering systems with steel-wiring, intertwined with chains and transfers that is hidden in the boat’s hull that connect the steering wheel and the rudder, that require a lot of compromises in design and placement of the solutions, which are at the same time very fragile and prone to malfunctions. Green WHS addresses all those problems and at the same time also addresses the environmental issue of ‘dumpster marinas’, where old abandoned sailing boats decompose and burden water ecosystems many years; only in Spain the communities are dealing with more than 10.000 such vessels (https://bit.ly/2MiypXb(opens in new window)).
There are no currently known hydraulic steering system solutions for sailing boats available on the market. Currently available steering systems on the market are based on mechanic principles. We see our business opportunity in offering the market an advanced water hydraulic steering system for sailing boats that convinces the sailing boat manufacturers and buyers with its simplicity in terms of installation and maintenance requirements.
The development of our product began in 2016 and included following activities: based on concrete needs of end users an idea of a water-based hydraulic steering system was developed, we studied existing relevant literature, and conceptualized the GREEN WHS hydraulic steering system (TRL1), after which we proceeded to prepare a revision of the concept, prepare technological aspects for virtual simulation and performed basic technological research of the concept (TRL 2-3). Further R&D activities included analytical and experimental validation of the concept and development of the technology and finally the first partial prototype of the GREEN WHS hydraulic steering system (TRL5). Our product is currently on TRL 5. It is being stress tested in relevant environment. Based on the results of the Feasibility Study, during which we performed vital stress testing of the functioning prototype in all of the technological risk fields with positive results (described in detail in the study), we are planning further final testing in real environment (implemented in different vessels), optimisations of the system and its implementation (in final and revised prototype form, based on the results of testing), and scaling up the production and marketing activities as described.
Compared to the existing solutions, available on the market, the GREEN WHS steering system enables same functionalities and usability as mechanical steering systems used in sailing boats, with some quite important advantages, that it can provide at the same time: it is much easier to install and cheaper and easier to maintain. The GREEN WHS hydraulic steering system is also fully compatible with components of all sailing boat manufacturers, but is much less complicated and less demanding in view of industrial design - it has no mechanical constrictions and can be installed in a much smaller space and does not require symmetrical design approaches (opening quite new and revolutionary design opportunities in sailboats, freeing up more of much needed space in such vessels). In the market it will be available as a complete steering system, including the steering wheel and rudder, or as individual components – depending on customer’s demand. The most important impact of our solution after the revolutionary industrial design opportunities is the environmental impact– all environmental threats resulting from the use of hydraulic oil/emulsions in hydraulic steering systems are eliminated, since in our case the hydraulic fluid is fully substituted by water. From the point of view of installation requirements, the most sensible situation is that the GREEN WHS hydraulic steering system is built into new sailing boats; although it is also possible to exchange the mechanic steering system with the GREEN WHS hydraulic steering system.
The sailing boat industry is a pronouncedly male-dominated industry. With the ease of installation, maintenance and use the GREEN WHS hydraulic steering system will also contribute to more female involvement in this field. According to own experience in the sales field, the ease of use and simplicity of the technology are the main influencing factors for female buyers. Additionally, we are and will also in future support and enable the inclusion of both genders in the development and sales of this innovative product. The main impacts on society can be deduced from the environmental impacts – namely, by decreasing the pollution of maritime ecosystems, facilitated by the substitution of hydraulic oil / emulsion through water and heavy metals, the maritime ecosystems will be less polluted and living conditions and life quality will substantially improve, especially with sailing becoming more and more popular and practiced in mass.
The sailing boat industry is a pronouncedly male-dominated industry. With the ease of installation, maintenance and use the GREEN WHS hydraulic steering system will also contribute to more female involvement in this field. According to own experience in the sales field, the ease of use and simplicity of the technology are the main influencing factors for female buyers. Additionally, we are and will also in future support and enable the inclusion of both genders in the development and sales of this innovative product. The main impacts on society can be deduced from the environmental impacts – namely, by decreasing the pollution of maritime ecosystems, facilitated by the substitution of hydraulic oil / emulsion through water and heavy metals, the maritime ecosystems will be less polluted and living conditions and life quality will substantially improve, especially with sailing becoming more and more popular and practiced in mass.