Rethinking naval architecture through hydrogeneration
The transition from fossil fuels to renewable energy in the maritime industry means moving beyond traditional engineering and embracing an entirely new technological approach.
This is the journey Sailing Yacht Zero has been on; one of rethinking naval architecture and energy usage.
In the presentation below from Mark Leslie-Miller, a naval architect at Dykstra, he discusses how treating energy as a scarce commodity changes how you design a yacht.
There are a range of topics he covers, from advanced energy management and solar power collection, to a highly-optimised hydrogeneration system. This latter part is a particular focus, as wind tunnel testing revealed that the sails can generate up to 1500 kilowatts of power in a fresh breeze.
To efficiently capture this energy without causing excessive drag, the vessel utilizes two thrusters capable of rotating to serve multiple roles, including propulsion, maneuvering, and energy generation.
The forward thruster is strategically placed ahead of the keel to maximize generation in accelerated water flow, while the aft thruster is optimised for propulsion. At a sailing speed of 16 knots, these propellers can generate up to 250 kilowatts.
This means one hour of hydrogeneration can provide enough power for four hours of motor-sailing.
To find out more, watch the presentation below:
