Wing Sails: Numerical Analysis of High-Performance Propulsion Systems for a Racing Yacht

Bartosz Kawecki, Michal Kulak () and Michal Lipian
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Bartosz Kawecki: Institute of Turbomachinery, Lodz University of Technology (IMP TUL), 217/221 Wolczanska St., 93-005 Lodz, Poland
Michal Kulak: Institute of Turbomachinery, Lodz University of Technology (IMP TUL), 217/221 Wolczanska St., 93-005 Lodz, Poland
Michal Lipian: Institute of Turbomachinery, Lodz University of Technology (IMP TUL), 217/221 Wolczanska St., 93-005 Lodz, Poland

Energies, 2024, vol. 17, issue 3, 1-16

Abstract: With the increasing popularity of yachting sports and races comes the need to develop a more advanced and efficient propulsion device. Significant improvement can be made when using a mainly lift-driven propulsion source, known as a wing sail. This idea, dating back as far as the mid-70s, is nowadays regaining interest as a propulsion system in multihull, high-performance racing vessels (for instance, the AC50 and AC72 America’s Cup yacht classes). This article documents 2D and 3D numerical analyses of wing sail systems imitating those of an AC72 racing yacht class. It depicts methods employed in two- and three-dimensional steady-state flow simulations, compares systems equipped with various geometries of mainsails, and details a comprehensive examination of the airflow around the vessel using spatial analyses. Numerical calculations were carried out using ANSYS CFX and ANSYS Fluent (with overset feature) for 2D and 3D models, respectively. All simulations were conducted under conditions similar to those acting on the real system, i.e., high Reynolds number (order of magnitude 10 6 to 10 7 ) and atmospheric boundary layer (in the 3D model).

Keywords: wing sail; aerofoil; computational fluid dynamics (CFD) (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q Q0 Q4 Q40 Q41 Q42 Q43 Q47 Q48 Q49 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2024
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