Hydrofoil Craft Hydrodynamics
Abstract
Improved battery technologies and growing environmental concerns have increased interest and investment in electrification, with passenger ferries being a promising candidate for this transition. Foiling technology has offered a solution to radically extend the range of electric vessels by reducing power requirement of the vessel. However, research and testing methods for foiling craft have lagged behind as foils operate in a very dynamic and complex environment. There is an urgent need to develop tailored test techniques for hydrofoil craft, which can result in improved design and contribute to safe and sustainable marine transportation.
In this project, we aim to develop CFD-based simulation techniques for predicting the behavior of hydrofoil craft as well as their control and propulsion system. The project also studies the scale effects on the performance of hydrofoils. Ensuring the similarity of the hydrofoil behavior between model scale and full scale, foil performance in waves and dynamic response of the foil in sudden descents are the main focus of this study.
