A Vigo company has managed to improve longliner vessel energy efficiency by 25%
The firm works in vessel design improvement and uses I.T. simulation tools. VICUS Desarrollos Tecnológicos (VICUSdt) states that it has achieved positive results in a project it is participating, to find energy savings in surface longlining vessels. According to the company, audits carried out in 27 vessels, in collaboration with Baliño SA in the BAIP 2020 programme for Multi-use Intelligent Automation Vessels, have confirmed an energy efficiency improvement of 25%. In the light of these "promising results" it is predicted that by the end of the project, improvement percentages could be at between 35% and 40%, through the use of combined technologies.
The company said that the project was being tackled from two angles. First are design improvements to the vessel's bottom (that part of the ship's hull located below the water line) that try to optimize hydrodynamic behaviour in order to reduce the towing power needed.
Secondly, there is an attempt to improve interaction between the vessel's hull and the propeller in order to increase propulsion performance - the vessel's biggest energy consumer.
Experimentation
For hydrodynamic improvement the team leaders have used computer simulation tools.
Furthermore, they have also had collaboration from the El Pardo (CEHIPAR) Hydrodynamic Experiments Tank in Madrid, where experiments have been carried out using basic hull models and some others generated by the project.
"The possibilities for applying new technologies are infinite and, in this case, they are helping us to increase not only profitability but also the sustainability of a strategic sector namely fishing", said Adrián Sarasquete, manager of the company.
VICUSdt assures that it will continue with the technological developments of this innovative initiative, which it expects will culminate some time this year. (Source; FARO DE VIGO)
The company said that the project was being tackled from two angles. First are design improvements to the vessel's bottom (that part of the ship's hull located below the water line) that try to optimize hydrodynamic behaviour in order to reduce the towing power needed.
Secondly, there is an attempt to improve interaction between the vessel's hull and the propeller in order to increase propulsion performance - the vessel's biggest energy consumer.
Experimentation
For hydrodynamic improvement the team leaders have used computer simulation tools.
Furthermore, they have also had collaboration from the El Pardo (CEHIPAR) Hydrodynamic Experiments Tank in Madrid, where experiments have been carried out using basic hull models and some others generated by the project.
"The possibilities for applying new technologies are infinite and, in this case, they are helping us to increase not only profitability but also the sustainability of a strategic sector namely fishing", said Adrián Sarasquete, manager of the company.
VICUSdt assures that it will continue with the technological developments of this innovative initiative, which it expects will culminate some time this year. (Source; FARO DE VIGO)