Scientific advances and innovation

One of the key knowledge gaps preventing the development of the FARWIND technology is the technological feasibility of autonomous FARWINDERs’ fleets. The ambition of the AUTOFLEET_Y1 project is to contribute to adressing this challenge.  Thus, the objective of the AUTOFLEET_Y1 project is to develop and validate algorithms and control systems for path following for an autonomous FARWINDER and energy production optimization.

Expected technical and economic impact

The test platform which will be developed in the project will be available to academia and industry for testing new control algorithms for autonomous surface vehicles. The algorithms and control systems developed in the project will be open source.

Key project milestones

  • December, 9th, 2019 - Kick off meeting

Results

Results achieved during the first semester of the AUTOFLEET #1 project

  • Experimental characterization of the Watt&Sea hydrogenerator

Results Autofleet June 2020-Picture 1

  • Conceptual design of the rotors

Résultats Autofleet Juin 2020-Photo 2

 

Results achieved during the second and third semester of the AUTOFLEET #1 project

Development of the experimental plaform

Fabrication of the rotor tube (carbon fiber et foam sandwich)

Fabrication of the rotor tube (carbon fiber et foam sandwich)

 

Design of the rotor foundation

Design of the rotor foundation

 

Development of the control system and energy management system

Development of the control system and energy management system

 

 

Wet testing on river Erdre (april 2021)

Figure 1: Picture of the energy ship prototype developed during the AUTOFLEET_Y1 project

 

Videos of the tests :

 

The main outcome of the AUTOFLEET_Y1 project is an energy ship prototype which can be used to develop and validate control systems of such ships.

 

The prototype includes :

  • A catamaran hull (Hobie Cat Tiger, length 5.5m)
  • A 2.8m high 0.4 m diameter Flettner rotor for wind propulsion
  • A 600W Watt&Sea hydrogenator. It can be equipped with a 200 or 240 mm rotor.
  • A control system which allows the prototype to be remotely operated

 

In collaboration with FARWIND ENERGY, the platform has been tested in July 2021 on the lake of Vioreau (Loire-Atlantique, France). These experiments represents the world-first experimental proof-of-concept of an energy ship propelled by a Flettner rotor.