The wind is a precious resource with great potential for energy production and propulsion provided the right systems are in place and the right expertise is at hand. To do just that, a competence centre for wing system and wind tunnel verification was set up in Schleswig-Holstein, Germany. The centre offers services rarely available elsewhere and works in tandem with the maritime industry.
- 07 December 2009
Our flow investigation services proved to be an outstanding example of working technology transfer. It helped the local sailmakers, yachtdesigners, boat and shipyards to stay competitive, while allowing the university to carry out R&D programmes in cooperation with industry to improve the level of science and technology in the field of fluid dynamics.
The technological achievements of the project so far include what is known as a twist flow wind tunnel. This is being used to test sailing yachts and other wind-driven systems, particularly wind turbines for renewable energy. Thanks to the centre, technological know-how is being transferred to support the local maritime industry.
Wind-driven industry
The goal of the project was twofold: to set up a competence centre (CCTS) to serve as a contact point for industry which would address any technical or scientific difficulties, and to develop aerodynamic research and optimise wind-driven systems.
Until recently, little was known about how wind-driven systems could be optimised in the light of the phenomenon of ‘twist flow’ or ‘shear flow’. Now, however, the process is raising considerable interest in the maritime industry.
The new twist flow wind tunnel which is easily adaptable - not only to boats and sails of varying sizes but also to wind turbines and aircraft - shows that even variations as small as one millimeter can have a significant impact on the speed of a boat.
Optimising sails
Since the wind tunnel began operations in March 2006, several local sail makers have used the tunnel to optimise their sails. The Kiel Yacht Research Unit which has been heavily involved in the project has succeeded in obtaining two research cooperation projects with large international sail sport campaigns, demonstrating the competitiveness of the venture.
Small businesses are also benefiting from the technology which is helping them to design better sails and thereby boost their sales. They are able to improve their sail sets and offer regatta sailors and ambitious sportsmen a promising alternative.
Another development placing the research unit at the forefront of science and engineering in this particular field is the ‘Fluid Structure Interaction Method’ for analysing sails which makes use of experimental as well as simulation techniques.
The project which has been successful in transferring the results of academic research into industrial application for local industry has been supported by the regional government and by the University of Applied Sciences in Kiel.