On the Vessel Energy Requirement Prediction From the Acceleration Stage Towing Experiments on Models

TL;DR

This paper proposes a method to predict a ship's energy needs by analyzing acceleration stage towing tests on models, extending Froude's scaling to include added mass effects for better full-scale predictions.

Contribution

It generalizes Froude's scaling procedure to incorporate acceleration data and added mass effects, improving energy requirement predictions from model tests.

Findings

Provides a theoretical framework for scaling acceleration data

Incorporates added mass into energy prediction models

Enhances accuracy of full-scale energy estimates

Abstract

One of the most crucial tasks for naval architects is computing the energy required to meet the ship's operational needs. When predicting a ship's energy requirements, a series of resistance tests on a scaled model vessel is carried out in the constant speed stage. Another important component is the ship's hydrodynamic added mass, which should also be considered when performing the seakeeping analysis. The second law of dynamics states that all this information, that is, the hull resistance dependence on the vessel's speed and the added mass, is accessible from just one acceleration stage towing test done up to the maximal speed. Therefore, this work aims to generalize Froude's scaling procedure from the model to full-scale vessels for accelerated motion.