Assessing Linear Control Strategies for Zero-Speed Fin Roll Damping

TL;DR

This paper evaluates a linear control approach for zero-speed fin stabilizers on ships, demonstrating its effectiveness through high-fidelity simulations and considering nonlinear drag and actuator constraints.

Contribution

It introduces a simple linear control architecture tailored for zero-speed fins, accounting for nonlinearities and actuator limits, with validation via high-fidelity vessel simulations.

Findings

The control method effectively stabilizes the vessel at zero speed.

Simulation results show improved damping performance.

The approach handles nonlinear drag forces and actuator limitations.

Abstract

Roll stabilization is a critical aspect of ship motion control, particularly for vessels operating in low-speed or zero-speed conditions, where traditional hydrodynamic fins lose their effectiveness. In this paper, we consider a roll damping system, developed by Navis JSC, based on two actively controlled zero-speed fins. Unlike conventional fin stabilizers, zero-speed fins employ a drag-based mechanism and active oscillations to generate stabilizing forces even when the vessel is stationary. We propose a simple linear control architecture that, however, accounts for nonlinear drag forces and actuator limitations. Simulation results on a high-fidelity vessel model used for HIL testing demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed approach.