Successful testing campaign for the PropVelBa project!

A unique research project focusing on wind propulsion

Under the supervision of Bertrand Malas and implemented by Louis Jouenne, both members of the ocean engineering tank team at LHÉEA (Centrale Nantes, CNRS), the PropVelBa (PROPulsion VELique en BAssin) project aims to study the feasibility of designing a new testing method: a wind propulsion emulator. Unlike conventional testing methods, which require large wind tunnels to simulate wind, this device applies numerically calculated aerodynamic forces directly to a model.

A fully instrumented model and a real-time emulation system

The model tested corresponds to a bulk carrier hull, the SOBC-1, developed by SINTEF Ocean (Norway). It was reproduced and built by the tank team at a scale of 1/65: at 3 m long, it corresponds to a 200 m full-size ship.

It is equipped with a rudder, but the propulsion is entirely simulated: with sails and propeller recreated by numerical calculations. The model combines several technologies to reproduce the real behaviour of a bulk carrier equipped with Flettner rotors:

• A motion capture system (comprising 12 infrared cameras placed around the tank and spherical markers attached to the model) accurately measures its position and movements in real time – a system similar to that used for special effects in cinema or video games. The data is sent to the model's on-board computer;
• Six miniature motors (three steering motors and three propulsion motors equipped with drone propellers) reproduce the calculated aerodynamic and hydrodynamic forces;
• An on-board computer takes into account the chosen sail configuration and wind conditions and receives information on position and movement. The computer calculates the sail forces and their point of application in real time and applies them to the top of the masts in the correct direction using the motors. The forces are then measured for verification.

 

Two weeks of intensive testing

The first test campaign took place in September 2025 in the hydrodynamics and ocean engineering tank (BHGO) at the LHEEA Laboratory. Its objective was to validate the concept and test the capabilities of the first version of the system. The experiments focused on:
 

• Simple, standardised manoeuvres (turning, changing course, emergency manoeuvres);
• Comparing repeated scenarios with variations in software parameters, such as assessing the influence of the position and type of propulsion system on manoeuvrability.

It was a proof-of-concept campaign. The objective was not to obtain scientific results, but to demonstrate the technical viability of the device, - Bertrand Malas, research engineer at LHEEA and PropVelBa project leader.
 

Encouraging results

This first version, based on Flettner rotors simulated via drone propellers, confirmed the feasibility of the system. The researchers were able to reproduce realistic navigation scenarios and observe consistent behaviour of the model in the tank. The current simulation models are simple, but can be gradually improved

A follow-up already underway: the SoftWasp thesis

Building on the success of this first stage, the project will continue in early November with a thesis by Louis Jouenne, as part of the NExT SOFTWASP (SOFTware for Wind Assisted Ship Propulsion) project. Over three years, it will aim in particular to add a real propeller, refine the models, integrate new configurations (rigid sails, kites) and test the impact of sail propulsion on manoeuvring safety.

Two further test campaigns are planned during the course of this thesis.

Learn more (in French)