Marine Technology Report

Marine Technology Report Driving new technologies

Computational fluid dynamics Battery technology Polar technology Wind-powered shipping Applied Technology Group

New technologies driving modern shipping This publication looks at the technological developments which are shaping the future of shipping. Lloyd’s Register first published the Marine Technology Report in 2014, focussed on a new generation of large container ships. The report also introduced our Structural Analysis and Hydrodynamics team which works as part of Marine Technology and Engineering Services at our Global Technology Centre in Southampton.

Technical Manager Hydrodynamics: Nigel White BSc, C Eng, MRINA Lead Specialist: Zhenhong Wang PhD, MSc, MRINA

Download a copy to find out more: www.lr.org/technologyreport

Marine Technology Report Driving new technologies Placing research and development at the heart of modern shipping

An introduction by Tim Kent, Technical Director, Marine In this issue of our Marine Technology Report we focus on technological developments that are changing the face of modern shipping. We explore four crucial areas of research and development where Lloyd’s Register (LR) is highly active and is helping to lead the way in understanding technology and its application for all our industry stakeholders.

Computational fluid dynamics (CFD) is relatively new to the maritime industry, but an area that is yielding results, fast.

CFD is a vital area of expertise for LR, and we have some of the best people in the world working on a range of projects which are helping the industry deliver profit, save fuel and reduce environmental impact. We speak to Chris Craddock who leads our CFD work to find out more.

New, clean sources of propulsive energy are a real priority for shipping, and LR has been leading the way in the development of battery power in hybrid marine applications.

Our team at the Global Technology Centre in Southampton are working closely with experts at the University of Southampton and the Universities of Delft and Twente in the Netherlands to develop new applications and technologies to use battery power safely. Louise Dunsby, LR’s lead specialist, updates us on developments and we speak to the University of Southampton’s battery and super-capacitors specialist, Professor John Owen.

beginnings, and we have a long history supporting commercial activities and even exploration. Experts like LR’s Rob Hindley have been helping regulators understand what is really involved in polar ship design and we find out how our teams have been bringing ships capable of navigating the ice into class.

While merchant shipping abandoned wind more than a century ago, the technology never stopped developing in the racing yacht sector, to the extent that America’s Cup yachts can sail faster than the wind. For wind-assisted propulsion, the challenge is not solely developing new technology but adapting existing technology to merchant shipping. In order to do that, there are commercial, technical and regulatory challenges that need to be overcome. We find out more about this interesting area of renewable power.

As a class society, LR is evolving to support the future of shipping, and our Global Technology Centres in Southampton and Singapore are complemented by our capability to apply technology across our organisation.

Finally in this issue, we introduce our Applied Technology Group (ATG) in Halifax, Nova Scotia. The ATG team is working on a range of exciting projects, not just in shipping, but across offshore and land-based industries. We look at how they are helping shape innovation in explosion modelling and underwater autonomous vehicles.

With waters warming, operating ships in polar regions is of growing interest as they become increasingly navigable.

LR has been classing ships that operate in icy waters since our

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Computational fluid dynamics (CFD) is a powerful tool in helping the industry optimise ship performance and minimise fuel consumption. At LR, we are taking CFD to new levels, performing analysis at full scale and coupling it with complex genetic optimisation algorithms and sea trials data, to help our clients get the very best performance from their vessels.

Image: Ice modelling A CFDcaption plot showing write here flow of brash ice blocks around a double ended ferry, propelled with azimuthing propellers

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For further information, contact: tid@lr.org

Section 1

Computational fluid dynamics (CFD) ■ ■

Innovating at full scale Computational fluid dynamics in action

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Innovating at full scale Moving beyond traditional ship design methods

An interview with Chris Craddock, Fluid Dynamics Manager, Technical Investigations Against a backdrop of stricter environmental regulations on carbon emissions and greater uncertainty about fuel prices, shipowners are under increasing pressure to reduce costs and maximise their return on investment. It’s challenges such as these which catalyse innovation, and with the help of computational fluid dynamics (CFD), LR is working alongside the maritime industry to test innovative ideas and ensure the continued evolution of global shipping. We spoke to Chris Craddock, Fluid Dynamics Manager in our Technical Investigations Department, to find out more about how CFD is being used by LR to maximise performance.

A mainstay of the aerospace and automotive industries, CFD is increasingly being used in the maritime industry.

Chris says: “CFD can be thought of as a virtual towing tank which uses a very large networked computer to solve the complex equations associated with fluid flows around the ship. Ultimately the aim is to use this technology to design vessels with as low resistance as possible and to minimise the powering requirement to achieve maximum fuel efficiency.”

The full-scale difference At LR, we perform CFD at full scale – simulating the full-scale size of the ship. This eliminates the scaling issues associated with model testing (where designers use a scaleddown model of a ship in a towing tank) and enables us to look at innovative designs and ‘squeeze out’ the best performance.

Chris explains: “With towing tank testing, the model scale has to be ‘corrected up’ to full-scale. This is done using historical empirical data. This has traditionally worked well for making small changes to stock designs. But with innovative designs where there is no historical data, inaccuracies with scaling will occur. Full-scale CFD gets around this problem”. Increasing ship size is also an issue that full-scale CFD overcomes. With model testing, the bigger the ship, the more it has to be scaled down, and the bigger the corrections need to be. Take for example the development of ultra large container ships with

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lengths up to 400 metres (m) – the equivalent height of four Big Bens. Traditional towing tanks require small scales to fit these giants into their facilities.

Survival of the fittest Alongside full-scale CFD, the LR team uses an optimisation algorithm to arrive at the best performing design (see page 6). This uses a baseline design to generate a population of further designs that all have similar features to the original, but are crucially different in some way. Chris and the LR team then use CFD to assess the performance of each of these designs based on chosen criteria – resistance and powering requirements – and the optimisation algorithm continues to ‘breed’ or ‘genetically evolve’ the best designs with additional modifications until the optimal design is identified. “This optimisation algorithm, combined with CFD enables the team at LR to assess thousands of designs within a matter of weeks in a way that wouldn’t be practical with traditional model testing. This is the same approach used by leading Formula 1 teams where the competition is fierce and efficiency key.“ Data validation It’s important to note that Chris and the LR team don’t just rely on the computer when it comes to assessing the performance of new designs. “LR is in the enviable position of having strong relationships with a large and growing number of shipowners globally and is able to obtain large quantities of in-service performance data to validate the full-scale CFD simulations. This data underpins the CFD process, which reassures shipowners that the modelling is representative of full-scale tests. Before an innovative design is implemented, the team also carries out simulations at model scale and tests a model in a towing tank to give additional assurance that the CFD process has yielded accurate results.”

Full-scale CFD for energy-saving devices LR is currently using full-scale CFD analysis to develop and assess a range of energy-saving devices (ESDs) for ships.

Chris Craddock Fluid Dynamics Manager, Technical Investigations Chris joined LR at the end of 2014 as Fluid Dynamics Manager in our Technical Investigations Department. Chris has overall responsibility for services involving application of fluid dynamics technology, including computational fluid dynamics (CFD) and field measurements. Chris started his career in 2000 as a consultant at WBM, an Australian consultancy, where he established a CFD group providing services to the energy sector. From 2005, Chris headed up CFD at BMT Fluid Mechanics in the UK, and was promoted to

Executive Director in 2008. Chris was responsible for the company’s consulting activities predominantly in the fields of oil and gas, marine, building physics, environment, defence and power. Chris has a BE in Mechanical Engineering and a PhD in Aerospace Engineering from the University of Queensland. Chris was awarded a postdoctoral appointment at Caltech, USA.

Chris explains that there is a wide range of energy-saving devices on the market which aim to improve the efficiency of the propulsor, reduce resistance and reduce the occurrence of cavitation leading to erosion. Examples are devices located upstream of the propeller that improve the efficiency of the propeller by increasing the uniformity of the flow to the propeller and/or introducing swirl into the flow – a similar principle to that used in jet engines. Other devices are designed to exploit gains to be had behind the propeller, such as rudder bulbs and twisted rudders, which can reduce resistance and also reduce the risk of damaging cavitation.

Chris says: “it is challenging to assess and optimise the performance of these devices in a towing tank because it is not possible to accurately model the impact of slow moving flow, known as the boundary layer, which exists along the surface of the ships. Full-scale CFD modelling allows the LR team to optimise the design of these devices more effectively because the thickness of the boundary layer can be accurately calculated.” In practice this means that LR is working to support designers developing these innovative products, while maintaining its reputation as a sound source of guidance on new technology – “CFD modelling helps designers establish the evidence base to support their ideas and this resulting independent verification means that shipowners have confidence before investing in expensive energy-saving technology”.

Designing vessels for extreme environments The LR team are also supporting the development of innovative technology to enable safer operations in polar regions, which have become navigable due to increasing sea temperatures. While such routes save time and energy in shipping cargo between trading partners in the Atlantic and Pacific, vessels need propulsion systems that can cope with ice. Chris and the LR team are supporting the design of vessels that have sufficient power to navigate ice floes, and hulls and propellers which are strong enough to cope with the added risk of impact of ice.

Watch Chris Craddock’s interview at: www.lr.org/technologyreport

The LR team are working on a range of other developments such as full-scale acoustic signatures for cavitation detection and an innovative air lubrication system – find out more about these innovations on pages 6 and 7.

For Chris, the scope of CFD in pushing the boundaries of modern shipping is huge. “In the relatively short period of time that the maritime industry has been benefiting from CFD, great strides have been achieved. As CFD becomes more commonplace the potential for innovation is immense.”

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Computational fluid dynamics in action

LR’s genetic optimisation algorithm ‘breeds’ generations of designs to arrive at the optimal design

Generation 1

Generation 2

Generation 3

Generation 4

Generation 5

Generation 6

Generation 7

Generation 8

Generation 9

Generation 10

Optimal

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Genetic optimisation algorithms – survival of the fittest LR uses an optimisation algorithm that mimics natural selection. We start out with an initial ‘generation’ of designs with a wide variety of shapes – for example big bow, low bow, high bow, pointy bow. CFD analysis tells us which are good designs, and the genetic algorithm ‘breeds’ a new generation of design using the favourable traits of the initial generation – the image below shows a design that results in minimum propulsion power. The analysis and breeding continues until the optimal ‘super generation’ is achieved that meets the design goals.

The initial design of the bulbous bow and the final optimised bow design achieved through genetic optimisation Initial design

Optimised design

Reducing resistance through bow design CFD allows LR to optimise a design by analysing hundreds of design variants at full-scale – a process that isn’t possible in a conventional towing tank. The images above show the results of a full-scale bow optimisation for a container ship – the hull surface is coloured by friction: red high, blue low. LR’s CFD results provide visualisations of the flow characteristics which gives us a deeper understanding of marine flows.

The optimisation resulted in an overall reduction in powering requirement at full scale of 2% above the yard’s baseline design. Crucially, this reduction is achieved across the weighted operating profile of the ship. Where the operating profile significantly changes throughout the operating life of a ship, the as-built optimised bulb may become detrimental to performance. In this case, the same optimisation design process can be used to design a new bulb that can be retrofitted to the hull. LR has carried out numerous bulbous bow retrofit projects and seen reductions in powering requirements of up to 5% for container ships, justifying the investment.

Advanced fluid structure interaction – ice modelling LR has been working on future ice-interaction modelling techniques, with the latest being the use of the discrete element method (DEM) within CFD to simulate ice floes.

CFD coupled with DEM can already be used to evaluate the ice clearing capability of hull forms in the design stage and has the potential to determine hull resistance and loading on the propeller. The image below shows the flow of brash ice blocks around a double ended ferry, propelled with azimuthing propellers.

A CFD plot showing flow of brash ice blocks around a double ended ferry, propelled with azimuthing propellers

Making the case for investment in energy-saving devices CFD analysis is a vital tool in assessing the effectiveness of energy-saving devices (ESDs). CFD analysis of ESDs at full scale allows us to quantify the potential fuel saving across an entire operational profile, which can be used to justify the investment and calculate return on investment. The image below right shows a full-scale CFD analysis of an ESD applied to a bulk carrier – a twisted rudder with bulb. The bulb significantly reduces the vorticity in the propeller hub area and the twisted rudder reduces the drag on the rudder in the wash of the propeller, leading to powering requirement reductions of up to 2%. The use of the twisted rudder not only reduces drag but also reduces the propensity for cavitation compared to a conventional rudder. CFD at full scale is a crucial tool in assessing cavitation risk which can be a problem for ESDs that operate in the wake flow.

A twisted rudder and bulb applied to a bulk carrier, reducing pressure loss in the hub area and the risk of cavitation

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Advances in battery technology and energy management capability have rightly seen increasing interest in battery and hybrid power in the maritime industry.

LR is involved in a wide range of projects which aim to make batteries efficient, stable and commercially viable.

Our work in the lab, and increasingly on the water, is helping shipowners save fuel and increase efficiency, while reducing emissions. Battery installations also give significant reductions in noise and vibration compared to traditional fuel-based power systems. LR is excited to be playing a part in developing battery technology for a future generation of hybrid or potentiallly even single source vessels.

Image: Ice modelling Svitzer Dugong, one of four new, first-of-a-kind, write caption here hybrid tugs. See page 15

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For further information, contact: bernard.twomey@lr.org

Section 2

Battery technology ■

Batteries included Ensuring battery safety ■ Pioneering hybrid technology ■

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Batteries included Taking a non-prescriptive approach to managing risk

An interview with Louise Dunsby, Lead Electrotechnical Specialist, Marine Technical Policy Group The development of battery and hybrid technology is helping the maritime industry overcome the challenges of emission regulations and shipowners’ desire to maximise efficiency. But battery technology is also helping shipowners address more stringent emissions regulations, with recent technological developments leading to an increasingly efficient alternative to traditional power sources. We spoke to Louise Dunsby, our Lead Electrotechnical Specialist in the Marine Technical Policy Group at LR’s Global Technology Centre in Southampton, to find out more about developing battery technology, and LR’s work to effectively mitigate the risks of large-scale battery installations.

We’re all used to using small batteries in our daily lives, but when used in shipping there are numerous additional technical challenges to consider – first and foremost the size of battery installations required to power even small vessels.

Louise explains: “the batteries used in shipping are big enough to fill a large compartment, because ultimately the physical size of a battery directly relates to the power it can produce”.

Unlike quickly switching a couple of AA batteries to power your TV remote, the batteries on ships are too big to change in and out so research and development is focussed on secondary or ‘rechargeable’ batteries.

Batteries of this size use a variety of chemical processes, the two most common being lead-acid and lithium-ion. Both have been tried and tested over many years, are robust, low cost, maintenance free and are considered safe with minimal risk of overheating.

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Lithium-ion batteries are favoured for their energy density, with lead-acid being too large for propelling a vessel requiring a significant electrical load. Louise says: “there’s plenty of research into other chemistries, such as lithium-oxygen and aluminium-graphite, and theoretically it’s possible to make much more power dense cells”. Practically speaking however, such new technologies need to be developed further to make them efficient, stable and commercially viable.

Batteries are currently being used in shipping as an auxiliary or short term power source. “For most vessels we still need conventional power sources to complement batteries, because they simply don’t last long enough – like electric cars, travel is limited because the batteries require charging after relatively short distances. For long journeys, the conventional power source would be used for propulsion and to charge the batteries, and the hybrid system would allow the batteries to take over at a particular time, for example in coastal areas. Or the system might be fully hybrid with a dynamic power management system which selects the most efficient combination of power sources at any one time.”

So what are the risks? The key challenge in developing new battery technology is that time-efficient charging capability is linked to the rate at which a battery selfdischarges – the quicker a cell can be charged, the more

Guidance on large battery installations Our experience with large battery installations is captured in a new LR guidance note.

The guidance describes the key hazards to consider when installing battery technology, and gives an overview of our non-prescriptive approach to approval. The guidance also covers battery chemistry and industry standards.

Download your copy at: www.lr.org/technologyreport

Louise Dunsby Lead Electrotechnical Specialist, Marine Technical Policy Group Louise is the Lead Electrotechnical Specialist in the Marine Technical Policy Group at our Global Technology Centre in Southampton. Louise has been with LR for four years and before moving to Southampton worked in plan approval and spent two years conducting field surveys from her previous base in our Rotterdam office. Before joining LR, Louise was an engineering officer in the Royal Fleet Auxiliary (RFA), serving on an ammunition carrier. Louise has an MSc in Marine Engineering (Electrical), studying at University College London.

likely it is to discharge independently, creating heat, which is a potential fire risk. We explore this particular challenge in more detail in conversation with Professor John Owen of the University of Southampton on page 12. Louise is positive, however: “in theory, any technology can be de-risked to an acceptable level provided a sound approach is used to identify and mitigate hazards. The most important thing is that ship designers and builders identify the specific risks as early as possible in the design of a vessel that will use a large battery – mitigating hazards early is much more efficient than reacting to them later.”

LR has produced guidance on large battery installations aimed at facilitating a risk-based approach to battery use.

This guidance starts at the beginning of a battery system’s life cycle when the cells are being manufactured, and goes on to consider how an installation affects or is affected by a vessel’s power system, placement on board, ventilation, fire-fighting, electrical protection and maintenance. The guidance aims to help LR’s clients consider the hazards associated with large battery installations but is not specific to a particular cell chemistry – “we aim to help our clients establish a process for approving these installations which will remain relevant regardless of the way battery technology evolves”.

LR has been working with a range of organisations to develop and help apply battery technology. “We’re lucky to have our Global Technology Centre on the University of Southampton’s Boldrewood campus. That means we have direct access to the expertise in their electrochemistry and energy technology group.” Louise and the LR team also work with the UK’s Ministry of Defence and the Universities of Delft and Twente in the Netherlands. These collaborations have enabled LR to bring many hybrid ships into class, and Louise and the LR team work closely with battery manufacturers to help them install safe systems. There are plenty more hybrid vessels which are due to come into class in the near future.

Louise is excited about developments in battery technology: “as soon as the world starts to take an interest in a technology, lots of interesting research starts happening, and if this research achieves a power dense energy source, then the scope is revolutionary – industry could be completely changed and the impact on the maritime sector could be immense”.

Louise is proud that LR is working towards this revolutionary goal – “LR is poised and ready to play our part in these exciting developments”. The future will include batteries, and LR will be part of it.

Watch Louise Dunsby’s interview at: www.lr.org/technologyreport

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Ensuring battery safety Professor John Owen teaches electrochemistry at the University of Southampton. His research focuses on batteries and super-capacitors.

Professor John Owen spoke to Nick Brown about his research on batteries and super-capacitors Collaboration with leading academics at the University of Southampton is one of the key developments opened up

by LR’s new Global Technology Centre in Southampton. We recently talked to Professor John Owen, a leading scientist in the field of batteries and super-capacitors, to find out about the status and safety of battery technology and its evolution.

Professor John Owen’s book-lined office may be small, but it provides a big, broad view of Southampton and the Solent.

“I have a good view of the ships coming up Southampton Water”, he says and this is appropriate with his connection to the maritime industry and the potential applications for his pioneering work.

The lithium-ion battery is the most commonly used battery technology in industry and aviation, and with increased interest from the maritime industry is also the most suitable for shipping. John says: “generally, safety in lithium-ion batteries has increased dramatically. And it’s had to. There are billions of lithium-ion units in service and a single safety incident is the exception, and noted. So, the catastrophic failure rate is less than one per billion units.” While research is being conducted on new battery technologies, John says that “lithium-ion is a very mature technology, and it’s inevitable that new battery technologies cannot match this record for quite a while”, but that doesn’t put John or the team at LR off their research to find an even more power-dense energy source which is safe.

Energy density and rate of charge John explains that the dual challenge in the development of battery technology is increasing energy density (reducing the size and weight of the battery while maximising the amount of energy it holds) while simultaneously increasing the rate of charge. The reciprocal rate of charge (C) is central to both parts of this challenge, because the higher the rate of charge, the higher the energy density.

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“One of the problems is that the faster you can charge a battery, the harder it is to control the rate of self-discharge.

This has safety implications. A catastrophic failure would be caused by some kind of internal short-circuit. When a battery goes wrong it’s usually the consequence of design, quality control or usage.”

So in trying to increase energy density there is a risk that safety will be compromised. This is a key topic of discussion between LR and the University of Southampton. John describes a ‘back of an envelope rule’ that gives an indication of how to calculate the heat generated by a catastrophic failure and ensure safety. “Batteries can get really hot very quickly when there is a failure. The amount of energy released by a battery that has failed could be enough to increase temperature by 2°C per watt hour (Wh), so a 500 Wh battery could reach 1,000°C – and do so in minutes, or even seconds.”

In-depth understanding of the science is crucial in helping the LR team and the University of Southampton assess the risks of new technologies before they are applied on board vessels.

A testing station at University of Southampton

Applying our systems expertise to cruise ships Battery installations are only one example of the technologies that the LR Electrotechnical team’s expertise covers. Whatever the technology, the key to any work the team does is a holistic systems approach – looking at the whole ship to see how systems connect and interact, and ultimately to assess the impact of system losses on ship safety and performance.

This holistic focus could be the key to future maritime scenarios like unmanned and switchboardless ships, where reliable systems integration and availability are key. Today, one of the ways it is being applied is to cruise ships, helping major cruise clients identify how to maintain business continuity in the event of an incident.

Examples of LR classed hybrid vessels Ship name

Ship type

Year of build

Savannah

Yacht

2015

Hybrid III

Passenger/ro-ro ship

2015

Perentie

Tug

2015

Euro

Tug

2014

Dugong

Tug

2014

Boodie

Tug

2014

RT Emotion

Tug

2014

RT Evolution

Tug

2014

Lochinvar

Passenger/ro-ro ship

2013

Hallaig

Passenger/ro-ro ship

2013

Rainbow

Yacht

2012

RT Adriaan

Tug

2010 (hybrid retrofit 2012)

Deutschland

Passenger/ro-ro ship

1997

Prinsesse Benedikte

Passenger/ro-ro ship

1997

SchleswigHolstein

Passenger/ro-ro ship

1997

Prins Richard

Passenger/ro-ro ship

1997

While safety considerations are a given for the systems on board today’s cruise ships, current system configurations mean that return to port and evacuation remain the likely response to a ‘single-point event’ such as a fire or flood. An example might be a space on board which contains several motors, all connected to the same switchboard. If this space is lost in an incident, the motors and the switchboard are lost too, and the ship is crippled.

A question of inter-dependency and dependability The aim of the work that the LR team are doing with cruise operators is to reduce the impact of a single-point event on the ship’s systems, in order to improve availability of systems and allow the ship to keep operating. This involves looking at every systems space on board the ship and asking the following questions: 1. W hat systems on board the ship will be degraded or ‘taken out’ if the space is lost? – ie. what is the degree of system inter-dependency?

2. W hat is the chance of a single-point event occurring?

– ie. what is the space dependability?

The answers to these questions help identify both the highest risk spaces and the mitigating solutions that need to be introduced to improve system availability, from increased fire suppression or re-routing of cabling, to separating equipment into discrete spaces.

In the future, the knowledge gained from this work could lead to a whole new approach to cruise ship systems configuration at the design stage.

Bernard Twomey, Global Head of Electrotechnical Systems, and Louise Dunsby, Lead Electrotechnical Specialist, assessing system inter-dependency on board a cruise ship

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Pioneering hybrid technology Svitzer Euro, one of four new LR classed ECOtugs

MV Hallaig The LR classed MV Hallaig is the first diesel electric hybrid ferry in the world. In December 2012, she was the first commercial ship launched on the River Clyde for five years at the Ferguson Shipbuilders’ shipyard in Port Glasgow. Hallaig was developed under the Low Emission Hybrid Ferries Project, a scheme funded by the Scottish Government, and is operated between Skye and Raasay by Caledonian MacBrayne.

Hallaig’s hybrid diesel electric propulsion system Hallaig is equipped with a hybrid diesel electric propulsion system comprising two 16R5 EC/90-1 Voith Schneider propellers (VSP) (providing a total power of 750 kW) and two lithium-ion batteries. The propellers are comprised of five blades each with rated power of 375 kW. The propulsion system also includes a 2X350 kW battery pack which can be charged overnight. The total weight of the system is 7,000 kg.

The hybrid passenger ferry design measures 43.5m in length and 12.2m in breadth, with a draught of 1.73m. The ferry is capable of accommodating 150 passengers, 23 cars or two 44 tonne HGVs, and three crew members, and travels at a service speed of nine knots.

The lithium-ion batteries are connected to a 400 V switchboard to power the propellers and are connected directly to a DC link without requiring either additional electronics or voltage conversions. Efforts are also being made to charge the lithium-ion batteries using wind, wave and solar systems. The hybrid propulsion system not only provides economic benefits but also reduces mechanical stress and noise. The ship is capable of docking without being firmly moored. The propellers are arranged diagonally instead of the conventional central positions at the front and aft.

This arrangement protects the propellers during docking movements.

The hybrid diesel electric propulsion system of the ship reduces CO2 emissions by up to 20% compared with the use of a diesel mechanical propulsion system. The ferry is capable of operating solely on batteries on some crossings and in port.

The LR classed MV Hallaig, the first diesel electric hybrid ferry in the world

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Key players Ferguson Shipbuilders constructed the Hallaig in collaboration with Imtech, Tec-Source and Seatech Engineering. Imtech provided the electric propulsion system and lithium-ion batteries, Tec-Source provided the electrical equipment and fittings, and Seatech Engineering designed the ferry.

The LR classed E-KOTUG, RT Adriaan, Europe’s first hybrid tug

Europe’s first hybrid tug classed by LR In 2012, a revolutionarily refitted Rotterdam-based tug became Europe’s first hybrid tug – aptly named the E-KOTUG. The 32m long vessel, which is a member of the KOTUG fleet in the Port of Rotterdam, is able to carry out its daily operations with radically reduced emissions and in some cases noiselessly, solely using battery power.

Svitzer ECOtug®: Supporting conservation Svitzer, the market leader in towage and emergency response, has raised the bar when it comes to environmental standards. With the support of LR’s technical experts, Svitzer has successfully developed and launched four new, first-oftheir-kind, ECOtugs. Built in ASL Marine’s Singapore shipyard, the 33m by 13m vessels are powered by diesel-electric hybrid engines which can achieve a maximum Bollard pull of 75 tonnes.

Named after the unique wildlife inhabiting Barrow Island, Western Australia, the Euro, Perentie, Boodie and Dugong belong to the second generation of Svitzer’s ECOtug®, designed specifically for the Gorgon Project, which is located in one of Australia’s most environmentally sensitive regions.

Each vessel is equipped with technology that reduces noise and light emissions, and unlike conventional tugs, these hybrid vessels can operate exclusively on battery power while maintaining full manoeuvrability, an innovation that will significantly reduce their carbon footprint. All four are also fitted out with double-wall fuel tanks, solar panel water heating and onboard water recycling facilities.

All four tugs will officially enter service on Barrow Island in June 2015.

The vessel, RT Adriaan, has an AKA Canada-built system that can switch propulsion between diesel and electric sources leading to 50% less harmful emissions, improved fuel economy and CO2 reduction. RT Adriaan’s hybrid technology allows its main engines to be shut down while the vessel is in transit. It can rapidly switch from hybrid mode using its electrically powered motors to conventional mode using its diesel engines. For low power operations, E-KOTUG can run on battery power alone.

LR was asked by the owner to approve the vessel and to guide the designers through the conversion process which was carried out in only a few weeks to reduce the vessel’s out-of-service time. We advised them on the shaft design, as the e-motor is smaller than the main propulsion unit, and the steering gear was changed from hydraulic to electrical. The main focus was on the integration and the owners used LR’s expertise to guide them.

Ard-Jan Kooren, CEO of KOTUG International, said: “our company is committed to hybrid technology. To be a leader for our community and to be good for the environment is a major challenge for us.”

KOTUG have subsequently continued the development of the RT Adriaan, launching the LR classed RT Evolution and RT Emotion. These new hybrid rotortugs were design by Robert Allan Ltd. and built by Damen Shipyards Group. They also use the AKA Canada-built hybrid.

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LR has been at the forefront of developments in polar shipping since the late 1970s, when the first LR classed icebreaking bulk carrier was developed and delivered.

A lot has changed since then. Today, ensuring ships are ready for operation in ice and cold is no longer just about hull strength. At LR, we work holistically with designers and shipbuilders to implement new designs and technology into ships operating in polar regions, assessing aspects from operability and propulsion, to stability and ice loads. New operational demands are driving this approach. As polar trade routes open up and environmental conditions change, designs must adapt, and operators are looking for flexibility and efficiency.

Image: Ice modelling The icebreaker writenew caption here being built for the Finnish Transport Agency. She is the first icebreaker designed with ‘podded’ propulsion units at the bow and stern. See page 20 for how LR’s podded propulsion expertise has supported the project CC image courtesy of: Liikennevirasto on Flickr

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For further information, contact: rob.hindley@lr.org

Section 3

Polar technology ■

Advances in polar technology Podded propulsion and the Finnish icebreaker ■ Strengthening ships operating in ice ■ POLARIS ■ Dynamic Air Shelters ■

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Advances in polar technology Going beyond hull strength to a holistic approach

An interview with Rob Hindley, Lead Specialist, Arctic Technology With the warming of polar waters and the opening up of new trade routes, the development of polar technology is of increasing interest to the maritime industry. Traditionally polar technology was confined to the ice class of vessels – a set of standards which determine whether a vessel’s hull and machinery are sufficiently strengthened to deal with certain levels of ice or types of ice conditions. But as interest in the polar regions has increased, polar technology has broadened beyond ice class, and now covers the whole ship including issues such as operability at low temperatures from the deck and engine side. We spoke to Rob Hindley, LR’s Lead Specialist in Arctic Technology, to find out more about developments in polar technology, operators’ desire for hybrid vessels which work in icy and open waters, stability in ice conditions, and the development of new ice class rules.

Until the early part of the 21st Century, maritime activity in the polar regions was a niche for a small number of operators, in particular those based in the Russian and Canadian Arctic.

LR has been working closely with these operators right back to the oil exploration in the Canadian Beaufort Sea in the late 1970s and early 1980s. Their fleets were built to LR class, and operational experience led to significant advances in the design and specification of icebreakers.

Now, with more interest from the industry as a whole, there is a greater need for practical support to ensure operators entering polar regions for the first time are properly equipped to deal with specific technical challenges associated with such extreme environments. Rob explains that LR is well

placed to support these designers and operators: “LR is at the forefront of working on polar projects that challenge the design community, and we’re able to share our experience and flag up the issues that need to be considered. LR’s overview is crucial in helping designers address new technological challenges and develop polar capability in new and different ways. The rules are still there but we’re ensuring they’re practical and that they evolve alongside the projects we’re involved in.”

One of the key technology demands for polar projects is energy efficiency, and ultimately that is to do with competitiveness. In comparison to their ‘open water’ counterparts, polar vessels with icebreaking capability are inefficient. Rob explains: “a traditional icebreaking bow form, designed to break ice by bending and displacing it away from the hull, has high open water resistance as well as very challenging sea-keeping performance. From a financial perspective owners want to be able to maximise their return by investing in vessels capable of operating in diverse conditions – for example using ice class ships in polar regions and in open water on a spot charter basis. Essentially they’re looking for a hybrid vessel, and from a technical perspective ships built for ice and open water are poles apart.”

Another technology demand is the need to fully understand the ice failure process and what ice loads are experienced by ships. Rob explains: “classification societies’ rules and design guides are validated with a relatively small set of data in terms of full-scale ice load measurements.

Ultimately new configurations and large vessel sizes present new technology challenges in ensuring we have sufficient

LR’s polar experience The icebreaking bulk carrier, MV Arctic.

With 30 years’ service in the Canadian Arctic, she has been a reference point for many Arctic cargo ships CC image courtesy of: Wikimedia Commons

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Mikhail Ulyanov, a super-strength icebreaking tanker, designed by Aker Arctic, capable of operating in temperatures of -40°C and ice up to 1.5m thick

Rob Hindley Lead Specialist, Arctic Technology Rob joined LR in March 2013 as Lead Specialist in Arctic Technology, a role which includes management of strategic development projects relating to new technologies for Arctic ship design and operation.

Rob also represents the International Association of Classification Societies (IACS) at the International Maritime Organization (IMO) on the development of the Polar Code. Before joining the LR team, Rob worked for Aker Arctic Technology in Finland as a Project Engineer, gaining experience of a wide range of design and consultancy

projects relating to icebreakers and ice-going ships. Before this Rob worked for LR in the UK, the Middle East and South Korea as a ship surveyor. Rob is a Chartered Engineer and holds a Master’s degree in Naval Architecture from Newcastle University.

understanding of ice loads and that appropriate safety measures are mandated. More research is needed, and we are working with industry to encourage capturing the data.”

The Finnish icebreaker currently under construction at Arctech Helsinki Shipyard, and designed by Aker Arctic, is an example where LR is supporting specific innovation projects.

It’s the first true icebreaker designed with ‘podded’ propulsion units at the bow and stern, a technological development that is becoming more common for polar vessels. “What characterises our approach is LR’s real commitment to working not only with the owners and shipyard, but also the designers and manufacturers who enable the development of new technology. LR has worked closely with ABB Marine, who’ve really pioneered the use of Azipods (an Azipod is a fixed pitch propeller mounted on a steerable pod), and we continue to support Aker Arctic who are also pushing technology bounds from the design perspective. An example is Aker Arctic’s icebreaking Trimaran development project. The basic idea is that a Trimaran breaks a wider channel than a conventional ship, and LR has been involved in evaluating the concept model testing results, and are now assessing how the rules would be applied to such a vessel.”

LR is also evolving the rules alongside development of new polar technology. Rob explains that: “experienced icebreaker designers will typically use ice class as a foundation, but will strengthen additional areas of a vessel, based on their operational experience. Traditionally anything over and above ice class was considered an ‘owner’s extra’, but LR has ice class rules which means we are involved in confirming any additions from a classification perspective, based on the ship’s

Mastera, built in 2003. Along with sister ship Tempera, they were the world’s first purpose-built vessels to use the double acting tanker concept developed by Aker Arctic, and the first newbuild tankers equipped with Azipods

operational profile in ice. LR is the only classification society to work in this way – we cooperate at a very early stage with designers at the cutting edge of developing new technology, and we use real projects as the basis of our notations. LR has applied a similar approach to updating our Stern First Ice Class (SFIC) notation.”

LR is also adapting as the industry changes, providing support wherever it is needed. Rob explains: “at one time polar vessels were pretty much exclusively built in Europe, but in recent years we’ve seen some design and increasingly construction in Asia and other areas. LR has responded with support on the ground in shipyards to deal with polar issues, and in the case of the Chinese Government sponsored Polar Research Institute Icebreaker Project, has set up a whole knowledge sharing programme with LR’s counterpart, the Chinese Classification Society.” Ultimately, Rob thinks such initiatives are good for technology development and good for the maritime industry.

Vitus Bering, an Azipod icebreaker, operating in the Sakhalin area from 2013 along with sister ship Alexey Chirikov

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Podded propulsion and the Finnish icebreaker Applying our ship-ice interaction expertise

The Finnish icebreaker currently under construction at Arctech Helsinki Shipyard has a number of firsts to its name.

It’s the first icebreaker powered by LNG, the first icebreaker designed for dedicated Baltic service since 1987, and the first true icebreaker designed with ‘podded’ propulsion units at the bow and stern.

Podded marine propulsion was first developed in Finland jointly by the shipbuilding company Masa-Yards and ABB Marine. The Azipod unit which they developed is a fixed pitch propeller mounted on a steerable pod. The electric motor is mounted inside the propulsion unit and the propeller is connected directly to the motor shaft. Azipod units place the propeller further below the stern of the ship in a clear flow of water than a traditional propeller shaft. This provides greater hydrodynamic and mechanical efficiency and allows for a more flexible arrangement of a vessel’s power arrangement.

The new icebreaker currently being built in Finland follows LR’s icebreaker (+) notation approach – both its hull and machinery are strengthened to withstand the ice anticipated from the ship’s apportions in the Baltic Sea. The designer, Aker Arctic, and owner, Liikennevirasto (the Finnish Transport Agency), developed a Scenario Document, which was approved by LR. This document details the various modes of operation that the icebreaker will experience when in service, for example the types of manoeuvre and speeds, and the ship-ice interaction scenarios associated with them. These ship-ice interaction scenarios are sufficient to define the physics of the collision between the ship and the ice.

LR has been involved with podded propulsion in ice since 2002 when the ice class tanker Tempera became the first newbuild tanker to be Azipod-equipped. Built for Baltic navigation with a single Azipod at the stern, Tempera (and her sister ship, Mastera) was designed to travel ahead in open water and light ice conditions and astern in severe ice conditions. When operating stern-first, the podded propulsion unit creates a water wash to flush the ice away from the hull and causes a pressure drop under the ice to assist in icebreaking. This enabled these ships to be optimised for heavy ice operation astern while retaining an efficient ice-strengthened bulbous bow for light ice and open water operation.

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The inspiration for this concept was the use of bow propellers (with fixed shaft lines) on icebreakers operating in the Baltic in the 1950s, the first series of icebreakers built with twin bow propellers being the Voima class, built between 1954 and 1957. The Voima class was last modernised in 1979, and designers of the new podded propulsion units were keen to further develop the idea of bow propellers, innovating to meet the needs of modern shipping. One of the key challenges they faced was determining the appropriate level for global loads on the bow podded propulsion units.

One of the podded propulsion units for the Finnish icebreaker Credit: ABB Marine

One of the podded propulsion units for the Finnish icebreaker Credit: ABB Marine

Testing ship-ice interaction scenarios LR worked closely with engineers at ABB Marine to evaluate these ship-ice interaction scenarios, or in this particular case the pod-ice interaction. This evaluation was aimed at ensuring the podded propulsion unit and its supporting structure were sufficient to withstand the associated global loads from ice colliding with the pod. LR shared learning from our work on stern first ice class ships, and ABB Marine shared the results of its full-scale measurement programme conducted on the Norilsk Nickel double acting ships operating in the Russian Arctic.

The starting point for LR was the technical background for LR’s Stern First Ice Class (SFIC) notation, which describes critical scenarios assumed for pod-ice interaction on stern first ice class ships. Due to the hull geometry for the new icebreaker, and the anticipated speeds, this scenario, and the associated global ice loads derived from the interaction (based on ice crushing over an area of the pod strut and collection of an ice ridge keel load by the propeller) required modification.

Using an understanding of ice load failure mechanisms, knowledge of the load levels for double acting ships and first principles engineering methods, LR and ABB Marine reached agreement on the load cases for the global ice loads, adapting previous methodologies to account for the scenario of a thick ice sheet interacting with the propeller hub (ice crushing) as shown in the diagram on the left.

The resulting global load cases, once agreed, were taken forward in the project for use in validating the pod structure and confirming the ship’s structural supports for the Azipod installation. As a result of these findings, we have amended our SFIC notation.

Critical scenario identified in the LR Stern First Ice Class Rules

The Aker Arctic trimaran concept - the latest application of podded propulsion technology to a novel icebreaker design Credit: AARC

Critical scenario identified for the project

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Strengthening ships operating in ice The importance of characteristic stiffness curves

A case study by Dustin Pearson, Structural Specialist, Marine and Offshore Structures The International Association of Classification Societies (IACS) Unified Requirements for Polar Ships were released in 2006, as a harmonised standard for strengthening ships operating in ice. LR has been at the forefront of applying these rules to icebreakers, and has been working collaboratively with designers to ensure new designs meet the requirements. One of the most challenging aspects to date has been evaluating the strength of the primary structure supporting the ice strengthened shell plating and framing: the IACS Unified Requirements requires direct calculation methods instead of providing formulations for the scantlings of the ship’s web frames and stringers.

LR’s Applied Technology Group (ATG) in Halifax, Nova Scotia, has evaluated existing icebreaker structural configurations in accordance with the Unified Requirements.

The operational requirements of an icebreaking or ice-classed ship may put the vessel at risk of extreme ice loads well beyond the structural design requirements. Therefore, as part of the evaluation process, it is important to understand the structural response beyond the design limit. To accurately predict the grillage section progressive collapse subject to extreme ice loading, the structural evaluations were completed using non-linear finite element analysis (NLFEA).

Aurora Australis, one of the icebreakers evaluated as part of our Applied Technology Group’s work on structural strength CC image courtesy of: Wikimedia Commons

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Many of the evaluated icebreakers were designed using different structural codes and methodologies based on their operational requirements. The different codes and standards resulted in unique grillage structures and hull shapes, specifically in the bow. As a result of the distinctive ship grillage and hull shape, the structural interaction and response of each analysed grillage section was also unique. The variations in structural response were summarised by creating a characteristic stiffness curve representative of each analysed ship grillage section. This stiffness curve may be used to establish how well the existing icebreaker design may meet the Unified Requirements and what remaining strength is available to sustain extreme ice loads. This provides LR with a benchmark set of curves based on successful service experience.

Dustin Pearson Structural Specialist, Marine and Offshore Structures

assessment of several new build ice-classed vessels from icebreakers to shuttle tankers using non-linear finite element analysis methods.

Dustin joined LR in 2008 after graduating from Dalhousie University with a degree in Civil Engineering. Dustin is a Structural Specialist in the Applied Technology Group (ATG), based in Halifax, Nova Scotia. Dustin has participated in the development of LR’s icebreaker rules and is currently managing the software development of an Icebreaker Design Tool. His involvement in icebreaker rule development included non-linear analysis of existing icebreaker grillage sections. In addition, Dustin has also supported the design

The stiffness curve of an ice-classed vessel is typically described by three regions: elastic, elastic-plastic and plastic.

The slope of these regions and how they relate to the rule pressure and effective plastic strain may characterise the performance of a specific grillage section. The stiffness curve in the graph below plots the displacement relationship with load, rule pressure, factored rule pressure and displacement at which 2.5% plastic strain is observed. By including the rule load and displacement at 2.5% plastic strain, one may determine the design efficiency. A more efficient icebreaker design may be characterised by achieving the rule load pressure in the elasticplastic region and factored rule pressure in the plastic region.

Icebreaker ABC 7

Load Patch Pressure (MPa)

6 5 4 3 2 1 0 0

10

20

Displacement (mm)

30

40

50

Load-Displacement 2.5% Plastic Strain UR Rule Load 1.5 x UR Rule Load

60

70

Applying stiffness curves Applying the stiffness curves has extended beyond evaluating the Unified Requirements to include assessing new ice-classed ship designs ready for construction. Since the stiffness curve is able to characterise the grillage section independent of the ship operational requirement, icebreakers, ice-strengthened tankers and research vessels have been assessed using characteristic stiffness curves. As the operational requirements of ships evolve and grow in scope, so too will the knowledge, experience and technology to meet these design challenges. LR is proud to be part of the application of characteristic stiffness curves for ice-classed vessels, a major evolutionary step for the maritime industry.

Web failure of a grillage section

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The ice regime used by the PC4 ship in the example at the bottom of the page

POLARIS Guiding safe passage in polar regions

The Polar Code is expected to come into force at the beginning of 2017. Aimed at promoting safety and environmental protection, it brings in mandatory requirements for ships operating in both the Arctic and Antarctic regions.

Complementing the new code is guidance on safety limitations of operating in ice, and to underpin this guidance LR has worked closely with International Association of Classification Societies (IACS) members around the world to develop POLARIS, a new tool to support assessment of risks when operating in ice. Simple to use, POLARIS will enable Masters to make informed decision about when to proceed, when to proceed cautiously with speed restriction, or when not to proceed at all.

The need for POLARIS was identified relatively late in the Polar Code drafting as elements of the Code came together.

Essentially, it recognised that different ice types pose different risks. And it recognised the many ice classes of ships operating worldwide and their varying abilities to tolerate different ice severities.

How POLARIS works POLARIS works by first assigning risk values to the ship.

These are based on three variables: firstly the ice type or operating season, secondly the ice class assigned to the ship, and finally how the ship is operating – ie. whether it is operating independently or is escorted by an icebreaker.

As these variables change, so do the risk values.

The tables below show the POLARIS process applied to a PC4 (polar class level 4) ship, independently operating in the ice regime shown in the picture at the top of the page.

There is a 40% concentration of ice free water, which has a risk value of 3 (4x3); a 40% concentration of thick first-year ice (4x1); a 10% concentration of second-year ice (1x0); and a 10% concentration of light multi-year ice (1x-1). So, for our PC4 ship, the RIO is +15; operation is permitted.

Grey Ice

Grey White Ice

Thin First Year Ice 1st Stage

Thin First Year Ice 2nd Stage

Medium First Year Ice

Medium First Year Ice 2nd

Thick First Year Ice

Second Year Ice

Light Multi Year Ice

Heavy Multi Year Ice

3

3

3

3

2

2

2

2

1

0

-1

-2

RIO = (4x3) + (4x1) + (1x0) + (1x-1) RIO = +15

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POLARIS was presented at the IMO last November and a correspondence group is currently working to refine the system before it is incorporated into an IMO guidance document. LR is continuing to support this along with other IACS members in a move to ensure that industry has the tools it needs to implement the Polar Code successfully.

New Ice

PC4

The final step combines the risk values for the ship with the ice regime to generate a risk index outcome (RIO). The RIO is specifically calculated by multiplying the percentage concentration of each ice type by the corresponding risk value for that ice type. The RIO guides the operator on how to proceed, depending on whether it is positive or negative and the degree of positivity or negativity.

Ice Free

POLARIS RIO calculation for the PC4 ship operating in the ice regime shown at the top of the page

Next, the ice regime the ship will be operating in is assessed – this is essentially the amount of ice coverage and the different types of ice. The regime is assessed in tenths to give the percentage coverage (or concentration) of each different ice type. With POLARIS, this can be done from the bridge, using the actual ice conditions ahead of the ship, or in the case of voyage planning by using ice chart data.

The provisional POLARIS decision matrix, showing that operation is permitted for the PC4 ship with a RIO of +15

RIOSHIP

Ice Class PC1-PC7

Ice Class below PC7

RIO > 0

Operation Permitted

Operation Permitted

-10 < RIO < 0

Limited Speed Operation Permitted

Operation Not Permitted

RIO < -10

Operation Not Permitted

Operation Not Permitted

Dynamic Air Shelters Protection from extreme hazards in harsh environments Safe and comfortable sheltering in extreme environments

Our work in cold climates is not just limited to shipping.

Many people work in polar regions, where effective protection and shelter from the extreme weather conditions is vitally important. Our Applied Technology Group (ATG) is working with Dynamic Air Shelters, a Canadian company specialising in weather and explosion-resistant ‘air beam’ shelters.

Temporary structures have a wide range of uses in industry and the military, providing shelter from the elements and protection from hazards such as explosions. Portable, lightweight structures are convenient, but they are vulnerable to extreme weather conditions and explosions. More robust, even armoured, structures are less vulnerable but aren’t ideal due to expense, weight and size limitations. A better solution needed to be found – a shelter that was portable but also capable of extreme protection.

The team at Dynamic Air Shelters were keen to put their air beam shelter to the test to see if was capable of withstanding explosions and resist the most extreme weather conditions, both hot and cold. The air beam shelter derives its strength from pressurised, cylindrical arches that support the outer and inner liner, but the team needed help to find out whether it would fare under typical accidental blast loading and in extreme hot and cold climates. Dynamic Air Shelters engaged LR’s ATG to help them.

Experimental testing and modelling confirmed that the air beam had a high level of resilience to blast loads. The ATG’s Chinook computational fluid dynamics (CFD) software played a key role in accurately predicting the blast and its interaction with the shelter. Full-scale tests were conducted with extremely impressive results that confirmed the ATG’s prediction of shelter behaviour. Instead of trying to resist the blast pressure wave, the flexible structure is able to absorb its energy without resulting in catastrophic damage to the structure – under blast loading, the shelter deforms but this does not result in any additional hazards to occupants.

Fluid Structure Interaction modelling was also used to develop response curves to assist designers and operators to install the shelter in the safest place regardless of potential For further information, contact: LRATG-info@lr.org

hazards. With the ATG’s help, Dynamic Air Shelters have developed a protocol which allows site managers to provide shelter to essential workers closer to job sites with explosion hazards while simultaneously providing them with superior protection.

Dynamic Air Shelters were also interested to understand the thermal characteristics of their air beam structures. With shelters deployed in extreme hot and cold climates, heating and cooling requirements are very important for day-to-day operational efficiency. The ATG had previously developed an analytical tool for estimating the thermal characteristics for Dynamic Air Shelters to help in selecting appropriate heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) equipment. The goal of this next project was to validate this tool. The project scope involved performing 2D and 3D heat transfer analysis using finite element (FE) analysis in conjunction with experimental testing to understand the thermal properties of the shelter.

Ultimately LR’s ATG were able to provide a calibrated tool to accurately determine individual shelter energy requirements dependent on the varying needs of customers.

LR’s ATG continues to work with the Dynamic Air Shelters team, supporting the development of new designs and configuration of the air beam shelter and new applications.

This includes development of shelters with a wider span capable of covering a much larger area. These are envisioned for use as coverings for public spaces such as sports arenas in remote areas subject to extreme environmental conditions.

They may also be deployed to shelter entire work sites in extreme environments such as the Arctic where heavy snowfall, high winds and extreme cold impact the ability of workers to carry out their tasks safely and efficiently.

“When the idea of a resilient, soft walled, blast resistant shelter was conceived, LR engaged with us immediately and helped us create a new product that is providing enhanced levels of safety and value to petrochemical leaders the world over. From fluid analysis, thermal estimating, testing and validation, to Enter caption here enhancement of our system in order to meet the performance caption greater and graver threats, LR has been a skilled and intelligent contributor to our company’s success.”

Harold A. Warner, Dynamic Air Shelters

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Wind-powered shipping is not a new idea – merchant shipping started life under sail power. But today’s wind power is enhanced by technology, in the form of expertly engineered installations like Flettner Rotors, towing kites, soft sails and wing-sails, which harness the wind to reduce the power used by the ship’s main propulsion system. For today’s commercial ships, adopting wind power has been largely dis-incentivised by falling bunker prices, despite its potential double digit fuel savings.

But many organisations now see additional benefits in reducing their carbon footprint and dependence on fossil fuels – benefits beyond reducing operational costs.

Despite technical and regulatory challenges that need to be addressed, wind-assisted propulsion offers a realistic option for introducing renewable power into shipping.

Image: Ice modelling LR’s Williams, writeYildiz caption here Senior Consultant, Environment and Sustainability (pictured right), with Diane Gilpin from Smart Green Shipping Alliance (SGSA). They are in the large R.J. Mitchell wind tunnel at the University of Southampton.

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The SGSA has developed a design for 100% renewable powered ships, up to 20,000 deadweight tonnes for worldwide application. A scale model has been tested in one of the wind tunnels and in one of the towing tanks in Southampton. The performance results were then validated by University College London and showed 50% less fuel is used against comparable sized, conventionally powered ships on the same route.

For further information, contact: marine-environment@lr.org

Section 4

Wind-powered shipping

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Wind-power Updated for the modern age Buckau, one of the first Flettner Rotor ships in the 1920s CC image courtesy of: Wikimedia Commons

An interview with Dimitris Argyros, Lead Consultant, Environment and Sustainability Wind power is certainly not new for shipping, but recent technological developments are seeing it being harnessed for the modern age. With the rise in renewable energy technologies, the maritime industry is getting on board and considering using wind to reduce fuel consumption and emissions. We spoke to Dimitris Argyros, LR’s Lead Consultant in Environment and Sustainability, who is working with clients looking to get the most out of wind-powered technology.

There is real scope for a wind-powered revolution in shipping. Dimitris says: “there are about 60,000 ocean-going vessels and if you think in terms of technical compatibility, there could be anywhere between 2,000 and 10,000 ships which could be suitable for some form of wind propulsion”.

But for a vessel to benefit from wind power technology it has to have available space on deck. Dimitris explains that container and passenger ships may not be suitable, but apart from that, any ship with available deck space – for example bulk carriers or tankers – are good candidates. There are other limitations, particularly the footprint of the installation in relation to the size of the ship – “the ideal size is around 10,000 deadweight or less, because if installed on bigger ships that require more power, the size of the installation becomes disproportionate to the size of the ship and creates problems entering ports and clearing bridges”.

The other significant barrier to adoption is the capital expenditure required to install wind power systems. “While the technology providers are focused on payback periods which could, in theory, be very short, shipowners right now are reluctant to make the initial significant investment which could be in the tune of millions of pounds, particularly when some technologies are still in their infancy and performance is still in question. Verification is therefore a crucial part of the process in the development of this technology. This is where LR have a crucial role to play.

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“We can start by using computational fluid dynamics (CFD) to give us a good sense of what the likely performance range is, which helps inform whether a particular design is likely to work and therefore worth pursuing. However the crucial bit is verifying the performance, at full scale in real world conditions.” Ultimately this is expensive because it means prototypes have to be built, installed and trialled over a period to measure performance. Dimitris comments that: “full-scale trials can be costly and the companies developing this technology need significant investment to get them off the ground. This is no different to any other energy-saving or innovative technology, and is vital to provide shipowners with confidence that the investment will pay itself back within their acceptable timeframes.”

From the drawing board to a full-scale trial The good news is that there is a full-scale trial already underway and others are likely to follow in due course.

Since December 2014, the Finnish company Bore has been operating a promising new technology on the LR classed ro-ro MV Estraden, measuring its performance during real-life conditions.

There are two discrete categories of systems which are currently in the spotlight, the first using modernised wingsails and the second using very large vertical cylinders, called Flettner Rotors. The system being trialled at the moment uses

A closer look at wind-powered shipping Our wind-powered shipping publication describes and considers the challenges and barriers to the adoption of windassisted propulsion.

Download your copy at: www.lr.org/windpower

Dimitris Argyros Lead Consultant, Environment and Sustainability Dimitris joined LR in 2011 and supports clients across the entire shipping supply chain with technical and operational solutions to their sustainability challenges. Before joining LR, Dimitris worked at BMT, a leading consultancy operating mainly in the maritime sector.

Dimitris has an MEng in Naval Architecture and Marine Engineering from the Technical University of Athens and an MSc in Technical Management of Ship Operations from the Universities of Glasgow and Strathclyde.

Flettner Rotors designed and manufactured by Norsepower Oy Ltd. of Finland. Developed in the 1920s, these are cylindrical structures (fixed, telescopic or collapsible), mounted on the deck and rotated using an electric motor. Flettner Rotors use the so-called Magnus effect and generate forward thrust.

What is the Magnus effect? When wind passes across a rotating cylinder a lift force is produced. This force has a linear relationship with wind speed and, unlike conventional sails or aerofoils, a true cross-wind relative to the ship will produce a useful forward thrust at any ship speed even when this is greater than the wind speed.

The results to date are looking positive – Dimitris explains that: “it’s typical you’d install more than one unit, not least because with one unit alone there may be directional stability issues, but the key question is do two units result in twice the saving? By adding more and more units do the savings remain proportionate?” These are the sort of questions that the LR team help technologists and shipowners answer.

Crucially too, it’s likely that there will be a greater focus on emissions, and policy making will be even more stringent, which can only support the case for wind propulsion.“

With so much attention on performance, safety can often be overlooked, but ultimately if a new technology cannot be Making a strong case for wind power installed safely on a ship then its performance is irrelevant.

The first category of systems, wing-sails, is also faring Dimitris explains the role LR plays: “this is not just a case of well. Dimitris explains that the technology is extremely compliance, it’s as much about safety. At LR we have the tools, advanced, with the yacht racing sector achieving up to 40 methodologies and expertise to help those developing new knots using aerofoils. “There are many in commercial shipping technologies optimise performance and safety in both normal who believe that using sails and wind propulsion is a step and emergency conditions.” backward, particularly when the maritime industry replaced sails for other fuels over 100 hundred years ago. But with time, further verification and clearer cost saving, the arguments for wind power will become even more compelling, and it’s likely that the industry will come round to the idea. The situation right now is not being helped by lower fuel prices, so the payback for investing in this sort of technology isn’t as clear cut. It does mean however that designers of wind technology are able to work under the radar, and when fuel prices increase, their case for wind power will be stronger.

A modern installation of a towing kite on board BBC SkySails Copyright: SkySails Watch Dimitris Argyros’ interview at: www.lr.org/technologyreport

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In Halifax, Nova Scotia, a team of 50 LR colleagues are applying the latest scientific thinking to some of the world’s most advanced marine, offshore and civil engineering projects. The Applied Technology Group (ATG) is pioneering the development of analysis tools to ensure reliability and optimal performance of assets, and the safety of workers and communities alike.

The majority of the team are highly trained computer scientists and engineers, and cover multiple disciplines in six key areas: public safety, survivability, life-cycle management, arctic technologies, advanced tools and emerging technologies.

Image: Ice modelling Just of the members of the ATG writesome caption here team (l-r): Yibo Li, Laura Donahue, Michael Lichodzijewski, Jim Covill, Robert Ripley, Kathleen Svendsen, John Crocker, Dustin Pearson and Tim Dunbar

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We take a look at the technology behind two areas of the team’s work – explosion dynamics and underwater autonomous vehicles. You can also read about the team’s involvement with polar technology and harsh environment projects in Section 3: Polar technology.

For further information, contact: LRATG-info@lr.org

Section 5

Applied Technology Group (ATG) ■ ■

Understanding explosions Autonomous underwater vehicles

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Blast resilience in practice: Dynamic Air Shelters

Understanding explosions Planning for resilience

An interview with Robert Ripley, Lead Technical Specialist, Explosion and Fluid Dynamics Assessing the likely impact of explosions is a key part of LR’s mandate helping ensure the safety of people and protection of assets. While simple tools are available to predict blast loads, with the help of computational fluid dynamics (CFD) the LR team is able to accurately predict the outcome of an explosion event and solve increasingly complex problems.

We spoke with Dr Robert Ripley, Lead Technical Specialist (Explosions and Fluid Dynamics) in our Applied Technology Group (ATG) based in Halifax, Nova Scotia, to find out how LR is helping our clients mitigate the risks of explosions.

Explosions are very short duration events that can result in extreme pressure and temperature conditions. When an explosive material detonates, it rapidly generates a fireball and blast wave that travels supersonically throughout the surroundings. Understanding the complexity of this process requires a combination of specialised CFD and high-quality experimental data, as Robert explains: “the timescales involved in an explosion event are fractions of a second. Our computer simulation divides the explosion process into even smaller timeframes, the results of which are compared with results from high-speed experimental instrumentation used by our clients.” The LR team realised early on that existing commercial engineering software would not be sufficient in solving the unconventional problems faced by our clients. To fill the capability gap, the ATG team set to work developing their own bespoke software, harnessing the latest developments in CFD and working alongside the world’s leading explosion experts.

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Robert describes the Chinook explosion modelling tool that his team developed: “Chinook is numerical analysis software for the prediction of explosive blast effects on buildings, vehicles, ships, and personnel, as well as the extreme flow physics associated with advanced aerospace studies. Using a CFD framework and state-of-the-art models, Chinook provides physically accurate results which have been extensively validated against high quality experimental data, primarily from our supporting partner, Defence Research and Development Canada.” The LR team is able to accurately

predict the impact of an explosion because they have developed specialised numerical techniques to model the chemical and physical processes.

In practice LR’s Chinook software is increasingly used to assess public safety issues, specifically ensuring there are adequate measures in place to deal with accidental or deliberate explosion events in public spaces. Large-scale events commonly require special security considerations, such as where to allow vehicles, which streets to block off and where to locate control points. Robert explains: “simple tools may be inappropriate when assessing the severity of a potential blast in a real city setting. They can either lead planners to be unnecessarily conservative or, in the worst case scenario, under-predict blast loads, potentially putting people and critical infrastructure at risk.” LR’s numerical modelling, on the other hand, allows planners to be far more accurate in their predictions, and knowing what could actually happen during an incident makes it possible to reinforce behaviour of security personnel in the field. “In order to give our clients the best quality information, we place their real-world scenarios into our computer simulations”.

The Chinook software has been applied to explosive blast in urban environments, which is characterised by complex shock waves and enhanced loads resulting from interaction with surrounding structures. Robert explains: “this urban effect can increase the blast loading on structures due to reverberating shock waves, blast channelling along streets and focusing in corners. More importantly, the proximity to structures and the confinement of the built environment can also increase structural loading due to fireball interaction effects. The explosive fireball typically contains fuel left over from the detonation that continues to burn, known as afterburning, which further increases the loading. This includes enhanced mixing and reaction of carbon soot, carbon monoxide, and hydrogen, for example, with oxygen in the air. These effects can only be consistently captured by firstprinciples CFD modelling.”

Robert Ripley Lead Technical Specialist, Explosion and Fluid Dynamics Robert joined LR in 2002 and is now Lead Technical Specialist (Explosion and Fluid Dynamics) in the Applied Technology Group (ATG) in Halifax, Nova Scotia. Robert has over 18 years’ academic and professional experience working in computational fluid dynamics (CFD), and before joining LR was engaged in graduate studies in mechanical engineering. Robert is a recognised expert in explosion physics and fluid dynamics having been the lead author of over 30 scientific papers including publication by the Royal Society.

He has project managed Canadian Safety and Security projects in collaboration with Defence Research and Development Canada.

Robert is programme leader of the next generation Chinook, Rapid City Planner for Extreme Events and All-Hazards modelling tools.

Robert is a Professional Engineer and a member of the American Physical Society. He has a doctorate from the University of Waterloo.

Structural response analysis Robert and the LR team are also involved in the assessment of blast threats in confined spaces, carrying out security risk assessments for scenarios including tunnels and subways. Robert explains that: “detonation of an explosive in a confined space, such as an elevated parking structure, high-rise basement, or other sub-surface facility, produces strong blast loads due to the interaction of shock waves and the fireball with the structure, and lack of venting areas such as window openings. In enclosed spaces, the late time afterburning can produce a substantial additional energy release – more than twice that of the detonation energy in the case of TNT.” Explosive threats inside structures can damage or fail floor and ceiling slabs, and may lead to progressive collapse if columns or beams are removed. CFD modelling by the ATG factors in all these variables and enables LR to provide our clients with detailed structural response analysis.

The LR team’s analysis is also relevant to safety assessments for the storage and transport of munitions and pyrotechnics for both industry and military. In particular, confined blast and explosive venting are essential for assessment and protection of naval vessels. Explosive blast assessment in ports and harbours is an emerging area in addition to city centres, especially for situations in which the blast risk may impact the neighbouring communities.

Historically, analysis of explosion events required significant expertise and computing resources, making it impractical for the public safety community to rapidly assess blast risks. In response, LR’s ATG have produced the ‘Rapid

In 1917 the ammunition ship Mont Blanc caught fire following a collision in Halifax harbour and subsequently exploded. The explosion is considered the largest pre-atomic weapon era detonation in history. Halifax was devastated. Using a geospatial map of Halifax today, the explosion source, pressure loads and subsequent damage assessments have been calculated for the explosion of 1917. The calculations were made by the Rapid City Planner CFD solver and the damage levels imposed on the city buildings as shown here are taken directly from the tool.

The harbour geography and shoreline topography are from Google Earth

City Planner for Explosive Events’ under the DRDC Canadian Safety and Security Program, which uses a fast and accurate CFD-based blast solver. The team’s goal for the next generation of tools is to help bring decades of detailed research into the hands of public safety and security practitioners.

This requires novel tools that incorporate deep understanding of the fundamental mechanisms, and innovation in the creation of optimised and easy-to-use methods to correctly model the key behaviours. Development is already underway of an ‘All Hazards Platform’ for rapid risk assessment of other industrial accidents, deliberate attacks, and natural disasters.

Halifax Harbour Explosion December 6, 1917

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Autonomous underwater vehicles Effective system integration The AUV team (l-r): Kathleen Svendsen, Michael Lichodzijewski and Tim Dunbar

An interview with Jim Covill, Team Leader, Field Services The development of autonomous technologies is an increasingly common feature of modern life. From self-driving cars to the European Space Agency’s Rosetta/Philae comet chaser, autonomous technologies are capturing mankind’s imagination: allowing us to explore unchartered territories on Earth and beyond. Autonomous vehicles (AVs) are being used by the maritime industry and significant achievements have been made in the development of autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs). We spoke to Jim Covill, a key member of LR’s Applied Technology Group (ATG) based in Halifax, Nova Scotia, to find out more about pioneering research and the application of marine AVs and AUVs. While the concept of autonomous technology is not new, traditionally its application has been focused on military uses, such as homing torpedoes and missiles and autopilot controlled aircraft. Recognising its potential to overcome logistical, economic and safety challenges, the maritime industry has been quick to develop AVs and AUVs which can be deployed in both routine settings and inhospitable environments such as icy water or at extreme depths. Jim explains: “from a cost saving perspective, a small AUV can be deployed from a vessel to undertake a harbour sonar survey, reducing the economic and manpower issues associated with the traditional approach of towing a side-scan sonar”. While the broader autonomous technologies are often presented as mass-produced products, this is generally not the case with marine AVs. “AUV orders are still custom builds, handassembled and tested with fairly long lead times, commonly in excess of six months. LR has focussed on the system integration and mission-specific aspects of AUVs because the rapid evolution of ancillary equipment has meant integration is becoming increasingly complex.”

upgrading its naval mine countermeasures capabilities while simultaneously trying to reduce the costs associated with this role. This is being achieved through research and development of state-of-the-art technologies with the aim of moving the resulting products into a front line operational role.” Through a series of contracts with the RCN’s research labs, LR began to develop a series of add-on wireless communication systems, including mission control/planning software, integration of RCN-supplied automatic shape recognition capabilities, and AUV navigation control and recovery methodologies.

The new integrated software that the LR team developed means that it is possible to create an optimised mission for controlling an AUV from a base station, including all the wireless technology protocols to transfer the mission files, first to the AUV deployment vessel and then to the AUV itself. Jim explains: “a user at the base station defines a route or region to be investigated within the planning software and then has the ability to generate AUV-specific command protocols”.

In simplest terms, our integrated software takes the rough

LR initially became involved in autonomous technologies via our support role with the Royal Canadian Navy (RCN).

“Over the last few years, the RCN has been steadily

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AUV mission planning screenshot Credit: SeeByte

Jim Covill Team Leader, Field Services

Jim is a graduate of Dalhousie University’s Maths and Computing Science Department and is a member of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers.

Jim joined LR in 1984 and is now Team Leader (Field Services) in the Applied Technology Group (ATG) in Halifax, Nova Scotia. Jim has spent over 30 years working on the numerical modelling of physical oceanography, hydrology and other weather/climate driven systems, and remote sensing of these environments. Jim’s expertise also includes warship signature management, underwater shock qualification and naval mine countermeasures.

definition of the survey region and incorporates the RCN’s decision tools to optimise the basic mission plan to maximise coverage and probability of target detection. We also added capabilities to further optimise a survey based on specific operational parameters, creating a generic mission profile which provides the AUV with specific instructions of what to do when – for example turn sonar on, dive, surface, change speed. Finally another plugin was developed which captures and transmits the real time GPS position of the deployment vessel and relays it back to the command centre.” The complete wireless network system integration was developed in house by the LR team, using regular cellular technology. It has been tested in the field and is capable of transferring the mission data from the base station to the deployment vessel, and then to the AUV, saving significant time and money.

Putting the theory to the test Real-world, underwater tests were also crucial in helping Jim and the LR team develop software to accurately predict the impact of environmental factors on the deployment of AUVs. Jim explains: “in a dry lab, underwater navigation simulation often appears as a series of mathematically pure algorithms whereby the AUV seamlessly moves from waypoint to waypoint. Of course, in the real ocean environment, currents, wind and wave-driven events mean deployment and navigation becomes instantly more complicated and more problematic. AUVs are unable to access GPS while at dive depths, which causes further navigation error and potentially jeopardises the effective completion of a mission.”

LR has developed new software to more accurately predict and alter AUV behaviour, thereby increasing the success rate of planned missions. “One of these adaptations allows us to actively monitor how accurately an AUV is executing its mission. Where an AUV isn’t able to navigate to a waypoint due to vehicle physical limitations, for example the turn radius, our software will override native manoeuvring protocols to achieve the required mission goals.” Jim and the LR team have also developed software that can process sonar data in near

real time, underwater, to perform automated object (target) recognition. Jim explains: “If a shape of interest is flagged, the AUV is pulled off its original transect for a closer look at the object”.

It is clear that the use of AUVs and onboard analysis or operational capabilities are within grasp and will be mainstream within the next decade. Jim argues that one of the best ways to stay completely current in this arena is simply to be part of it, and he’s proud that he and the LR team are very much part of it. Jim sees a bright future for the LR team, because ultimately “it’s very easy to sell people you believe in”.

AUV mission planning screenshot Credit: SeeByte

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The importance of technology Understanding fluid dynamics and doing more with less J.B. Rae-Smith is Executive Director, Trading and Industrial Division, Swire Pacific and Chairman of Lloyd’s Register’s Asian Shipowners’ Committee

J.B. Rae-Smith spoke to Nick Brown, Brand and External Relations Manager, immediately after Lloyd’s Register’s April Asian Shipowners’ Committee (ASC) meeting in Singapore In a wide ranging conversation J.B. Rae-Smith covered a lot of ground and many points of reference. Discussing the challenge of pollution in China he invoked Maslow’s hierarchy of needs saying that the People’s Republic today is facing the same challenges that London eventually overcame in the 1950s and 1960s: “The Chinese are very attuned to the point about pollution – the issue is addressing the downside of impact on economic growth“.

J.B. seems totally tuned into the challenges of sustainability. The Swire Group of companies has a strong commitment to carbon neutral growth. “Historically – if you go back to the mid to late 1980s – our then Chairman, Sir John Swire, articulated the view that we are all custodians of the future and that pretty much behoves us all to act. And that’s for two reasons: benediction and performance.“ By ‘benediction’ he implies the blessing of society to be in business. As for ‘performance’, he believes in technology and its power to improve performance. “I don’t understand it when eco-ships are dismissed as nonsense. When we established our deep sea newbuilding programme, we took the lessons from the development of our offshore fleet (Swire Pacific Offshore). We were getting 20% more bollard pull with the same installed engine power compared with units built 20 years ago. Companies like Rolls Royce and Ulstein had managed this through innovation in propulsion systems, and hull design. We thought that if there were the same improvements to be made for an offshore vessel, surely we could achieve similar improvements in other vessels.“

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China Navigation (CNCo), the shipping arm of Swire’s interests clearly wanted to harness that spirit of innovation.

Modern computational fluid dynamics (CFD) is driving change and unlocking performance improvements through better design.

“When it came to development of our bulk carriers in CNCo’s Swire Bulk operation, we realised there hadn’t been much innovation for a long time. So we looked at everything. But it’s a challenge. There are so many variables and we realised that we’re not smart enough to make these calculations. When I was working on fluid mechanics at university I realised just how complex the calculations are. But now with supercomputing power, with help, we can make those calculations.“ One step Swire took was in working with a good designer to develop their B. Delta 39 bulk carrier design – of which four were delivered in 2013/14 and a further twenty ordered. These ships have been designed to meet the highest environmental standards and lowest fuel consumption per ton-mile.

However, surveying the shipping industry in general, J.B. feels there’s still considerable room for improvement.

“What’s interesting about transportation companies is that the amount of money that we spend on research is very limited, particularly in the deep sea marine segment. Improvements in aircraft and vehicles have been immense, with some very interesting innovations, like those wing-tip fins on aircraft, which I assume save a lot of fuel.“ Shipping is not really set up for innovation: “it’s so disparate, mostly family run shipping companies run with small balance sheets and cash kept hidden away for a rainy day.“ Wuchang, the first of CNCo’s ‘W’ class B. Delta 39 geared bulk carriers Copyright: CNCo

Watch the Lloyd’s Register team interviews Visit: www.lr.org/technologyreport

Watch Chris Craddock’s interview

Watch Louise Dunsby’s interview

Watch Dimitris Argyros’ interview

You will be able to read more about the work carried out by Lloyd’s Register’s technology leaders and technical experts in future publications

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Marine Technology Report The future of shipping Driving new technologies From our origins in a London coffee house in 1760, Lloyd’s Register now has 9,000 employees throughout the world. We are engineers, and more: we’ve evolved from the original classification society supporting the shipping industry to a multi-industry compliance, assurance, risk and technical consultancy services organisation. With a truly global reach we can adapt our service offerings to suit businesses wherever needed.

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