Our CFD engineer developed a new CFD tool for analyzing and optimizing sailboats and WASP systems for the nautical and maritime industry, optimizing hydrodynamic and aerodynamic performance in assessments with +6 Degrees of Freedom, including the ship dynamic rotations and translations plus the degrees of freedom of the aerodynamic propulsion systems. The project combined advanced CFD simulations with propulsion control logics to provide powerful insights for the design and improvement processes of high performant ships and sailboats.
The optimized equilibrium points provided by an in-house VPP tool need to be tested in a realistic setup where hydrodynamic and aerodynamic forces are simultaneously defining the attitude and performance of a ship propelled by a set of Flettner rotors and traditional propellers.
This new CH CFD tool is the right and effective solution to confirm that the VPP prediction is aligned to the real behavior of this wind assisted propulsion ship. It allowed us to evaluate the hydrodynamic loads on the ship while sailing in the sea and individually evaluate the propulsion provided by each of the Flettner rotors onboard. This offered a detailed assessment of the propulsion power required from the rotors and the propellers. Finally, the results also present a powerful visualization tool to understand the strong interaction that WASP systems usually have with the ship and with themselves, a key insight in the layout definition stage of a highly efficient ship.
30% more efficient sport yacht developed with Bluegame / Sanlorenzo.
Simulation for optimization and validation of WASP ships with different methods.
Preliminary design of a highly modular unmanned surface vehicle (USV).
During the 33rd America’s Cup cycle, Mario Caponnetto contributed to hydrodynamic assessment workstreams aligned with the BMW Oracle wing-sail platform, the configuration that ultimately won the Match. This milestone marked the shift toward aero-hydrodynamic integration in Cup design culture.
BMW Oracle Racing
America’s Cup / Aero-Hydro Integration / Performance Engineering
In 2021, Caponnetto Hueber led the CFD, foil design, and hydrodynamic engineering for the AC75 of Luna Rossa Challenge, the eventual Prada Cup winner. We deployed multiscale CFD and aero-hydro coupling to ensure optimum lift and control. Rapid iteration delivered performance gains under tight competition timelines.
Luna Rossa Challenge
Racing Concept / CFD / Foil Design