A model rendering shows giant cylinders that would be mounted on the decks of cargo ships to provide wind propulsion, creating an energy efficient alternative to diesel engines.
A new type of wind-assisted propulsion could soon power cargo ships, reducing their dependency on diesel.
Researchers are developing giant cylinders that would be mounted on the decks of cargo ships. These cylinders would generate thrust by sucking in air, pressurizing it, and then ejecting it in a different direction.
According to researchers, each cylinder could be lowered, allowing ships to pass beneath bridges and navigate in and out of ports.
Wind-assisted propulsion is an efficient alternative to diesel engines
“What’s old is new again. With the technological advancements of today, wind-assisted propulsion is an efficient alternative to diesel engines,” said GeCheng Zha, a professor of aerospace engineering and director of the Aerodynamics and Computational Fluid Dynamics Lab at the University of Miami College of Engineering.
“And the major advantage is that it’s environmentally friendly—an effective way to decarbonize the shipping industry that’s responsible for about 3 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions.”
On certain shipping routes, the cylinders could cut fuel consumption by as much as 50 percent, according to Zha, who is still in the design and simulation phase for his wind-propulsion instruments.
Besides, utilizing stationary cylinders and no moving parts, this innovative system promises to slash ship fuel costs by up to 90%.
Capable of achieving greater thrust
“The shipping industry has had a tendency to resist change because diesel engines are so powerful,” Zha said. “But now, with pressure mounting, either willingly or unwillingly, it will have to change.”
Developed with co-flow jet technology similar to what he employed for his ongoing research on new types of aircraft, Zha’s nonrotating cylinders are expected to be “much more efficient” than wind-assisted propulsion units that are currently in use on the few cargo ships that have them.
“We would be capable of achieving greater thrust,” said Zha.
Currently, wind-assisted propulsion units are in use on some vessels.
About 30 cargo ships out of a global fleet of roughly 60,000 are currently using wind propulsion, deploying rigid sails made of aluminum, fiberglass, and carbon fiber that operate under minimum power from a ship’s engines. That number is expected to increase to nearly 11,000 by the end of this decade, according to the London-based International Windship Association.
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Zha’s high-tech cylinders represent a growing movement in the shipping industry to develop and employ wind-assisted technologies to make cargo ships greener. From spinning rotors that use the so-called Magnus force to convert wind energy into propulsive force to non-rotating suction wings that use vents and internal fans to achieve propulsion, the technology to power cargo ships with an age-old concept is gaining steam.
In 2023, the International Maritime Organization, a United Nations specialized agency responsible for regulating maritime transport, unveiled a revised strategy that requires the international shipping industry to achieve net-zero greenhouse gas emissions “by or around” 2050.
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Prabhat Ranjan Mishra Prabhat, an alumnus of the Indian Institute of Mass Communication, is a tech and defense journalist. While he enjoys writing on modern weapons and emerging tech, he has also reported on global politics and business. He has been previously associated with well-known media houses, including the International Business Times (Singapore Edition) and ANI.
