Sensitivity analysis of parameters impacting the performance of an energy ship using airborne wind energy

Abstract

This study assesses the impact of different model parameters on the power performance of energy ship systems using point-mass models, focusing on two operational modes. The first mode involves a kite operating in a pumping mode with adjustable tether lengths, aided by additional propellers for ship propulsion. It utilizes a quasi-steady kite model coupled with ship motion’s drag force and velocity triangles. The second mode features a kite pulling the ship, while underwater hydraulic turbines harness energy from ship velocity. Derived from a sail-based model, calculations deploy the force balance equation in line with ship motion, considering the drag forces of the ship and hydraulic turbines, alongside the propulsive force resulting from the kite’s interaction with the ship. The investigated parameters influencing the power performance include kite surface, ship length, wind speed, the angle between the ship’s motion direction and wind direction, and, for the pumping mode, ship speed. The power production of the propulsion mode is generally lower, with differences of at least 72%, depending on the combination of considered parameters.