The wind tunnel facilities at ITER have been chosen by Bound4Blue as the location for conducting aerodynamic tests of their rigid suction sail systems for large vessels.
The Institute of Technology and of Renewable Energies (ITER), an entity dependent on the Tenerife Island Council, hosted aerodynamic tests in its wind tunnel for Bound4Blue during the month of October. Specifically, the tests conducted are aimed at optimizing the suction area in the design of their rigid suction sail systems for large vessels.
During the month of October, ITER’s wind tunnel hosted aerodynamic tests for Bound4Blue aimed at optimizing the suction area in the design of their rigid suction sail systems for large vessels.
Bound4Blue has been working for years on the research and development of propulsion systems using suction sails. These systems combine the advantages of rigid sails and Flettner rotors while avoiding their disadvantages. To achieve this, they have developed a modernized suction sail called eSAIL®, which converts wind into direct propulsion for the vessel and allows ship owners and operators to reduce their environmental footprint while cutting fuel costs.
Scale model of the eSAIL® sail.
In 2021, ITER collaborated with Bound4Blue in conducting preliminary tests to study the profile of the suction sail and the various pressures and velocities that this system introduces during its operation to determine an optimal configuration.
After several years of research, new needs have arisen, and there is now a need to evaluate the suction area in more detail in order to optimize its performance. For this purpose, Bound4Blue has once again chosen to conduct a test campaign in ITER’s wind tunnel facilities.
In this campaign, ITER was responsible for building the test model and integrating different configurations of the suction area. In addition, work was done on instrumenting the model by taking pressure measurements with a high-precision scanner, as well as instrumenting a fan that simulates the operating conditions of the suction sail.
Interior of the test chamber of the ITER Wind Tunnel during assembly.
The results of this test are valuable for Bound4Blue as they confirm improvements in existing systems and theoretical calculations, all while maintaining a focus on continuous improvement.