Power, propulsion and energy system co-design optimisation framework for future vessels

The maritime industry is in the process of shifting to more efficient and sustainable solutions with multiple technologies being researched towards this goal. The large variety of applications and requirements make the design of the Power, Propulsion and Energy (PPE) systems complex, and requires a systematic approach to reduce the uncertainties in the initial vessel design considering future proofing. Towards this objective, this paper proposes a multi-objective co-design approach for the optimization of the PPE design. The example of a mega-yacht is used to showcase the framework towards an initial vessel design with a retrofit at end of service utilizing alternate sustainable solutions such as fuel cells and dual fuel engines. Model Based Systems Engineering (MBSE) is used to extract specific requirements for the vessel design which function as constraints for the optimization. Models serve a key function in an MBSE approach, and the component models used are described with particular focus on the model confidence level. Furthermore, a scalable and configurable energy management strategy is developed to evaluate multiple architectures with the typical use-case of the megayacht such as Transatlantic and Mediterranean voyages serving as the basis for evaluation of the design.