Success Story: HPC-based Design of Wind Assisted Propulsion Technology

Summary

FF4 Euro HPC showcases the success of high-performance computing (HPC), artificial intelligence (AI), and machine learning in advancing industries like maritime technology. A key achievement was the development of a high-fidelity tool for optimizing wind-assisted propulsion technology, enhancing fuel efficiency and reducing emissions for shipowners. By leveraging scalable HPC systems and AI-driven control software, IRO, a French company, improved the design and performance of its Ocean Wings technology. The results have significantly reduced greenhouse gas emissions, cut fuel consumption by up to 45%, and allowed for faster, more cost-effective design optimization. This project exemplifies how innovation in HPC drives sustainable industrial solutions.

Takeaways

• 😀 FF4 Euro HPC is the successor to the Fortissimo projects, demonstrating the benefits of High-Performance Computing (HPC), Artificial Intelligence (AI), Machine Learning (ML), and data analytics for business across industries.
• 😀 The project targets multiple industries, including manufacturing, healthcare, energy, e-commerce, transportation, engineering, and aeronautics.
• 😀 The focus is on showcasing successful experiments that inspire HPC adoption in related industries, with each experiment generating a success story.
• 😀 One example of success is the 'High Fidelity Tool for the optimal design of wind-assisted propulsion technology' developed in collaboration with the Italian National Competence Center.
• 😀 IRO, a French company, created a patented rigid wing technology called Ocean Wings, designed to solve environmental and economic challenges for ship owners by reducing fuel consumption and greenhouse gas emissions.
• 😀 Ocean Wings consists of a two-element articulated wing sail that generates forward thrust through aerodynamic lift and is controlled by an AI-based software that optimizes its angle of attack and camber in real time.
• 😀 The goal was to develop a workflow for fast and reliable evaluation of aerodynamic characteristics for different Ocean Wings combinations optimized for various ships.
• 😀 IRO faced challenges with their non-scalable workflow and lack of expertise in numerical simulation tools, as well as insufficient computing resources for large-scale simulations.
• 😀 The solution developed was a robust tool to automatically launch OpenFOAM CFD simulations on HPC systems, which significantly improved scalability and performance.
• 😀 The tool allowed thousands of aerodynamic calculations to be performed in a few hours, providing IRO with an affordable way to optimize their Ocean Wings design and enhance their AI-based wing control software.
• 😀 Automation and use of open-source code sped up development by a factor of three, enabling simultaneous computations without high licensing costs and further reducing CO2 emissions.
• 😀 The enhanced design and control software for Ocean Wings can now make more competitive offers for a variety of ships, leading to improved performance and a potential 10% increase in efficiency.

Q & A

What is FF4 Euro HPC?

FF4 Euro HPC is a project focused on demonstrating the business benefits of high-performance computing (HPC), artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning, and high-performance data analytics in various industrial sectors like manufacturing, healthcare, energy, e-commerce, transportation, engineering, and aeronautics.

What is the primary focus of the FF4 Euro HPC success story in this case?

The success story focuses on the development of a high-fidelity tool for the optimal design of wind-assisted propulsion technology, specifically the ocean wings technology, in collaboration with the Italian National Competence Center.

What is the ocean wings technology?

Ocean wings is a patented rigid wing technology developed by a French company. It consists of a two-element articulated wing sail that generates forward thrust through aerodynamic lift and is controlled by AI software that optimizes its angle of attack and camber in real time.

How does ocean wings technology benefit ship owners?

The ocean wings technology reduces fuel consumption by up to 45%, significantly lowering greenhouse gas emissions and helping ship owners reduce their environmental footprint while remaining competitive and profitable.

What challenge did IRO face in their workflow?

IRO lacked both the expertise in specific numerical simulation tools and the computing resources to perform simulations at the required scale, hindering their ability to evaluate aerodynamic characteristics for different combinations of ocean wings.

How did the FF4 Euro HPC project help IRO overcome their challenges?

The project developed a robust tool to automate the launch of OpenFOAM CFD simulations on HPC systems. This solution replaced previous software, allowing thousands of aerodynamic calculations to be performed quickly and affordably, enabling IRO to optimize the ocean wings design.

What are the key advantages of the new automated workflow developed for IRO?

The new automated workflow offers a highly scalable solution that performs simulations efficiently, reduces costs, and speeds up the design process by a factor of three. It also eliminates prohibitive license costs and improves aerodynamic performance.

What is the impact of the improved AI-based wing control software?

The improved AI-based software for wing control optimizes the ocean wings' performance in real time, leading to higher fuel savings and offering potential for future business by enabling algorithm upgrades for existing customers.

How does the use of open-source code benefit the project?

Using open-source code speeds up development by enabling simultaneous computations without the need for costly licenses, allowing the project to maintain affordability while enhancing design optimization.

What potential performance improvements are possible with the new ocean wings designs?

The new ocean wings designs can potentially achieve a 10% increase in performance, with further room for improvements in both price and performance.

How does the improved design help IRO in terms of market competitiveness?

The improved aerodynamic performance of the ocean wings makes the technology more competitive, offering better price-performance ratios and allowing IRO to generate adaptive configurations for different ships, leading to more competitive offers.