Vittorio Bucci

Experimental investigation on Iroko wood used in shipbuilding

The paper deals with investigations about mechanical properties of Iroko, a hardwood species used for structures in shipbuilding as glued laminated timber. Experimental tests have been carried out to assess strength, stiffness and density of Iroko in accordance with current EN Standards. All the results obtained by tensile and three-point bending tests, along with the statistical analyses performed to define the characteristics values of some mechanical properties, are reported in the paper. These values allowed to assign the strength class, reported in EN 338 Standard, to the investigated Iroko wood population. The experiments have taken into account both solid timber strips and scarf-jointed strips, in order to evaluate the influence of such a type of joint, which is widely used in wooden shipbuilding on strength and stiffness. Eventually, peculiar investigations have been carried out to analyse the failure mode of some test pieces through special experimental techniques: three-dimensional computed tomography and infrared thermography.

The design of a slow-cruising superyacht with zero emission navigation and smart berthing modes

The reduction of polluting/acoustic emissions is actually a key driver to re-design yachts and marinas, being improved their marketability. A greener yacht able to guarantee a Zero-Emission-Mode navigation can be conceived through the adoption of on-board energy storage systems. An innovative possibility for supplying the embarked batteries is offered by renewable energies, besides the on-board stored energy may be provided for operations of the Distribution System Operator.

Early-stage design of integrated power and energy systems for naval vessels electrification: Advanced modeling using CSI

The naval vessels electrification is one of the most important issues to be tackled, because not only it allows a more efficient operation, but also is considered a technological game changer. Indeed, electrification offers improved operational benefits and enables mission systems continuous upgrade. Several technologies can be used, each presenting different impact on ship performance. Thus, instruments to analyze and compare different designs must be used already during early-stage design, allowing an aware and reasoned selection. In this paper, a Computer System Integrator (CSI) software is presented and an application example is given, about the electrification of a naval logistic support ship.

Inland Waterway Gas-Fueled Vessels: CASM-Based Electrification of a Pushboat for the European Network

The peculiarities of the European inland waterway transport are analyzed, and a novel design of a pushboat for barges convoys is proposed and optimized for the Rhine-Danube corridor. To this aim, a hybrid parallel electric propulsion system is adopted with the perspective to define an eco-friendly vessel. This paper is to be intended as the early stage in the proof of concept for commercial technologies useful for the electrification of pushboats employed in inland waterway navigation. Specifically, the optimal design solution is highlighted by evaluating proper attribute weights, which determine the degree of closeness among possible solution and the design target. In particular, computer-aided synthesis modeling methodology to minimize capital expenditures and operating expenses of a pushboat is adopted.

An innovative hybrid-electric small passenger craft for the sustainable mobility in the Venice Lagoon

Sustainable mobility is an essential issue to take for the town planning of a great city. When a high tourist flow is present, the city should be provided of low pollutant emission vehicles for the public transport in order to preserve the environment. Venice is an UNESCO World Heritage Site, where the urban public transport is almost exclusively carried out by boats. This paper deals with the design of a new small passenger craft to be operated in the Venice Lagoon with hybrid-electric propulsion. An innovative hullform has been conceived in order to get wave reduction useful to lower both the impact on the foundations of buildings and the energy consumption of the craft. Moreover, a suitable LVDC Integrated Power System has been adopted to enable the Zero Emission Mode navigation.

Inland waterway gas-fuelled vessels: An innovative proposal of a hybrid ship for the European network

The peculiarities of the European inland waterway transport are analyzed, and a novel design of a pushboat for barges convoys is proposed. To this aim a hybrid electric propulsion system is adopted with the perspective to define an eco-friendly vessel. Innovative and green technologies based on dual fuel LNG engines and electric motors/generators available on market are effectively installed onboard.

Integrated Ship Design and CSI Modeling: A New Methodology for Comparing Onboard Electrical Distributions in the Early-Stage Design

In recent years, the MVDC distribution has been proposed as a viable solution for the redesign of the shipboard Integrated Power System (IPS). Indeed, there are relevant advantages promised by the innovative DC concept, among others a desirable reduction in the electric power system size. For providing a virtual proof-of-concept of this technology, parametric and interactive 3D models can be developed by a new Computer System Integrator (CSI) software. The latter may give the possibility to quantify the expected onboard benefits (i.e. increase of pay load) already during the early-stage design, thus opening interesting evaluation since the very first stage of ship design. By exploiting the capabilities offered by the integrated design methodology, a comparative analysis between a conventional MVAC electrical distribution and an innovative MVAC/MVDC hybrid system is performed in this paper. In particular, a significant Main Vertical Zone of a large cruise ship is modeled by the CSI software for providing a detailed comparison (volumes/weights) among the two power distribution architectures (MVAC vs hybrid MVAC/MVDC)

Integrated design of a hybrid-electric power system for coastal-navigation multipurpose crafts

Nowadays, it is of paramount importance reducing the pollutant emission also of small crafts operating near the coast. This action is an essential issue to preserve the marine and coastal environment. In this paper, the design of a coastal-navigation multipurpose craft to be used in North Adriatic Sea area is presented. The particular service areas are characterized both by inland waterways with shallow and restricted waters and by open sea. Hull-form of the craft along with hybrid-electric propulsion have been properly designed in order to obtain an efficient solution for the different operational conditions. Specifically, the hybrid-electric power system has been conceived to allow the Zero Emission Mode navigation for a reasonable range.

Early-stage design of shipboard integrated power systems: CSI-based multiple solutions comparison

The design of an electric ship can be based on several different technologies and architectures, each affecting the design drivers in ways difficult to be foreseen a priori. Moreover, the integration of innovative solutions requires to perform their proof-of-concept, not only related to their proper functioning, but also to their use onboard (assessment of the new systems impact on the main design drivers of the ship). In this regard, the paper presents a Computer System Integrator software, which allows the comparison of several design solutions in order to define the one most suited to the purpose, already during the early-stage design phase. Such a software is used to produce two possible design solutions (ac-dc) for a low voltage ship secondary distribution, and to compare the resulting weights and volumes. Thus, it is given the possibility of easily analyze and compare the impact of different solutions on the design drivers.