Design a low wash patrol boat for inland navigation

Abstract

This project is designed with a goal to develop a preliminary design phase project of a police patrol boat for the needs of the Directorate of Maritime and River Police (SPN), Belgium. The authorities have issued a list of constraints that define the project, and have been used as guides throughout the development. To accommodate all the requests set by operators, this study, in its early phase, concentrates on a hull form design with assessment criteria being: • Minimizing the wave wash heights, addressing the physical impact on the environment • Minimizing the hull resistance and by that lowering the environmental pollution, • Obtaining maximum amount of high-quality space, for benefit of day to day, operating. Several hull designs are assessed by above criteria using computational test methods. The comparison is made on the basis of Neuman-Michell potential flow theory embedded in commercial software, which provides results accurate enough to yield a rugged final hull design and a set of characteristics that significantly influence hull performance. These features are fine-tuned in CFD software relying on unsteady RANS equations for results with a much higher order of accuracy. Wave heights and resistance of final design measured between two computational approaches are in good accordance, with wave wash height up to 40% lower when compared to starting models and reference boats. The general arrangement, capacities, as well as function diagrams, are developed between two main criteria: • Adaptation to existing hull, • Maximizing functionality, in a sense of safer faster and easier response by the crew. The design is such that it can accommodate a variety of potential usage profiles and variety of propulsive systems. Great attention is devoted to achieving a distribution of weight that would ensure a minimal change of trim, providing for constant wake characteristics. Finally, electrical analysis and analysis of boat stability are conducted as per classification rules and requirements. The final product is a balanced, comprehensive design for a patrol boat that offers solution to all posed chaleges. Inland oriented design, with possibilities to stand up to the waves up to two meters high give it great usability rating. Environmentally and safety friendly it is a good choice for narrow waterways of high frequency. Easy to work on and designed to be reliable at low–cost operating regime, it is a good replacement for the vessels currently in use. “