Wingsails for a wind-assisted propulsion cruise vessel: aerodynamic analysis of the single sail performance and sail interaction study

This thesis consists of a study of a potential integration of a Wind Propulsion System in the design of a Cruise Vessel. The Wind Propulsion System consists of an array of rigid sails, which have a cross-section featuring an aerodynamic profile, the so-called Wingsails. Firstly, the context of the study will be provided, along with the problem set-up and a brief overview of the mathematical models used to simulate the system; then the single-sail aerodynamic performances will be assessed, with various wind and trim conditions. In the end, the aerodynamic performances of the array of wingsails will be investigated, with a main focus on the aerodynamic interactions between each sail.