Sailing Vessel Regenerative Braking Control for Stable Dynamics
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Solution Overview
Problem
Sailing vessels with regenerative braking systems often have their braking mode turned off due to adverse effects on sailing behavior, leading to missed opportunities for energy harvesting.
Innovation Solution
An automatic control system adjusts regenerative braking power based on wind direction and vessel speed, allowing seamless energy harvesting without affecting sailing dynamics.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of energy
If regenerative braking system is activated to harvest energy, then energy harvesting efficiency is improved, but sailing behavior and vessel dynamics deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The regenerative braking system dynamically adjusts its braking power based on real-time sailing conditions including wind direction, vessel speed, and operator preferences. The system transitions from a static on/off state to a dynamic control mode where braking power is continuously optimized to balance energy harvesting with sailing performance, preventing the system from deactivating due to poor sailing behavior.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the operational parameters of regenerative braking from binary (on/off) to continuous variable control. By adjusting braking power as a variable parameter based on apparent wind angle, vessel speed, and calibrated user preferences, the system optimizes the trade-off between energy recovery and sailing characteristics, resolving the contradiction between energy harvesting and sailing behavior.
2Ease of operation
If regenerative braking system is manually controlled, then sailing behavior can be optimized, but user intervention frequency increases and energy harvesting opportunities are lost
Solution Approach 1:
The regenerative braking system performs self-adjustment by automatically monitoring sailing conditions and calibrating braking power according to pre-stored user preferences. The system serves itself by making real-time decisions about optimal braking levels without requiring continuous user input, thus maintaining sailing quality while capturing energy harvesting opportunities that would otherwise be missed during manual control transitions.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements a feedback loop where sailing conditions (wind direction, vessel speed) are continuously monitored and fed back to the control algorithm. This feedback mechanism enables the system to automatically adjust braking power in response to changing conditions, resolving the contradiction by eliminating the need for frequent manual intervention while maintaining optimized sailing behavior through continuous adaptive control.
3Extent of automation
If automatic control of regenerative braking is implemented, then user intervention is reduced, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The control system leverages existing multi-functional components already present in modern sailing vessels, including wind sensors, speed sensors, GPS systems, and existing electric propulsion controllers. By integrating regenerative braking control into these existing universal systems rather than adding dedicated new hardware, the automation complexity is minimized while achieving high-level automatic control that reduces user intervention.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Maintains desirable sailing dynamics and improves energy harvesting efficiency by automatically adjusting braking power, reducing manual intervention and enhancing user experience.
Implementation Method 1
a regenerative braking system configured to selectively convert kinetic energy of the sailing vessel into electrical energy
Data Source
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AI summary
Techniques for controlling operation of a sailing vessel, related to harvesting regenerative braking power, are provided. A control system, configured to control operation of a regenerative braking system of the vessel, receives measurements acquired by a wind sensor coupled to the vessel, to determine a current angle of an apparent wind relative to the vessel; determines a current speed of the vessel; determines, based on the current angle of the apparent wind relative to the vessel and the current speed of the vessel, an amount of regenerative braking power to be applied by a regenerative braking system to an electric propulsion system of the vessel; and automatically controls the regenerative braking system to apply the determined amount of regenerative braking power to the electric propulsion system. The regenerative braking system may be calibrated based on user input.