Wind tunnel experiment of multi-mode arc sail device

A ship’s wind energy utilization device with multi-mode arc-shaped sails is designed, which have different working modes for sail-assisting or wind power generation according to the ship’s navigation. The structural characteristics and working principles of this device are firstly described in this paper. Three sets of arc-shaped sails with different thickness (4.5 cm, 11.3 cm, 21.7 cm) were designed. Wind tunnel experiments were carried out in the respects of sail-assisting performance and wind-power generation to determine the best sail blade shape and to verify the energy-saving effect of this device. Experiments show that the sail with the smallest thickness (4.5 cm) has a better boosting effect than others, and the sail with the largest thickness (21.7 cm) has the best wind power generation performance. Considering the lateral force and the structural strength of the support, in the case of the comprehensive evaluation for the boosting and power generation performance, it is considered that the intermediate thickness (11.3 cm) is the best choice. The device has a good comprehensive energy utilization effect and has development and application value.