Within EPFL-Hydros project, modelling for optimisation of aerodynamic shapes.

To understand the influence of various design configurations on flow phenomena and thus the performance of the sailboat, it is necessary to have an approach that involves both numerical simulations and experimental testing. 

A flying multihull like l'Hydroptère.ch reaches very high speeds; thus it is indispensable to optimize its geometry to minimize air friction while maximizing sail efficiency. In short, any loss of energy must be avoided because it quickly translated into a dangerous loss of speed. Above the water, the foils support the sailboat and guarantee its stability at high speed in all possible wind and water conditions.

It is essential to analyze air flow to be able to study the behavior of the sailboat in action. The aerodynamic resistance of an object is dependent on its shape. The aerodynamic ability of l'Hydroptère.ch is thus influenced by several factors such as the choice of the mast, the sails and the specific shape of its platform. In order to avoid costly wind tunnel tests, it is possible to model the sailboat and test various configurations using the numerical model. 

EPFL's Laboratory of Computational Engineering (LIN) participated in this study that was indispensable for identifying the optimal choices for the various parts of the boat. This research is now directly led by the Design Team; some members of the team came from the LIN.