A.A. Zhilenkov1, P.A. Daragan2, P.E. Tsareva3

1–3 Saint Petersburg State Marine Technical University (St. Petersburg, Russia)

1zhilenkovanton@gmail.com, 2,3marine_electronics@smtu.ru

From the standpoint of economic efficiency, ships are required to reduce fuel consumption while maintaining high speed and good manoeuvrability, and at the same time to comply with environmental limits on emissions of CO₂, NOx and particulate matter (PM). Main diesel engines of ship propulsion plants operating in combination with controllable pitch propellers (CPPs) are highly efficient and exhibit low CO₂ emissions; however, traditional control strategies based on the propeller load curve are characterized by low dynamic response, a risk of thermal overloads during manoeuvring, and increased cavitation noise. Determining an optimal trade-off among the control objectives (fuel consumption, emissions, noise, manoeuvrability, thermal load) using full-scale operational data is costly and yields non-uniform results due to random external factors. An alternative is to synthesize the control strategy using a mathematical model of the propulsion plant, but this is hindered by limited availability of detailed engine data and the lack of universally validated models that can be readily calibrated from manufacturer data. To develop and investigate, on the basis of a mathematical model of the ship propulsion plant, an adaptive control strategy for CPP pitch and fuel injection that maintains the shaft speed setpoint while simultaneously optimizing fuel consumption and emissions of CO₂, NOx and PM, reducing cavitation noise and improving acceleration performance, as well as limiting engine load and preventing transitions into underspeed and overspeed operating conditions across different operating modes. A modular, hierarchical cause-and-effect model of the ship propulsion plant was developed, including the diesel engine, gearbox and shaft line, propeller, hull, and disturbances due to sea waves, and it was calibrated using factory test data. Based on this model, an adaptive CPP pitch control strategy was proposed aimed at keeping the effective blade angle of attack near its optimum value, with the hydrodynamic pitch angle estimated indirectly from thrust; in addition, slow integral speed control without proportional action was implemented. Constraints on the excess air ratio (λ), fuel injection, and engine speed were introduced to prevent thermal overloads and to avoid operation under underspeed/overspeed conditions. The model and control strategy make it possible to justify and tune ship propulsion plant operating modes for different operational scenarios, reducing fuel consumption and cavitation risk while limiting the engine thermal load.

Zhilenkov A.A., Daragan P.A., Tsareva P.E. Adaptive optimization of operating modes of a ship's power system with control synthesis based on a mathematical model of the main engine. Electromagnetic waves and electronic systems. 2026. V. 31. № 2. P. 25−35. DOI: https://doi.org/10.18127/j15604128-202602-04 (in Russian)

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