A fast catamaran ferry planned for operation in the Thames River equipped with a battery-powered propulsion system as the prime driver is studied. Such inland waterways vessels are affected by the battery weight and cost restrictions. An energy storage model was developed to estimate the energy requirement, weight and cost of batteries to match the given operation profile. Due to the low energy density of existing battery technology compared to the traditional fossil fuels, and the limited weight allowance for the system onboard a high-speed ferry, a logistics-based optimisation approach has been implemented. It is identifying the Pareto optimal designs that fulfil the demanding endurance-battery weight-charging time-draft-wake limitations of the route. Furthermore, with the consideration of the depth of discharge, the battery life was modelled so that the replacement cost can be considered in the life cycle of the ferry. The results are discussed and valuable conclusions for consideration in future battery-driven designs are drawn.

Keywords:
electrical industrial apparatus, resistance, knot, ground transportation, ferry, des0034, game theory, variant, battery, consideration
Subjects:
Environment, Air emissions, Climate change
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