Oceanbird develops wind propulsion systems for ocean going vessels with the overall purpose to reduce the CO2 emissions from shipping.
Purpose and Objective
The objective of this thesis is to perform a comparative analysis of three different material configurations for the load-bearing structure of the Oceanbird wing-sail:
• Steel mast with glass-fibre composite panels
• Fully glass-fibre composite structure (mast and profile)
• Fully carbon-fibre composite structure (mast and profile)
The analysis will focus on:
• Structural performance: including fibre strain evaluation and buckling capacity under defined load cases.
• Weight comparison: estimating the total structural weight for each configuration.
• Cost estimation: including raw material costs and basic production cost assumptions. Manufacturability should be considered.
If time permits, the thesis may also include:
• Support in physical testing of composite samples or components. Post-processing and interpretation of experimental results to validate analytical models.
• Explore alternative wing designs.
Thesis work shall be documented in a written report.
Skills
• Background in composite engineering and structural mechanics.
• Familiarity with FEA tools (e.g., ANSYS, Abaqus) and CAD software.
• Interest in sustainable marine technology and material optimization.
• Analytical and structured with a curious mindset.
Contact
Ho-Ann Chen, Composite Structural Engineer, hoann.chen@alfalaval.com