Datawave Marine Solutions

Surviving the Arctic: Polar Class Icebreakers

Design Support, Fluids, Mechanical, Propulsion, Special Purpose Mechanical Systems, Structural

I’m amazed by the challenges pitted against a Polar class icebreaker. What does it take for a ship to survive in the harshest regions of our planet?

Ramming the Ice: Icebreaker Propulsion

Energy Generation, Fluids, Hull Structure, Propulsion, Propulsion Plant, Propulsion Units, Propulsors, Structural, Transmission and Propulsor Systems

This beast bares TWO nuclear reactors, with over 60 MW of propulsive power driving through anything in its path! Discover why we need so much power for an icebreaker.

Breaking the Ice: Icebreakers

Hull Structure, Propulsion, Propulsion Units, Propulsors, Structural

How do icebreakers crack through the ice and come out undamaged? We still use the same techniques from over 50 years ago. Why do they work so well?

How Propulsion Works: Classifying Ship Propulsion

Propulsion, Propulsion Plant, Propulsors, Waterjet Propulsors

No doubt, the math of propulsion devices is complicated. But it is all the same physics. By dividing each of these devices into their essential tasks, we find new opportunities. New methods of propulsion from different combinations of old tricks. Insight into this continuum allows us to better classify marine propulsion and dissect past successes to search for new combinations.

Next Level Hydrodynamics

Engineering Business, Fluid Dynamics, Fluids, Fluids Special Methods, Fluids Testing, Propulsion, Propulsion Plant, Resistance, Towing Tank

The modern towing tank expanded into a Swiss Army knife of experiments. Time to see what new tricks the tank holds for us!

The Ship Towing Tank

Engineering Business, Fluid Dynamics, Fluids, Fluids Special Methods, Fluids Testing, Propulsion, Propulsion Plant, Propulsion Units, Propulsors, Resistance, Towing Tank

It may look like a swimming pool, but towing tanks exist for a different purpose. They are a fundamental tool of ship design.

How to Cut the Bunker Bill

Energy Generation, Engineering Business, Fluids, Mechanical, Propulsion, Propulsion Plant, Propulsion Units

IMO 2020 promises to be a time of uncertain fuel prices. Here are eight practical ways to reduce your fuel consumption.

How to Design a Waterjet: Key Elements of Waterjets

Fluid Dynamics, Fluids, Propulsion, Propulsion Plant, Transmission and Propulsor Systems, Waterjet Propulsors

What makes a waterjet work? Learn the common elements of all waterjets and best practices to expect from a decent waterjet design.

Waterjets: When to Use, Pros and Cons

Fluids, Propulsion, Propulsion Plant, Transmission and Propulsor Systems, Waterjet Propulsors

Waterjets are fun. They give you great maneuvering control and promise much higher efficiency at high speeds. But that flexibility comes with the price of more subtle limits on performance. Used incorrectly, waterjets perform worse than propellers. This article focuses on the merits of waterjets, with focus on the most important factor: efficiency.

The TRUTH of Hull Speed: How to Break the Sailing Speed Limit

Engineering Business, Fluid Dynamics, Fluids, Propulsion, Resistance

Hull speed is bogus, but not because the math is wrong. This formula supposedly predicts the maximum speed of a yacht based solely on length. But don’t sell yourself short; there are ways around speed limits. Today we discuss the basis for hull speed and fill in the rest of the story.

How to Make a Boat Propeller

Fluid Dynamics, Fluids, Mechanical, Propulsion

I love to learn how industrial equipment gets created. Boat propellers are especially interesting. The emphasis is on mass production. See how we crank out hundreds of fine detailed propellers.

Propellers By the Numbers: Propeller Dimensions

Fluids, Mechanical, Propulsion

You need context to understand propeller terminology: normal ranges and implications of each term.