000010679 001__ 10679 000010679 005__ 20240531171551.0 000010679 0247_ $$2doi$$a10.24868/10679 000010679 037__ $$aGENERAL 000010679 245__ $$aAdaptive pitch control: Simulation performance evaluation against conventional propulsion control 000010679 269__ $$a2022-09-23 000010679 336__ $$aConference Proceedings 000010679 520__ $$aNaval vessels, and especially frigates, require careful optimization of their propulsion systems in order to achieve better manoeuvrability, fuel efficiency, and signature reduction, while also delivering an overall high-end operational performance. The main topic of this paper is the performance evaluation of an alternative control strategy: Adaptive Pitch Control (APC). This strategy involves a feedback-controlled adaptation of the propeller pitch and shaft speed to maintain an effective angle of attack of the propeller blades at which the chance of cavitation is minimal, thereby reducing signatures and operating in a favorable area in the engine envelope in terms of efficiency and engine loading. The performance evaluation of APC against conventional control with combinator curves is performed using a simulation model of a notional future frigate of the Royal Netherlands Navy. The propulsion plant consists of main diesel engines with supporting electric drives for top speed and low-end silent speed, also known as a COmbined Diesel-eLectric And Diesel (CODLAD) propulsion plant. For both control strategies, additional care is taken to create a load-sharing technique for parallel operation that leverages the dynamic load response of the electric drive while ensuring that the main engines are still efficiently loaded. The simulation study demonstrates the expected performance gains of APC in the following key performance metrics: cavitation noise, acceleration behavior, fuel consumption, and engine loading under various operational conditions. 000010679 542__ $$fCC-BY 000010679 6531_ $$aPower & Propulsion 000010679 6531_ $$aPropulsion Plant Modelling and Control 000010679 6531_ $$aSignature Reduction 000010679 6531_ $$aAnti-Submarine Warfare 000010679 7001_ $$aDrakoulas, M$$uDefence Material Organisation 000010679 7001_ $$aReurings, J$$uDefence Material Organisation 000010679 7001_ $$aMeijn, GJ$$uDamen Naval 000010679 7001_ $$aWittingen, M$$uRH Marine Netherlands BV 000010679 773__ $$tConference Proceedings of INEC 000010679 773__ $$jINEC 2022 000010679 85641 $$uhttps://www.imarest.org/events/category/categories/imarest-event/international-naval-engineering-conference-and-exhibition-2022$$yConference website 000010679 8564_ $$973877c8a-ee4f-4b8c-b6a7-41fead42cdd1$$s1760701$$uhttps://library.imarest.org/record/10679/files/INEC_2022_paper_20.pdf 000010679 980__ $$aConference Proceedings