An engineer by trade, Charles-Henri Viel has an inquisitive mind and a deep-seated aspiration for renewable energies. A keen developer and innovator, he began work on his project in 2008, but developed it further in 2014. He imagined a wind turbine on a boat that could sail into the wind, making the project both technically interesting and fun. Today, Archinaute is in tune with the times, as energy transition issues are at the heart of the trend. To move forward, the aerial propeller absorbs the wind and drives the propulsion propeller underwater. " It's the power of the aerial propeller that turns the marine propeller." When he carried out this research, he realized that he was not the first to have tackled this project, since the principle had been known since 1921.
Thanks to this technique, we can sail into the wind and in all directions. " You can navigate in a badly oriented channel, maneuver more easily in a port..." The wind motor is controlled mechanically, and all maneuvers are performed from the cockpit. Unlike sailing, no physical strength is required. This method of navigation is similar to that of a motorboat. " The only limitation of the rotary wing is the lack of wind, but like all renewable energies, it has its limits." But this limit can be compensated for" Since we have energy transmission, we can envisage storing this energy in a battery for limited autonomy."
In terms of performance, if you put a wind turbine on a boat, you can exceed the wind speed. " A theoretical velocity potential can be defined using a theoretical/algebraic equation. We can also define this speed using fluid mechanics software specialized in propeller design. The result is a speed equal to half the wind speed. So, in a 20-knot wind, we're going at 10 knots."
What Charles-Henri Viel develops here is more a principle than a boat. It can therefore be applied to almost any field of navigation. " The drawing shows a pleasure boat, but we can also develop a fishing boat, a passenger ship, a cargo ship or a shipping vessel."
At this stage, a model of the Archinaute has been developed. " It's more of a demonstrator that can sail into the wind to show its feasibility. It's important to show that we're talking about something that works, but also to have concrete experiences." To help him with his project, the Carnac-based engineer is working with naval architect Laurent Mermier and the Bretagne Sud shipyard, run by Yannick Bian. The second stage is the development of a prototype trimaran, 12 m long and 9 m wide, with an 8 m diameter wind turbine. But to do this, Charles-Henri Viel needs funding. He is therefore actively seeking sponsors to finance the project to the tune of 3 million euros. " I'm primarily looking for sponsors who can benefit from a good ecomedia visibility by associating themselves with this project. A patron is also welcome, but so are investors who would like to enter the capital."
Presentation in Etel as part of the Musée des Thoniers
