Every year, the Royal Netherlands Navy (RNLN) awards the Maritime RNLN Van Hengel-Spengler Award to an operational innovation, designed by students up to 35 years of age.
The winning research has to be able to lead to new insights, concepts or innovations, that contribute to improving the operational deployment of naval units. The award is named after two Dutch naval officers, Theo A. van Hengel and R. P.C. Spengler, who built the first rotor machine in 1915. This machine formed the basis for the German Enigma machine and later the first computer developed by Alan Turing.
The 2017 nominees are:
Jordy San José Sánchez
On board the submarines of the Royal Netherlands Navy, passive sonar is an important tool for the detection and localisation of other ships. A sonar analysis is used to establish the bearings and frequencies of a ship. A mathematical model is then used to calculate its location. This method is referred to as Target Motion Analysis (TMA).
Jordy San José Sánchez examined the options for improving the TMA process. He compared the classic approach with two new techniques, including relative TMA. This showed that relative TMA provided better results in many situations.
The end result of the research, was a software tool that has now been implemented on board the submarine Zr.Ms. Zeeleeuw, so that the crew can benefit from the improvements in operational imaging.
Guus van Fulpen
A great deal of research has already been carried out into the reuse of heat in emissions gases, but the heat in the water cooling systems from engines on board naval vessels has not yet been reused on a large scale. Even though this could equate to 20% of the incoming energy. Guus van Fulpen recognised this potential and researched the reuse of residual heat on frigates by means of integrating absorption chillers in the water cooling systems for diesel engines.
He compared various configurations on the basis of literature based research, a steady-state model and a dynamic model. Van Fulpen has concluded that a regulation system is vital to keep the cooling water at a constant temperature after the absorption cooler.
As a result of the configuration recommended by van Fulpen, a fuel saving of 4% can be created for future frigates. This could constitute a significant saving for the Royal Netherlands Navy and also contribute towards reducing CO2.
Leon Rietveld
The propulsion system for a submarine must be able to generate, store and deliver energy to all auxiliary and peripheral propulsion systems. All of these various functional requirements impact upon the size of this propulsion system, which must as small as possible in a submarine.
Leon Rietveld set out to examine the possibilities of optimising the propulsion on submarines. His research aim was to reduce the size and weight of the propulsion systems
His comparison clearly shows that a configuration with lithium-ion batteries is more efficient, lighter and smaller in volume than a configuration with lead-acid batteries.
Rietveld recommends researching systems with lithium-ion batteries in relation to replacing the Walrus class submarines.
The winner will be announced at the Maritime Awards Gala on 6 November in Rotterdam, the Netherlands. Watch a video about the nominees below.
