Wind motor applications for transportation

Motion equations for a vehicle equipped with a wind motor allows, taking into account the drag coefficients, determination of the optimal wind drag velocity in the wind motor's plane, and hence, all the necessary data for wind wheel blades geometrical parameters definition. This optimal drag velocity significantly differs from the flow drag velocity which determines the maximum wind motor power. Solution of the motion equation with low drag coefficients indicates that the vehicle speed against the wind may be twice the wind speed. One possible wind motor transportation application is its use on ships. A ship with such a wind motor may by substantially easier to steer, and if certain devices are available, may proceed in an autonomous control mode. The cruise speed of a sailing boat and wind-motored ship were compared provided that the wind velocity direction changes along a harmonic law with regard to the motion direction. Mean dimensionless speed of the wind-motored ship appeared to be 20-25% higher than that of a sailing boat.