Robust model predictive control employed to the container ship roll motion using fin-stabilizer

Abstract

The aim of this paper is to find the non-linear behavior of a container ship roll motion by using fin-roll stabilizer and robust model predictive control (RMPC). To do so, numerical and analytical modeling has been introduced for the roll motion. Computational fluid dynamics method was employed to determine the hydrodynamic lift of the fin at various angles. RMPC was designed and used to control the non-linear roll motion in the presence of disturbances, uncertainties, which were caused by the irregular sea waves, and operational constraints of fin’s actuator. To boost the validity of our results, the performance of this controller was compared with a conventional PID (Proportional-Integral-Derivative) controller. Simulation results indicated the significant amount of reduction in roll amplitude and roll rate.

Keywords

• rmpc
• non-linear modeling
• container ship
• cfd
• fin-roll stabilizer