WAPS Structural Monitoring System
INA-Thrust
Aerodynamic loads. Thrust. Structural integrity. Performance insight.
What is INA-Thrust?
INA-Thrust is Inalia’s patented pending method for aerodynamic thrust vector estimation in Wind-Assisted Propulsion Systems (WAPS) through structural strain monitoring at the mast base combined with MRU data
What INA-Thrust delivers
Total load and aerodynamic force estimation
Thrust vector quantification — magnitude and direction — corrected for inertial effects
Aerodynamic performance curves
Thrust curves as a function of apparent wind angle and apparent wind speed.
System integration
Integration of thrust data to control systems, route prediction and optimisation platforms, and Structural Health Monitoring (SHM) systems.
Fuel savings and CO₂ reduction certification
Field-measured thrust data as the evidential basis for quantifying and certifying fuel consumption reduction and CO₂ savings.
Anomaly detection
Aerodynamic anomalies identified by comparing thrust curves across operational periods. Structural anomalies flagged through spectral analysis of slamming-induced vibration signatures.
Structural safety alerts
Real-time alerts triggered when load thresholds are exceeded
How we integrate works
-> Understand — We analyse the foil system particularities and define the structural and structural questions to be answered.
-> Strategy — Structural and hydrodynamic knowledge-guided monitoring strategy, sensor architecture, and system design tailored to each foil and vessel.
-> Install — On-site sensor installation and system commissioning for harsh marine and offshore conditions.
-> Acquire — Real-time data acquisition campaigns.
-> Analyse — Load and shape analysis, structural response related to sailing conditions, SHM systems, and performance assessment.
Why INA-Thrust
-> Real data supported—
-> Single accountable partner — we handle every aspect of the project, from sensor installation and real data acquisition to thrust analysis and interpretation, we own the full project.
-> Proprietary thrust estimation methodology — separating aerodynamic loads from vessel dynamics is technically demanding; our methodology has been developed and validated across multiple WAPS installations.
-> Offshore battle-tested — deployed across rigid sails, suction sails, and high-performance sailing platforms.
