Press Release

Syroco joins forces with University of Pisa and Cubit Innovation Labs to advance research and numerical simulation in the field of cavitation

Marseille, November 9, 2020 - Syroco, the startup that generates innovation through the achievement of pioneering feats, is working closely with both industry and academia to invent new technologies that serve the economic and environmental performance of many industries. The partnership with Cubit Innovation Labs, the brainchild of the University of Pisa, brings together the best researchers, resources and HPC capacity in the field of fluid cavitation. 

Aiming at creating a new model of collaboration between highly innovative companies and university research centers, the Fluid Dynamics Division of Cubit Innovation Labs was founded in 2012 by Prof. Giovanni Lombardi from the University of Pisa. The Department operates in close partnership with the Aerodynamics Group of the Department of Civil and Industrial Engineering of the University of Pisa and is working for many high profile projects and clients. 

“The research performed by the Syroco Lab for the World Sailing Speed Record involves a great deal of numerical simulation,” indicated Olivier Taillard, CTO and co-founder of Syroco. “Our engineering team is thrilled to receive the support of world-renowned experts in the field of Computational Fluid Dynamics with special experience in supercavitating regimes, acquired by working on some of the most ambitious industrial projects in Europe and in the USA. We are very grateful for Prof. Lombardi and his team for their contributions and commitment to the project.”

With a target speed of 80 knots (approximately 150 kph), the Syroco speed craft is propelled by a large aerial wing and tethered to the water by an hydrofoil. Because of the high speed, the hydrofoil will be operating in a supercavitating mode, enabling increased efficiency and preventing instability. 

“At the very onset of concept and innovation design, the Syroco team deliberately decided to use cavitation to enhance performance, instead of avoiding it. Therefore this cavitation had to be properly mastered and controlled,” explained Prof. Giovanni Lombardi. “Everyone on the team at Cubit Innovation Labs, myself included, were thrilled to see such a bold approach to solve a problem that has been challenging yacht designers and naval architects for decades. We are excited to bring the support of our research team and extensive computational resources to this pioneering accomplishment.” 

“Cubit Innovation Labs and the University of Pisa host some of the most prestigious researchers in hydrodynamics, numerical simulation and experimental design,” concluded Alex Caizergues, CEO and co-founder of Syroco. “We are grateful for their contribution to our Moonshot project, but also for their commitment to our mission: enable players in the transportation and energy sectors to meet the economic and environmental challenges they face.”