Experimental and numerical analyses of the hydrodynamic performance of propeller boss cap fins in a propeller-rudder system

• Published in: Engineering applications of computational fluid mechanics Vol. 10; no. 1; pp. 145 - 159
• Main Authors: Sun, Yu, Su, Yumin, Wang, Xiaoxiang, Hu, Haizhou
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Hong Kong Taylor & Francis 01.01.2016; Taylor & Francis Ltd; Taylor & Francis Group
• Subjects: Cavitation; cavitation tunnel experiment; Coefficients; Computational fluid dynamics; Computer simulation; Energy conservation; energy-saving effect; Finite element method; Fins; hydrodynamic performance; K-omega turbulence model; Mathematical models; Propeller boss cap fins; Propulsion systems; Rudders; Shear stress; Stress transfer; Turbulence models
• ISSN: 1994-2060; 1997-003X
• DOI: 10.1080/19942060.2015.1121838

This paper presents the simulated and experimental results of propeller-rudder systems with propeller boss cap fins (PBCFs) and analyzes the hydrodynamic performance of PBCFs in propeller-rudder systems. The purpose is to study the impact of PBCFs on the hydrodynamic performance of rudders. Hydrodynamic experiments were carried out on propeller-rudder systems with PBCFs in a cavitation tunnel. The experimental energy-saving effect of the PBCF without a rudder was 1.47% at the design advance coefficient J = 0.8. The numerical simulation was based on the Navier-Stokes equations solved with a sliding mesh and the SST (Shear Stress Transfer) k-ω turbulence model. After the grid independence analysis, the flow fields of an open-water propeller with and without a PBCF were compared, then the efficiencies of the propulsion systems including different rudders and the thrust coefficient K r of rudders were analyzed. The results indicate that the installation of a PBCF increases the resistance of the rudder, which results in a reduction in the energy-saving effect of the PBCF. At the design advance coefficient, the energy-saving effect of the PBCF with an ordinary rudder and a twisted rudder decreases from 1.47% to 1.08% and 1.16%, respectively; thus, it is important to factor in the rudder of a propulsion system when evaluating the energy-saving effects of PBCFs .