Propulsor/Hull Interaction
Abstract
Ship designers aiming to create fuel-efficient vessels and install compatible propulsion systems must consider the intricate interactions among various ship components, including the hull, propeller, appendages, and machinery, to accurately predict ship performance at sea. Neglecting these interaction effects can lead to unbalanced powering, adversely impacting energy and fuel consumption and increasing environmental repercussions for ships. Developing precise engineering methods that account for these interactions is crucial for meeting the environmental goals of the shipping industry. Traditionally, power prediction has been conducted in calm water conditions, but the influence of waves on ship performance is substantial. The interactions between waves, the hull, and the propulsion system significantly affect ship motions, resistance, wake, speed, and propeller/engine load compared to calm water conditions. However, incorporating all these interactions into power prediction for various operational and environmental conditions is challenging, leading to the introduction of assumptions and simplifications.
In this project, the focus is on investigating propeller-hull interaction effects in a variety of operational and environmental conditions, both in calm water and regular head waves, at model-scale. The primary goal is to conduct numerical investigations of ship performance to comprehend the flow physics involved in propeller-hull interaction effects on ship behaviour and propulsion characteristics. The investigations are carried out in three steps: considering only the bare hull, considering only the propeller (known as propeller open water), and considering the self-propelled hull. Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) with a Reynolds-Averaged Navier-Stokes (RANS) approach, is employed in this project.
