Numerical study of the hydrodynamic performances of surface piercing propeller

SHI Yu-xiang，ZHANG Ling-xin，SHAO Xue-ming

（State Key Laboratory of Fluid Power Transmission and Control，Zhejiang University，Hangzhou 310027，China）

Abstract：Aiming at investigating the hydrodynamic performances of surface piercing propeller，CFD method was applied to simulate its flow filed. The numerical results were compared with the experimental data. A right-hand surface piercing propeller with five blades was modeled. Its flow field was solved through Reynolds Averaged Navier-Stokes equation（RANS）. SST k -ω turbulence model was utilized to calculate Reynolds stresses in the RANS equations. The Open Channel Flow model in Fluent was employed to simulate the gas-liquid flow in cavitation tunnel. The free surface was captured through the VOF method and the rotation of the propeller was handled by means of sliding mesh. The results indicate that the wake field shape is in satisfactory agreements with the experimental data. It proved the validity of CFD method to predict the performance of surface piercing propeller. In less depth of immersion，numerical simulation can supply a good prediction of propeller performance. With the increase of the immersing depth，the results are accurate enough for thrust coefficient and efficiency. However there are some deviations for torque coefficient prediction. The numerical results can provide the fluctuating curve of macroscopic forces and the pressure distribution contour of a fully-submerged blade. The process of entry and exit of the water can also be researched in detail.