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Design of propeller geometry using streamline-adapted blade sections

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Abstract

We refine the geometry of a propeller by modifying the blade sections to align them with surface streamlines, obtained by the panel method. Redefinition of the blade sections aligned with the streamlines is provided together with surface modeling scheme by which model propellers were built. Numerical simulations and open-water tests on models suggest a possible increase of 1% in propeller efficiency.

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Abbreviations

ρ :

density of water

ν :

kinematic viscosity of water

R :

radius of a propeller

D :

diameter of a propeller

n :

rotational speed of a propeller (rps)

V A :

inflow velocity to a propeller disk

V L :

local velocity on a propeller surface

T :

thrust

Q :

torque

\( J = \frac{{V_{\text{A}} }}{nD} \) :

advance ratio

\( K_{\text{T}} = \frac{T}{{\rho n^{2} D^{4} }} \) :

thrust coefficient

\( K_{\rm Q} = \frac{Q}{{\rho n^{2} D^{5} }} \) :

torque coefficient

\( \eta_{0} = \frac{J}{2\pi }\frac{{K_{\rm T} }}{{K_{\rm Q} }} \) :

open-water efficiency

\( Rn = \frac{{c_{0.7R} \sqrt {V_{\text{A}}^{2} + (0.7D\pi n)^{2} } }}{\nu } \) :

Reynolds number at 0.7R

c 0.7R :

chord length at 0.7R

\( C_{\text{P}} = 1 - \frac{{V_{\text{L}}^{2} }}{{V_{\text{A}}^{2} }} \) :

pressure coefficient

\( f_{\tau } = \frac{1}{2}\rho V_{\text{L}}^{2} C_{\text{f}} {\text{d}}A \) :

friction force on a panel

C f :

frictional coefficient

dA :

area of a panel

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Acknowledgments

This work was supported by a Korea Science and Engineering Foundation (KOSEF) grant funded by the Korea government (MOST) (No. ROA-2007-000-10028-0), and partly by Research Institute of Marine Systems Engineering (RIMSE) grant and BK21 grant funded by SNU.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Naval Architecture and Ocean Engineering, Seoul National University, Sillim 9-Dong, Gwanak-Gu, Seoul, 151-744, South Korea

    Yoo-Chul Kim, Tae-Wan Kim & Jung-Chun Suh

  2. Realweb, 203 Nonhyun-Dong, Gangnam-Gu, Seoul, 135-010, South Korea

    Sangwoo Pyo

Authors
  1. Yoo-Chul Kim
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  2. Tae-Wan Kim
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  3. Sangwoo Pyo
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  4. Jung-Chun Suh
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Yoo-Chul Kim.

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Kim, YC., Kim, TW., Pyo, S. et al. Design of propeller geometry using streamline-adapted blade sections. J Mar Sci Technol 14, 161–170 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00773-008-0032-3

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00773-008-0032-3

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