The calculations of propeller induced velocity by RANS and momentum theory

Abstract

In order to provide instructions for the calculation of the propeller induced velocity in the study of the hull-propeller interaction using the body force approach, three methods were used to calculate the propeller induced velocity: 1) Reynolds-Averaged Navier-Stokes (RANS) simulation of the self-propulsion test, 2) RANS simulation of the propeller open water test, and 3) momentum theory of the propeller. The results from the first two methods were validated against experimental data to assess the accuracy of the computed flow field. The thrust identity method was adopted to obtain the advance velocity, which was then used to derive the propeller induced velocity from the total velocity field. The results computed by the first two approaches were close, while those from the momentum theory were significantly overestimated. The presented results could prove to be useful for further calculations of self-propulsion using the body force approach.

Keywords

propeller induced velocity / RANS / momentum theory / self-propulsion