Comparative Analysis of the Impact of Geometrical Parameters on the Hydrodynamic Performance and Flow Characteristics of a Toroidal Propeller

Abstract

This study parametrically explores the hydrodynamic characteristics of a toroidal propeller. Seven geometrical parameters (skew angle, pitch angle, chord length, rake, roll angle, blade alpha vertical angle, and blade section) are introduced, and their effects on thrust, torque, and efficiency are analyzed. The performance of the propellers is simulated using computational fluid dynamics based on the finite volume method. First, an open-water simulation is conducted for a common B-series propeller. The numerical results are compared with available experimental data, and an acceptable agreement is achieved. Then, the investigations were extended to the toroidal propeller by changing the seven geometrical parameters (±5%, ±10%, and ±20%). The analysis demonstrates hydrodynamic performance improvements relative to the B-series propeller. Numerical results indicate that changes in pitch angles exert the greatest influence on hydrodynamic efficiency, whereas variations in skew angle have the least impact. Furthermore, a comparative study examines the flow field around and downstream of the propellers under different operating conditions.

Keywords

Computational fluid dynamics / Toroidal propeller / Parametric study / Blade section / Hydrodynamic coefficients

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Harbin Engineering University and Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature