Accurate Capture of Propeller-Rudder Interaction using a Coupled Blade Element Momentum-RANS Approach

Alexander B. Phillips, Stephen R. Turnock, Maaten Furlong
2010 Ship Technology Research  
The physically correct capture of propeller-rudder interaction is important if ship self-propulsion parameters are to be accurately predicted. Full resolution of a time accurate computational fluid dynamics calculation based on the Reynolds Averaged Navier Stokes equations requires a significant computational resource. The axial and tangential accelerations generated in the flow by the passage of the propeller blades may be represented by momentum source terms in the form of a body force
more » ... er model. This paper compares experimental results with numerical simulations using three different body force propeller model approaches. The results demonstrate that as long as the radial variation in axial and tangential momentum generated by the propeller are included, then the influence of the unsteady propeller flow can be removed and 'steady' calculations performed to evaluate the influence of the propeller on the rudder.
doi:10.1179/str.2010.57.2.005 fatcat:wataozlq65az5k6edvimzm4g7q