Conventional Screw Propeller

• Propeller geometry
• Propeller theory
• Propeller design
Propeller geometry
 Principal particulars
• Propeller plane
• Propeller reference line
• Generator line
• Pitch
• Rake
• Skew
 Pitch
• P=2πr tanφ
Propeller plane and reference line
• Rake
• Skew
 Blade contour and area
• Expanded area ratio, AE=expanded area/disk area
• Projected area ratio, AP=projected area/disk area
Blade section
NACA definition of thickness and
camber
Leading edge radius
Pitch line
 Description of propeller
• Number of blade
• Diameter
• Radial distribution of rake
• Radial distribution of pitch
• Radial distribution of skew
• Radial distribution of chord length
• Radial distribution of thickness
• Radial distribution of camber
• Type of camber and thickness
• Hub shapes
Example of propeller drawing
 Propeller theory
• Lifting theory
Lift and drag
Moment and force definition
Vortex flow and sheet
Kutta condition
Boundary layer growth
Finite wing
Finite wing
Application to propeller
Scheme of velocities and force
 Propeller Design
• By using charts
– B-series, MAU-series, etc.
• By using circulation theory
– Lifting line, lifting surface, panel
– Considering a cavitation and a surface pressure
fluctuation
• By using CFD code
– Consideration of the viscous effect
– Time-consuming job
– Not commonly used
Design point
Typical propeller design point
General Propeller Design Philosophy
• Diameter
– Usually limited by the hull configuration.
– Have to consider the tip clearance
– Normally larger dia. leads larger effi.
• Number of revolution and Power
– Usually decided beforehand by engine
– Normally lower RPM leads larger efficiency
• Number of blades
– Normally determined by engine frequency and
wake characteristics
– Larger no. of blades usually has some benefit,
however, some loss in efficiency
• Radial distribution of loading
– Tip unloading => reduce cavitation and pressure
fluctuation but some loss in efficiency
– Pitch and camber can be designed to adjust a
optimum loading
• Blade outline
– Smaller blade area ratio => higher effi., cavitation
problem
– It is important to have enough blade length in tip
region to prevent the cavitation problem such as
erosion, pressure fluctuation, etc.
• Camber and angle of attack
– Angle of attack is chosen as an ideal angle of
attack and camber cover the remaining loading
– The balance between the camber and angle of
attack is important in cavitation phenomena
• Skew
– Advantages: decrease in propeller induced
unsteady bearing force, moment, pressure force
and cavitation
– Disadvantages: strength-related problem(backing),
difficulty in manufacture, some decrease in
efficiency
• Rake
– To have a enough
clearance to prevent
high surface pressure
fluctuation.
– Some difficulty in
manufacture
– New style rake:
cupped rake =>
higher efficiency
Propeller Design from Series Charts
• By using standard propeller series(B, Mau,
etc.)
• Propeller open water curves => Bp-delta
curves
• Predict other propulsive coefficients(w, t,
eta_r) and EHP
• Consider the cavitation performance by
simple charts(Burrill’s cavitation charts)
 Design Method for BP-δ Charts
• Calculate BP=NPD0.5/VA2.5
• Obtain the intersection point of optimum line
at BP acording to each AE/AO
• Obtain P/D at y axis
• interpolate δ at optimum point
• Calculate diameter form δ
• Open water efficiency (η o) is also obtain in
the same manner
• Determine finally the area ratio by Burrill’s
formula
 Burrill’s formula
• (AE/AO)=T/(AO(1.067-0.229P/D)(0.3σ0.50.7R-0.03)q0.7R
• q0.7R=sqrt(VA2+(0.7πnD)2)
• σ0.7R=(Po-Pv)/q0.7R, Pv=1706 N/m2
Wageningen B-series
POW curves
 Propeller Design from Circulation
Theory
• Advantages of detailed design
– Variation of radial distribution(pitch, chord, etc.)
– Considering cavitation and unsteady wake
• Circulation theory
– Lifting line method(Goldstein, Lerbs)
– Lifting surface method(Kerwin & Lee)
– Lifting panel method(Kerwin & Lee)
 Design Procedure
• The no. of blades are normally determined by
the vibration characteristics.
• The optimum diameter and mean pitch are
determined by series charts
– Propulsion coefficients should be given
• Area ratio is first determined by Burrill’s chart
• Thickness is determined by Rules
• All detailed radial distribution of geometries
are determined by analysis codes
 Key Points in Detailed Design
• Balance between efficiency and cavitation
(pressure fluctuation) performance
• Skew and rake distribution
• Leading edge radius
• Control the radial loading as well as
chordwise loading distribution
• Check the previous data of similar propellers
 PRODES Design Program(Example)
• Window 형식의 메뉴에 의한 편리한 설계
• Data base를 활용한 효과적인 설계
• 주요 제원의 편리한 설계가 되도록 마우스로 faring
• 상세 해석 프로그램과의 자동 연결에 의한 정도 높은
설계를 편리하게 수행
Window type Menu
 Propeller design Concept
according to the Type of Ships;
Tanker and Bulker
• Propeller erosion
- Expanded ratio is to be large enough however
it is related with the pitch distribution
- Leading edge radius is very important
at least more than 5mm is recommended
- Propeller section shape especially at stern part
of suction side is very sensitive to erosion
• Ballast performance
- Designed propeller should be tested in the ballast
wake and its performance is also expected to be
checked
 Container
• Vibration related to the cavitation
- Tip unloading by decreasing of pitch
- Rake propeller
- Need to have a large tip clearance
• Rudder erosion
- Tip unloading
- Divergent type cap
 LNG
• Higher order noise and vibration
- Low camber is recommended

• Need to consider the full-ship shape of wake while

the speed is rather fast
- Skew distribution should be carefully determined
Anti-singing edge treatment
Propeller material
 Propeller strength
• Rule check(DnV, ABS, Lloyd, GL, BV, NK, KR)
• Cantilever beam method
• FEM analysis(스큐 25도 이상)
Comparison of FEM cal. and exp.
Typical fatigue failure