Accurate thruster modeling with non-parallel ambient flow for underwater vehicles

Abstract

To improve the maneuverability of underwater vehicles, accurate thrust model is required. However, its modeling is not only difficult but also inaccurate, because it has highly nonlinear dynamics and many parameters which cannot be modeled exactly. Generally, a propeller's steady-state axial thrust is proportional to the signed square of propeller shaft velocity under bollard pull condition. And, it is reported that the velocity of the ambient flow of the thruster affects the thrust force largely. From these facts, we can easily make a reasonable inference that the thrust force may also be affected by the thruster spouting angle with respect to the vehicle moving direction. However, the effect of this non-parallel ambient flow is not well understood in the previous works. Hence, in this paper, a new parameter, what we call incoming angle, is introduced and its effect on thrust force is shown. Incoming angle is defined as the angle between the direction of thrust and that of vehicle velocity. The effect of this angle can be dominant during an underwater vehicle changes its direction, or an omni-directional vehicle carries out its task. The effect cannot be compensated by including the only parallel component of vehicle velocity into previous models. In this paper, based on the three axial flow states classification model, the effect of the incoming angle of ambient flow is analyzed, and critical incoming angle (CIA) is also defined to describe the thrust force states according to incoming angle. In order to characterize the effect of non-parallel ambient flow, the proposed model is evaluated by comparing experimental data with numerical model simulation data, and it accurately covers overall flow conditions within /spl plusmn/2N force error.