Effects of the Advance Ratio on the Evolution of Propeller Wake

Abstract

This study numerically carried out the propeller open water test (POW) by solving Navier-Stokes equations governing the three-dimensional unsteady incompressible viscous flow with the turbulence closure model of the Κ-ω SST model. Numerical simulations were performed at wide range of advance ratios. A great difference of velocity magnitude between the inner region and the outer region of the slipstream tube forms the thick and large velocity gradient which originates from the propeller tip and develops along the downstream. Eventually, the strong shear layer appears and plays the role of the slipstream boundary. As the advance ratio increases, the vortical structures originated from the propeller tips quickly decay. The contraction of the vortices trace is considerable with decreasing the advance ratio.