Numerical analysis on the wake field of fast container ship stern with novel propeller duct

Abstract

For a container ship, B573, a wake field in the sense of a non-uniform low velocity distribution occurs behind it. To improve wake current distribution and to enhance propeller efficiency, the container ship model is numerically studied using a computational fluid dynamics (CFD) method. The simulated wake field of the ship includes the bare hull with a symmetry accelerating duct, namely duct 37A. Furthermore, a designed asymmetry duct integrated within accelerating part and decelerating part is placed at propeller plane to improve the nominal wake in the ship stern. In addition, the different influence on the wake field is calculated and compared by using the symmetry and/or the proposed asymmetry ducted geometry. Simulation results showed that the wake field in the propeller plane behind the ship stern with the duct has been widely improved whereas the bilge vortex decreases largely resulting in mean advance velocity in propeller plane increasing obviously.