Ducted Propeller Research Articles

Numerical Investigation of Hydrodynamic Characteristics of a Rim-Driven Thruster Coupled with an Underwater Vehicle

In this paper, the hydrodynamic characteristics of a rim-driven thruster (RDT) behind the hull of an underwater vehicle are investigated. The studied underwater vehicle is the benchmark DARPA (Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency) suboff model, with and without full appendages. In order to verify and validate the numerical model, a grid sensitivity analysis is made for the AFF-1, AFF-8 and the ducted propeller cases, respectively. Then, the resistance and pressure distribution over the surface of the suboff with and without appendages are compared with available experimental measurements and good correlations were observed. As for the propeller, a well-studied ducted propeller, the 19A duct in combination with Ka-47 blades, is employed, and the numerical results exhibit a close relationship with the available experimental data under a wide range of advance coefficients. Afterwards, the self-propulsion characteristics of the suboff models propelled by RDTs using different duct configurations are studied, more specifically, the unsteady effects of the flow field induced by the interactions between propeller and hull under various working conditions. The results indicate that due to the influence of the hull, the RDTs operate in different working conditions compared to open water and exhibit distinct hydrodynamic characteristics. Moreover, the duct profile can have a significant effect on the unsteady pressure fluctuations in the flow field, especially in the vicinity of the propeller.

Research on layout optimization for propellers of a submarine operation vehicle

The submarine operation vehicle was an important equipment for exploring the marine environment and performing underwater tasks. In this paper, the calculation and analysis of hydrodynamic performance and the layout optimization of the propellers under different layouts were completed. Based on the left-right symmetrical layout of the four ducted propellers, the two ducted propellers were taken as the research object to optimize its vector layout, and an approximate model was constructed according to the numerical calculation results under different combinations of propeller spacing and deflection angle. The simulation calculation and verification are carried out, and the optimal layout of the four ducted propeller were determined considering the interference between the ducted propellers on both sides. Finally, an experimental platform for the thrust test of the two ducted propellers were built. It was found that the axial thrust ratio of the rear propeller and the front propeller in experimental results were in good agreement with the simulation results, which verified the feasibility of using the numerical simulation method to study the mutual interference between the ducted propellers.

An efficient method to simulate ship self-propulsion in shallow waters and its application to optimize hull lines

Emerging environmental challenges, such as pronounced low water levels and a constantly increasing transport volume, underscore the need to address logistical complexities and to refocus attention on the performance of self-propulsion vessels in restricted and confined waters. Recognizing the demand for an accurate and efficient ship design method, we modified an actuator disk model to predict ship propulsion. This model was designed to be applicable to various kinds of ships, with special features tailored to meet the specific requirements of inland water vessels, particularly those equipped with ducted propellers. We implemented this model into the open-source CFD software library OpenFOAM to be used in conjunction with either single- or multiphase incompressible solvers. We validated this implemented model against model test data, thereby demonstrating its capability to accurately predict propulsion performance of a typical inland waterway vessel. Following validation, we employed this model in an automated optimization process, demonstrating its robust and efficient applicability for a practical user-defined case to improve a ship's afterbody lines. Meticulous grid convergence studies ensured the predictive convergence of our simulations. Our validation covered various ship speeds at three distinct water depths, ranging from a moderate water depth-to-draft ratio h/T of 2.67 to an extreme shallow water depth-to-draft ratio h/T of 1.25. We validated our simulated results against data extracted from our own previous model tests, comprising measured ship trim and ship sinkage, propeller thrust, duct thrust, propeller torque, propeller revolution rate, and propulsion power. We investigated the influence of water depth also on various parameters, such as friction and pressure distributions, free surface interactions, and velocity patterns. Finally, we integrated the developed method into an automated optimization process that we tailored for a selected test cases of the considered ship operating in water depth to draft ratios h/T of 2.67. This integrated process facilitated the systematic refinement of the ship's afterbody lines, representing a crucial step in the pursuit to enhance ship performance.

Implementation of Kaplan Type Ducted Propeller on Hydrodynamics of Offshore Supply Vessel (OSV)

Implementation of Kaplan Type Ducted Propeller on Hydrodynamics of Offshore Supply Vessel (OSV)

The Design and Application of a Vectored Thruster for a Negative Lift-Shaped AUV

Autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs), as primary platforms, have significantly contributed to underwater surveys in scientific and military fields. Enhancing the maneuverability of autonomous underwater vehicles is crucial to their development. This study presents a novel vectored thruster and an optimized blade design approach to meet the design requirements of a specially shaped AUV. Determining the ideal blade characteristics involves selecting a maximum diameter of 0.18 m and configuring the number of blades to be four. Furthermore, the blades of the AUV were set to rotate at a speed of 1400 revolutions per minute (RPM). The kinematics of the thrust-vectoring mechanism was theoretically analyzed. A propulsive force test of the vectored thruster with ductless and ducted propellers was performed to evaluate its performance. A ductless propeller without an annular wing had a higher propulsive efficiency with a maximum thrust of 115 N. Open-loop control was applied to an AUV in a water tank, exhibiting a maximum velocity of 0.98 m/s and a pitch angle of 53°. The maximum rate of heading angle was 14.26°/s. The test results demonstrate that the specially designed thrust-vectoring mechanism notably enhances the effectiveness of AUVs at low forward speeds. In addition, tests conducted in offshore waters for depth and heading control validated the vectored thruster’s capability to fulfill the AUV’s motion control requirements.

Injection of micro jets to improve hydrodynamic performance of a ducted propeller

In this study, micro jets were applied to actively controlling the flow of the international standard ducted propeller model. The detached-eddy simulation (DES) method with the shear stress transport (SST) k‐ω turbulence model was adopted for numerical simulation. Three ways of installing injectors and three jet flow velocities were considered. It was found that for all installation ways, injecting the jets improves the hydrodynamic efficiency when the jets are set at the two lower velocities. The maximum improvement of 3.8% was obtained from the two-injector installation with the medium jet velocity that is two times the freestream velocity. The micro jets disturb vortices developed from the blade tips and hub, and the disturbance aggregates the breakdown of these vortices. The micro jets trigger additional vortices at the duct leading edge, which become secondary vortices aside the helical blade-tip vortices. This effect was also found for the baseline model, but it is much weaker. The angle of attack of the blade is changed accordingly, which leads to the increasing of both thrust and torque. However, the hydrodynamic efficiency is increased, since the power consumed by the torque increment is smaller than that for the thrust increment.

Numerical investigation and performance comparison of UAV propeller with varying duct configuration

PurposeThe purpose of this study is to investigate the effects of propeller thrust with two different duct configurations. Propellers in a quadcopter play an indispensable role in generating the necessary thrust and torque to keep the drone flying and manoeuvring. Based on the specific purpose of the unmanned aerial vehicle, both the altitude and attitude can be varied by the amount of thrust produced.Design/methodology/approachThis paper deals with the generation of three numerical models such as plain rotor, rotor with fixed duct and rotor with rotating duct and the comparison of their amount of generated thrust. The plain rotor numerical analysis was compared with the experimental results. The rotor taken for the analysis was 15 mm*5.5 mm TAROT 650. Thrust was measured for all models at four different angular speeds, such as 2,500 rpm, 4,000 rpm, 5,500 rpm and 7,000 rpm.FindingsDue to the suction pressure gradient on the duct inlet surface, the additional amount of lift is produced, and it is the best way of increasing propulsion efficiency and its aerodynamic performance as it reduces the tip loss at the tip of the propeller. The turbulence model taken for the numerical analysis was k−ε.Originality/valueThe rotating duct is expected to provide additional thrust by the increased upward force due to the rotation of duct. The rotating duct produced the optimal results between the plain model and ducted model. At the highest speed of 7,000 rpm, the ducted propeller produced 24.97 N, and the rotating duct propeller produced 23.89 N, whereas the plain propeller produced 23 N thrust. Nearly 8.6% of the thrust improvement is observed in duct and 3.87% in rotating duct.

Research on ship propeller noise reduction: Advanced materials and innovative geometric design

The noise reduction technology of ship propellers is currently one of the challenging directions, despite some progress having been made, continuous research and development are still underway. This paper elucidates commonly used noise reduction methods, namely geometric structure optimization and material optimization. Geometric structure optimization involves aspects such as the number of propeller blades, disk loading ratio, skew angle, and blade shape. Material optimization encompasses material selection, surface coating optimization, and propeller duct design. Corresponding optimization methods are provided for both approaches. A novel and innovative research direction is proposed, leveraging machine learning and neural networks to optimize propeller parameters. Additionally, employing a circumferential friction nanogenerator to sense propeller bearings and identify the coupling relationship between electrical signals and factors such as roughness and rotational speed. This optimization aims to reduce noise by optimizing propeller parameters. The paper concludes by offering insights for current research on ship propeller noise reduction technology in China.

Numerical solution and experimental investigation for hydro-acoustic analysis and noise reduction assessment of ship ducted propeller

Ship noise emission has many environmental impacts. Recognizing noise-generating source and investigating noise reduction techniques is the first step in elimination or reduction of these harmful effects. Studies show that ship propeller is one of the main sources of ship noise emission. Ducted propeller is one of the well-known solutions for noise reduction. In this paper, results of numerical solution for governing mathematical equations of noise emission in far field is presented and sound pressure level is calculated using Ffowcs Williams and Hawkings (FWH) equations. Numerical solution is validated by valid research resources. Propeller noise emission is also calculated by experimental measurements and filtering ambient noise frequencies. Finally, a comparison has been made between numerical solution and experimental results and the effect of duct on noise reduction is calculated. The measured SPL emitted from the propeller in CFD approach (solving the FWH) shows 28% reduction for ducted propeller in comparison with the propeller without the duct. In experimental approach (after removing the ambient noise) shows 37% reduction for ducted propeller in comparison with the propeller without the duct.

Numerical Study of Ld/D Ratio Effect to Thrust and Fluid Velocity on Ducted Propeller

Ducted propeller is an engineered propeller drive which aimed to enhance thrust force. Many ways can be done in purpose to enhance thrust force, such as geometry variation in term of Ld/D ratio. Ld/D ratio is a ratio between duct length and duct diameter. In this research, an analysis was conducted using numerical simulation. This research used two Ld/D ratio (0.4 and 0.5) and three propeller angular velocities as the variables (1000, 3000, and 5000 rpm). The result of this research showed that higher Ld/D ratio produced higher thrust force. At 5000 rpm the thrust fore increased 26.3% on duct with Ld/D ratio of 0.5. Moreover, higher propeller angular velocity produce higher fluid velocity at the ducted propeller outlet. The highest fluid velocity reached at 5000 rpm propeler angular velocity with the value of 9.8 and 10.8 m/s.Keywords: ducted propeller; Ld/D ratio; numerical simulation; thrust force

Aerodynamics and aeroacoustics of ducted propellers: A study on the design and geometry effects

Ducted propellers present broad applicability in urban air mobility vehicles due to their enhanced operational safety, improved aerodynamic performance, and potential to mitigate noise emissions. This study proposes a numerical approach for designing adequate duct geometries, focusing on the duct's lip profile, expansion ratio, and tip clearance, aiming to provide valuable design guidance for ducted propellers. The simulations are validated through experimental data, showing reasonable agreement in terms of thrust generation and far-field noise. The mean flow and generated thrust are characterized with a parametric study using steady simulations, while delayed detached eddy simulations are employed to capture transient flow characteristics and investigate noise generation. The noise levels were computed using the integral solution of the Ffowcs-Williams and Hawkings equation. The lip geometry impacts the flow distribution and generated thrust, modifying the tonal noise. Furthermore, slightly divergent ducts can increase the total thrust by minimizing flow separation on the duct wall while increasing the suction on the duct lip. The primary noise sources are identified at the propeller's leading edge and tip. The results reveal that divergent ducts effectively reduce tonal noise at all observer angles but increase broadband noise, attributed to the noise sources at the leading edge of the propeller and the interaction with the duct lip. Additionally, reducing the tip clearance from 2 to 1 mm enhances the total thrust by more than 20% without causing extra noise generation.

Comparison Study of the k − kL − ω and γ − Reθ Transition Model in the Open-Water Performance Prediction of a Rim-Driven Thruster

The present work examines the capabilities of two transition models implemented in ANSYS Fluent in the open-water performance prediction of a rim-driven thruster (RDT). The adopted models are the three-equation k−kL−ω and the four-equation γ−Reθ models. Both of them are firstly tested on a ducted propeller. The numerical results are compared with available experimental data, and a good correlation is found for both models. The simulations employing two transition models are then carried out on a four-bladed rim-driven thruster model and the results are compared with the SST k−ω turbulence model. It is observed that the streamline patterns on the blade surface are significantly different between the transition and fully turbulent models. The transition models can reveal the laminar region on the blade while the fully turbulent model assumes the boundary layer is entirely turbulent, resulting in a considerable difference in torque prediction. It is noted that unlike the fully turbulent model, the transition models are quite sensitive to the free-stream turbulence quantities such as turbulent intensity and turbulent viscosity ratio, as these quantities determine the onset of the transition process. The open-water performance of the studied RDT and resolved flow field are also presented and discussed.

Design and strength simulation of hub mechanism of variable pitch propeller

The hub mechanism is an important force bearing mechanism of variable pitch propellers and an important actuator of variable pitch control in tilting ducted propeller UAV. To solve the problem of the connection between the blades and the fuselage of the tilting ducted propeller UAV, according to the parameters of the blades, the force of the hub mechanism is analyzed, and the design parameters of the hub mechanism are obtained by using the theoretical calculation method, such as the power density method. The strength of the parts is analyzed by using the finite element method. A variable-pitch propeller hub mechanism was developed for tilting ducted unmanned aerial vehicles. A design flow of the hub mechanism is formed, including the design of the parts of the hub mechanism and the strength check. This will facilitate the design and development of ducted UAVs.

Duct Effects on Acoustic Source Radiation

This paper presents a detailed numerical investigation of the effects of a semi-infinite hard-walled duct on the radiation due to point dipole sources rotating around the duct axis. In particular, this study is concerned with the effect of source position relative to the duct open end and its comparison with radiation in a free field. This study was motivated by the increasing tendency of ducted propellers and fans to be located close to the open end, relative to the acoustic wavelength. In this study, the conditions under which duct effects on source radiation may be neglected are established.

Improvement of the efficiency for rim-driven thrusters through acceleration of gap flow

Efficiency optimization of the rim-driven thruster (RDT) has emerged as a prominent research topic in recent years. In this work, the Reynolds-averaged Navier-Stokes (RANS) solver is employed for simulating open water performance of RDTs, aiming at improving the efficiency of RDTs. Specifically, a series of RDTs are obtained by modifying the Ka4-70 propeller with a 19A duct, and their thrust and torque components, as well as efficiency and gap flow, are thoroughly examined. The investigation commences by exploring the impact of different rim sizes on RDT efficiency. A comparison is conducted between the open water performance of RDTs and the ducted propeller. Subsequently, a case with relatively high efficiency is identified, serving as a basis for the development of a series of modified RDTs equipped with acceleration devices. These devices facilitate accelerated axial flow in the gap, thereby enhancing the thrust generated by the duct, while simultaneously reducing the torque exerted on the rim through accelerated circumferential gap flow. Comparative analysis reveals that the improved RDTs can achieve an open water efficiency increase of up to 10.9% when the advance coefficient is set to 0.6, resulting in an efficiency value of 0.519. The findings presented in this paper introduce a novel direction for optimizing the efficiency of RDTs, contributing to the advancement of this field of study.

Influence of jet flow on hydrodynamic performance of a ducted propeller

This study introduces a concept that jet technology in the aeronautical field is used for active flow control to improve the hydrodynamic performance of a ducted propeller. Jet flow is added in front of the ducted propeller, and it produces a circumferential velocity that is opposite to the rotation direction of the rotor. An international standard ducted propeller was adopted to demonstrate this concept. The unsteady Reynolds-averaged Navier–Stokes method and the shear stress transport k−ω turbulence model were employed for the simulations. The open-source platform OpenFOAM was utilized. The overall efficiency η0 of the ducted propeller first increases and then decreases with increasing the jet flow velocity Rjf from 1 to 3 and the distance L to the rotation center from 0.2D to 0.4D. When the jet flow is at the optimal condition of Rjf=2 and L=0.3D, the maximum efficiency improvement of 3.1% is achieved for the ducted propeller. The reason is that the jet flow contributes to a pressure increase in the flow through the rotor. This effect is related to tip and hub vortices, which are disrupted by the jet flow and have relatively low vorticity magnitudes compared to the reference case without jet. The findings in this study have the potential to advance the development of active flow control technology for ships.

A numerical study of the duct geometry effects on the aerodynamics and aeroacoustics of ducted propellers

Ducted propellers show large applicability in urban air mobility applications due to their operational safety, increased aerodynamic performance and noise reduction potential. In this work, we study the effect of the duct's lip design on the aerodynamics and aeroacoustics of ducted propellers in hover with numerical simulations, which are validated with experiments. Steady numerical simulations were conducted first to efficiently evaluate the impact of the lip design on the aerodynamic performance. The results show how the design of the lip affects the uniformity of the incoming flow to the propeller and the pressure distribution on the duct. Based on these results, an improved lip geometry is proposed, whose noise generation is investigated with delayed detached eddy simulations and the noise radiation to the far field is computed using the integral solution of the Ffowcs-Williams and Hawkings equation. The experimental results show reasonable agreement regarding thrust generation and far-field noise. The spectrum and directivity of the aerodynamic noise are compared, and the primary noise sources are identified in the leading edge and tip of the propeller.

Characteristics Investigations of Ducted Ka4-70 Series Propeller with Boss Cap Fins Using Numerical and Experimental Method

Unconventional system that are generally adopted for ship propulsion are Ducted Propellers. These devices have recently been studied with medium-fidelity computational fluid dynamics code (based on the potential flow hypothesis) with promising results. Numerical and experimental comparison of ducted propeller with PBCF, case studies with Propeller Ka4-70 used combination ducted and PBCF Divergent. The study was done numerically using computational fluid dynamics (CFD) approach. The solver is based on the Reynolds-Averaged Navier-Stokes (RANS) solutions and turbulence modelling explicit algebraic stress model (EASM). The test data was obtained from CFD simulations consisting of the open propeller and combination Nozzle plus PBCF, but the experiment was done to Nozzle and PBCF only. All measurements were carried out from J = 0 to J = 1.0 with speeds from 0 m/s to 2.445 m/s. The results of the comparative investigation cases between numerical and experiment analysis from Ka4-70 propellers with Nozzle 19A and PBCF Divergent appears that between CFD and experiments, several phenomena are seen. (i) the Ka4-70 propeller without Nozzle 19A and PBCF divergent experienced large pressure at low-speed J = 0.1 to high-speed J = 0.7, but Ka4-70 propeller with Nozzle and PBCF divergent reach highest pressure at J = 0.1 to J = 0.5; (ii) the Ka4-70 propeller without 19A nozzle and PBCF divergent increases the flow velocity at the boss cap fins but does not increase the axial induce velocity, while Ka4-70 propeller using nozzle and PBCF divergent increases the axial induce velocity of the blade, but does not increase the flow velocity of the boss cap fins; (iii) Ka4-70 propeller without Nozzle and PBCF value increase of propeller η0 to 12% when ESD added in the form of Nozzle and PBCF when J is high, from J = 0.7 to J = 1.0. ; (iv) Ka4-70 propellers with Nozzle 19A and PBCF Divergent has very similar η0 from J=0 to J=1.0. CFD approach are still appropriate to be relied upon for the overall simulation.

Effects of blade tip thicknesses on hydrodynamic and noise performance of ducted propellers

Propeller noise plays an important role in underwater radiated noise. The radiated noise of a ducted propeller is closely related to the vorticity intensity in the gap between the blade tip and the inner wall surface of the duct. To investigate the influence of blade tip thickening on the hydrodynamic and noise performance of ducted propellers, six different models of ducted propellers with varying blade tip thicknesses are presented. The Reynolds-averaged Navier–Stokes (RANS) method is used to simulate the flow around the ducted propellers, and a combination of Detached Eddy Simulation (DES) and acoustic boundary element method (BEM) is employed to predict the noise. The results show that thickening the blade tips leads to a 4.15% efficiency loss at J = 0.6, but improves efficiency by 17.61% at J = 0.8. As the blade tip thickness increases, the length of the blade tip vortex gradually decreases, and the turbulent kinetic energy (TKE) in the chordwise middle region of the blade tip decreases. Additionally, the peak values of thrust and torque fluctuations of the blades primarily occur at the blade passing frequency (BPF) and its harmonics, with the minimum amplitudes of the BPF at the maximum blade tip thickness. Thickening the blade tips results in a maximum overall sound pressure level reduction of 0.50 dB for the ducted propeller, with a maximum sound pressure level (SPL) reduction of 4.24 dB at certain dominant frequencies.

Comparative study on the wake dynamics of pump-jet and ducted propeller based on dynamic mode decomposition

A comparative study on the wake dynamics of a pump-jet propulsor (PJP) and a ducted propeller (DP) is conducted to investigate the effects of the pre-swirl stator and corresponding stator–rotor interaction on the wake evolution and destabilization mechanisms of a PJP system. The flow field analysis, vortex structure identification, and dynamic mode decomposition (DMD) analysis are carried out based on the numerical results obtained from delayed detached eddy simulations. The numerical hydrodynamic loading and flow field of the PJP are compared with experimental results, and they are in good agreement. Compared with the DP, the stator trailing vortices of the PJP interact with the rotor trailing vortices as well as the hub vortex, accelerating their diffusion and viscous dissipation. The pre-swirl stator triggers the generation of secondary vortices and moderates the spiral behavior of tip leakage vortices, which dominates the wake instability of PJP. The DMD analysis revealed that the wake field evolution is primarily characterized by the different mode structures at blade passing frequency and its multiples, especially in the PJP due to its strong stator–rotor interaction. The modal energy decays faster in the PJP wake field owing to its more turbulent and earlier instability. The hub vortex plays an important role in the wake dynamics of the DP.