Hydrodynamic Performance and Acoustic Response of Ship Propeller

The aim of the paper is to predict the hydrodynamic performance and noise generated by the propeller at different advance ratio and the speed of the propeller. Three bladed, DTMB 4119 propeller model was created using the NACA66 modified line, a = 0.8 hydrofoil profile. ANSYS Workbench software is used for mesh generation and computational analysis. A large-eddy simulation turbulence model and Ffowcs Williams-Hawkings (FWH) acoustic model is used for all simulations. A moving reference frame is used to simulate the rotational effects of the propeller. The speed of the propeller is 792 rpm, the propeller being 0.2 m, and inlet velocity is varied to study the effect of the advance ratio. A transient analysis is carried out using a time step value of 0.0005 seconds and the total simulation time is 0.6 seconds. The hydrodynamic performance parameters are validated by comparing with the experimental data available in the literature. The sound pressure level (SPL) is plotted over the frequency range of 0 to 1000 Hz at different locations, speed, and an advance ratio of 0.5, 0.7, 0.833, and 0.9,1. The structural, acoustic and hydrodynamic behaviour of the propeller was predicted using a two-way fluid structure interaction at an advance ratio of 0.833. The major conclusions drawn from the analysis are that the sound pressure level values are increased at the propeller off- design conditions and varying with the receiver locations. The data generated from this study is useful for the designers to carry out further research in order to reduce the noise generated from the propeller.