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An innovative propeller with experimental and sea trial verifications

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Abstract

An end plate propeller (ENDP) shaped by a diffused endplate bent to the pressure side is proposed in the paper. The ENDP differs from a contracted and loaded tip (CLT) propeller, and possess remarkable performance in terms of cavitation, efficiency, vibration, and noise comparing with that of CLT and conventional propeller, particularly operating at inclined shaft condition. According to experiments conducted in the cavitation tunnel of National Taiwan Ocean University, it is observed that the diffused endplate can effectively restrain tip vortex cavitation, and eliminate tip-plate cavitation typically found on the outer surface of the tip-plate of a CLT propeller. The optimal diameter of the ENDP is smaller than that of a conventional propeller; thus, the ENDP is more suitable for ships with small stern space. Besides, the thrust of the ENDP is contributed much more from its pressure side, therefore, the cavitation on the back is reduced, and the efficiency is increased. Sea trials using a yacht with the ENDP were carried out and the results show that vibrations due to the sheet cavitation at blade-rate frequencies by the ENDP are significantly decreased in comparison with those of conventional propeller, and overall broad-band amplitude caused by the tip vortex cavitation by the ENDP at high frequencies are nearly disappeared.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Systems Engineering and Naval Architecture, National Taiwan Ocean University, Keelung, Taiwan, ROC

    Young-Zehr Kehr, Huan-Jia Xu & Jui-Hsiang Kao

  2. Center of Excellence for Ocean Engineering, National Taiwan Ocean University, Keelung, Taiwan, ROC

    Young-Zehr Kehr

Authors
  1. Young-Zehr Kehr
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  2. Huan-Jia Xu
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  3. Jui-Hsiang Kao
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Correspondence to Young-Zehr Kehr or Huan-Jia Xu.

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Kehr, YZ., Xu, HJ. & Kao, JH. An innovative propeller with experimental and sea trial verifications. J Mar Sci Technol 25, 609–619 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00773-019-00665-w

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00773-019-00665-w

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