Performance of a Propeller Coated with Hydrophobic Material

Abstract

Computational and experimental methods were used to study a propeller coated with hydrophobic material and a propeller with a conventional surface for comparison. In CFD simulations, the blade surface mesh was arranged in a way to set non-slip or free slip wall boundary conditions with different proportions to define the level of surface slip. The conventional and the hydrophobic material propellers defined by different surface slip rates were simulated under different advance speed coefficients and different rotational speeds. Propeller performance results, blade pressure, and the Liutex vorticity distribution were studied. An experimental platform was established to study the velocity field around the propeller using a Particle Image Velocimetry (PIV) device. The CFD calculation results were compared with the PIV results. It was found that the calculation results using a 75% surface slip rate were closer to the experimental results. The calculation results show that the propeller coated with hydrophobic material has improved thrust and efficiency compared with the propeller with conventional material. The hydrophobic material can significantly reduce the low-speed region downstream of the propeller hub. The hub and the tip vortices shown by the Liutex are also significantly reduced. Those changes help to improve the propulsion efficiency.

Mechanical Characterization and Static Analysis of Natural Fiber Based Composite Propeller Blade

“…Considering that environmental regulations are the primary force behind the watercraft construction sector 15) . Presuming differing interfacial slip rates between the normal propeller and the propellers covered with the hydrophobic substance, it may be said that the propellers treated with the hydrophobic material are effective 16) . Weight curtailment is still important, especially for the top side weight of commercial ships.…”