01-05-2017

THE PROPELLER IN “OPEN” WATER

Introduction

• Propeller is normally fitted at the stern of a

ship
• Performance of the propeller is thus affected
by the ship to which it is fitted
• If we want the Performance characteristics of
a propeller- it should be tested without the
effect of the ship where the propeller running
in undisturbed or “open” water
• Performance characteristics of a propeller

Laws of Similarity

• Laws of Similarity Provide the conditions

under which a model must be made to
operate
• So that its performance will reflect that of a
prototype
The conditions that need to be fulfilled are :
– Geometrical similarity
– Kinematic similarity
– Kinetic similarity or dynamic similarity.

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Geometrical similarity
– Model be geometrically similar to the full-size
body
– Every linear dimension of the body bear a
constant ratio to the corresponding dimension of
the model
• Boss diameter
• Blade section
• chord lengths
• thicknesses at corresponding radii

Kinematic similarity
– This requires the ratio of any velocity in the flow
field of the full-size body to the corresponding
velocity in the model be constant
– For propellers, considering the speed of advance
and the tangential velocity at the blade tip
V AS  n S DS

V AM  n M DM

kinetic or dynamic similarity

• Ratios of the various forces acting on the full-
size body be equal to the corresponding ratios
in the model
Some of the forces acting on the body
Inertia Force = mass x acceleration
2
  L  LT
3

2
 L T
4

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Gravity Force = mass x gravitational

acceleration
L g
3

 gL
3

Viscous Force = coefficient of viscosity x velocity

gradient x area
L
 T L
2

L
1
 L T
2

Pressure Force = pressure x area

2
p L


2
pL

2 2
Inertia Force  L T
4 2
L T V2
  
 gL
3
Gravity Force gL gL

Inertia Force  L T

4

2
 L T  2 1
V L V L
Viscous Force  L 2 T 1   


2
Pr essure Force pL p p
  
Inertia Force  L T
4 2
 LT
1
 
2
 V2

– Dynamic similarity
Ratios for forces for the full- size body = corresponding ratios
for the model

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Dynamic similarity of propellers

Fn S  Fn M VA S

VA M
g DS g DM

Rn S  Rn M V A S DS

V A M DM
S M

p0 S p0 M
En S  En M 1
2
 S V A2S
 1
2
 M V AM
2

• If considering the nature of the viscous flow

around a propeller
V0.7 R c0.7 R
Rn0.7 R 

where :
c0.7 R = the chord length of the blade section at 0.7R

V0.7 R = V A2   0.7  n D  2

Dimensional Analysis
T  f  D , V A , n,  ,  , g , p 
 K D i1 VAi2 n i3  i4  i5 g i6 p i7
Where
D = Diameter,
VA = Speed of advance
n = Revolution rate
 = Density
 = Viscosity of the fluid
g = Acceleration due to gravity
p = pressure

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In terms of the dimensions mass M, length L and time T :

M L T   L  L T  T  M L 
2 i1 1 i2 1 i3 3 i4

M L T  L T  M L
1 1 i5 2 i6 1
T 
2 i7

 M  i4 i5 i7 L i1 i2 3i4 i5 i6 i7 T  i2 i3 i5  2i6  2i7

i4+ i5 + i7 =1
i1 + i2 – 3i4– i5 + i6 – i7 =1
- i2 – i3 – i5 – 2i6 – 2i7 = -2

i1 = 2 + i 3 – i5 + i6
i2 = 2 – i3 – i5 – 2i6 – 2i7
i4 = 1 – i5 – i7

T   K D 2  i3  i5  i6 VA2  i3  i5  2i6  2i7 n i3  1  i5  i7  i5 g i6 p i7

i5
  
i3 i6 i7
 nD  gD  p 
  D 2 V A2  K  V   
  VA D 
 2   
  VA
2
 A     VA  

T  V   V D   V   p 
 f  A   A   A   1 
2 
 D 2 VA2  nD      gD   2 VA 

 f  J , Rn , Fn , E n 

V A2
 f  J , R n , Fn E n 
T T

 D 2 V A2 n 2 D 2  n 2 D 4

 f  J , R n , Fn E n 
Q
 n2 D5

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T Q
KT  KQ 
 n2 D4  n2 D5

• open water efficiency

T VA K J
O   T
2 n Q K Q 2

Laws of Similarity in Practice

For ship
• diameter DS
• speed of advance VAS
• revolution rate ns
For model
• diameter Dm what  VAS , ns

laws of similarity require

– Advance coefficient J
– Reynolds number Rn
– Froude number Fn
– Euler number En
Reynolds number of the model propeller is to be equal
to the Reynolds ship
RnS = Rnm

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V A M DM V A S DS

M S

DS
VA M  VA S  VA S 
DM

• Advance coefficient of the model propeller is to be

equal to the advance coefficient ship
Jm = Js
VA M VA S

n M DM n S DS

V A M DS
nM  nS
V A S DM

n M  n S 2

• The thrust coefficients

KT M  KT S
TM TS

 M n M2 DM4  S n S2 DS4
2 4
n  D 
TM  TS  M   M 
 n S   DS 

TM  TS 4 4  TS
• Example
Ds = 5m Dm = 20 cm
Ts = 500kN
VA = 10 m/sec
ns = 100 rpm

DS 5m
   25
DM 20 cm

V A M  V A S   10 m s 1  25  250 m s 1

nM  nS  2
 100 rpm  25 2  62500 rpm

TM  TS  500 kN

• An experimental facility capable of achieving these values is

practically impossible

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• Froude number of the model propeller is to be equal to the

Froude number of the ship propeller
VA M VA S

g DM g DS

DM
VA M  VA S  V A S   0 .5
DS

• For equal Froude numbers the advance coefficients of the

model propeller and the ship propeller are made equal
V A M DS
nM  nS  n S 0.5   n S 0.5
V A S DM

• For equal Froude numbers and advance coefficients, the

thrust coefficient of the model propeller is equal to the thrust
coefficient of the ship propeller
2 4
n   DM 
TM  TS  M     TS   4  TS 3
 nS   DS 
• Example
Ds = 5m Dm = 20 cm
Ts = 500kN
VA = 10 m/sec
ns = 100 rpm

DS
  25
DM
1
V A M  V A S 0.5  10 m s 1   2.0 m s 1
5

nM  nS 0.5  100 rpm  5  500 rpm

1
TM  TS 3  500 kN   0.032 kN
25 3
• These values can be achieved in practice with comparative
ease.

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• The laws of similarity also require that the Euler number of

the model propeller be equal to the Euler number of the ship
propeller
p0 M p0 S

1
2
 M V A2M 1
2
 S V A2S
2
V 
p0 M  p0 S  A M   p0 S 1
V 
 AS 

• A ship propeller of 5.76 m diameter, 0.8 pitch ratio, 0.55 blade

area ratio, 0.05 blade thickness fraction and 0.18 boss
diameter ratio produces a thrust of 1200 kN with a delivered
power of 15000 kW at 150 rpm and 7.5 m per sec speed of
advance in sea water. The depth of immersion of the propeller
is 6.0 m. A 0.16 m diameter model of this propeller is to be
tested in fresh water. Determine for the model propeller (a)
pitch, (b) blade area, (c) blade thickness at shaft axis, (d) boss
diameter, (e) speed of advance, (f) revolution rate, (g) thrust,
(h) delivered power and (i) total pressure if the Froude
numbers of the model and the ship propellers are to be made
equal. What is the ratio of the Reynolds number of the ship
propeller to the Reynolds number of the model propeller ?

P AE t0 d
DS  5.76m  0.8  0.55  0.55  0.18
D AO D D

TS  1200kN PD S  15000kW hS  6.0m VAS  7.5m / s

 S  1025kg / m 3  M  1000 kg / m 3 nS  150rpm  2.5 / s

p A  101 .325kN / m 2 pVS  1.646kN / m 2 pVM  1.704kN / m 2

 M  1.139 * 106 m 2 / s  S  1.188 * 106 m 2 / s DM  0.16 m

DS 5.76
    36
DM 0.16

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From geometrical similarity, one obtains for the model :

• Pitch
Ps
PM   DM  0.8  0.16  0.128m
Ds
• Expanded blade area
AES  
AE M   DM2  0.55   0.162  0.01106m 2
AOS 4 4
• Blade thickness at shaft axis
t0 M  tD  D
0S
S M  0.050  0.16  0.008m

• Boss diameter
d 
dM    DM  0.180  0.16  0.0288m
D

• For equal Froude numbers :

VA M VA S 1
 , VA M  VA S 0.5  7.5   1.25m / s
g DM g DS 6

• For equal advance coefficients :

VA M VA S
 , nM  nS 0.5  2.5  6  15 / s  900rpm
n M DM nS DS

• For equal thrust coefficients :

TM TS

 M n M2 D M4  S n S2 D S4
3
M 1000  1 
TM  TS 3  1200  
  0.02509 kN
S 1025  36 

• For equal torque coefficients, and noting that PD = 2 π n Q,

PD M PD S

2  M nM
3
DM5 2   S nS3 DS5

M
 36 
1000  3 .5  0 .05228 kW
PD M  PD S 1.5 5  15000 
S 1025

• For equal cavitation numbers,

p 0 M  pV p A   S g hS  pV

 M V A2M  S V A2S
1 1
2 2


p0 M  p A   S g hS  pV  M
1  pV
S

 101.325  1.025  9.81  6.0  1.704 

1.000 1
 1.704  6.0388kN / m
2

1.025 36

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• The ratio of the Reynolds numbers is :

DS
VA S
Rn S S  1.139  10 6
  0.5  M  6  36   207.091
Rn M VA M
DM S 1.188  10 6
M
• Form the above we have large difference between
Rn S & Rn M for the propeller
difference between

KT S & KTM KQ S & KQM

• When considering the performance characteristics of a

propeller in open water
KT  f  J , R n , Fn En 

KQ  f  J , R n , Fn En 
some simplifications are made
• Froude number governs the gravity waves generated at the
free surface due to the motion of a body in a fluid
– Since propeller is immersed in water Froude number can be neglected

• Reynolds numbers cannot be made equal in any case, the

Reynolds number is also omitted from these equations, and a
correction made for this separately
• The Euler number must be put in the form of the cavitation
number
 KT 
   f J,  
K Q 
• If cavitation can be eliminated

 KT 
   f J 
K Q 

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• From the above relations between dimensionless quantities

should be independent of the size of the propeller
– But Reynolds number, depends upon the size of the propeller
Correction
– Not making the model propeller too small
– Dull matt surface finish
– Model propeller in open water is run at as high an axial speed and
revolution rate as possible

• Open Water Characteristics

• KT and KQ have their largest values at J = 0

• when the propeller is revolving about its own
axis without advancing through the water
• bollard pull condition from the trial in which a
tug is attached to a bollard by a tow rope and
the maximum pull of which the tug is capable
is determined
• static condition also corresponds to the 100
per cent slip condition

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• The value of J at which KT = 0 condition, the

resultant velocity VR may be regarded as being
directed along the no-lift line of the
representative blade section

• This condition of propeller operation is known

as the feathering condition

• Problem

The open water characteristics of a propeller for both

directions of advance and revolution, “four quadrant
characteristics”,
• A propeller is normally used to propel the ship ahead,
 VA (+ve) & n (+ve)
• The propeller may also be reversed to decelerate the ship
when it is going forward
 VA (+ve) & n (-ve)
• The propeller may be run in the reverse direction to propel
the ship astern
 VA (-ve) & n (-ve)
• When a ship going astern is to be stopped the propeller is
run in the forward direction
 VA (-ve) & n (+ve)

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four quadrant characteristics

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Methodical Propeller Series

• The propellers belonging to the series are related to

one another
• Determining the open water characteristics of a small
number of propellers of the series
• Characteristics of any propeller of the series may be
easily calculated
• Parameters of the propeller which are varied
– pitch ratio
– blade area ratio are systematically varied
• blade section shapes
• camber ratio
• thickness distribution

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Gawn or the AEW (Admiralty Experimental Works) 20-

inch methodical series

• Propellers have elliptical developed blade

outlines and segmental blade sections

methodical series of propellers is the B-series of MARIN

• features of the B-series propellers :

– an asymmetric wide tipped blade outline, and aerofoil sections at the
inner radii changing gradually to segmental sections at the blade tip

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PARTICULARS OF B-SERIES PROPELLERS

Z

2 0.5 – 1.4 0.30 0.055 0.180

3 0.5 – 1.4 0.35 – 0.80 0.050 0.180

4 0.5 – 1.4 0.40 – 1.00 0.045 0.167

5 0.5 – 1.4 0.45 – 1.05 0.040 0.167

6 0.5 – 1.4 0.45 – 1.05 0.035 0.167

7 0.5 – 1.4 0.55 – 0.85 0.030 0.167

Alternative Forms of Propeller Coefficients

• The coefficients were introduced by Admiral D. W.

Taylor and are defined as follows :
n PD0.5 nD
BP   
V A2.5 VA
where :
D = propeller diameter in feet
n = propeller rpm
PD = delivered power in British horsepower
(1 hp = 0.7457 kW) for the open water
condition in fresh water.
VA = speed of advance in knots.

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• Some propellers operate at very high slip ratios

• such as tug and trawler propellers
• BP and  fall outside the normal range. In such cases, one
may use    the system of coefficients
0.5
  n2 D5 
     K Q0.5
 Q 
0.5
  D3 
  V A    J K Q0.5
 Q 

 KT 2  K Q 
DT 0.5

2 Q

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