ISSN 2278-3091

International Journal of Advanced Trends in Computer Science and Engineering, Vol.2 , No.1, Pages : 310 - 315 (2013)
Special Issue of ICACSE 2013 - Held on 7-8 January, 2013 in Lords Institute of Engineering and Technology, Hyderabad

Design and Dynamic analysis on composite propeller of ship using FEA

1 2 3
MOHAMMED AHMED KHAN , Khaja shahnawaz uddin ,Bilal Ahmed
shanu_323@[Link]
1,2,3
Student’s, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Lords Institute of Engineering and Technology, Hyderabad – INDIA

ABSTRACT Ships and underwater vehicles like submarine The present thesis deals with modeling and
and torpedoes use propeller for propulsion. In general, analyzing the propeller blade of a under water vehicle for
propellers are used as propulsors and they are also used to their strength. A propeller is a complex geometry which
develop significant thrust to propel the vehicle at its requires high end modeling software. The solid model of
operational speed and RPM. The blade geometry and propeller is developed in CATIA V5 R17. Tetrahedral mesh
design are more complex involving many controlling is generated for the model using HYPER MESH. Static,
parameters. Propeller with conventional isotropic Eigen and frequency responses analysis of both aluminum
materials creates more vibration and noise in its rotation. and composite propeller are carried out in ANSYS.
It is undesirable in stealth point of view. In current years Interlaminar shear stresses are calculated for composite
the increased need for light weight structural element with propeller by varying the number of layers. The stresses
acoustic insulation has led to use of fiber reinforced multi obtained are well within the limit of elastic property of the
layered composite propeller. The present work is to materials. The results were compeered with Tsai-Wu
carryout the dynamic analysis of aluminum, composite failure theory and found they were within the safe limits.
propeller which is a combination of GFRP (Glass Fiber
KEYWORDS: COMPOSITE PROPELLER,FEA,
Reinforced Plastics) and CFRP (Carbon Fiber Reinforced
STRESS ANALYSIS.
Plastics) materials.

1. INTRODUCTION The propeller is a vital component for the safe

operation of ship at sea. It is therefore important to
Ships and under water vehicles like submarines,
ensure that ship propeller have adequate strength to with
torpedoes and submersibles etc., uses propeller as
stand the forces that act upon them. Fiber reinforced
propulsion. The blade geometry ant its design is more
plastic composite have high strength to weight and these
complex involving many controlling parameters. The
materials have better corrosion resistance, lower
strength analysis of such complex 3D blades with
maintenance, non-magnetic property and it also have
conventional formulas will give less accurate values. In
stealth property for naval vessels. The forces that act on a
such cases numerical analysis (Finite Element Analysis)
propeller blade arise from thrust and torque of the
gives comparable results with experimental values. In the
propeller and the centrifugal force on each blade caused
present project the propeller blade material is converted
by its revolution around the axis. Owing to some what
from aluminum metal to fiber reinforced composite
complex shape of propeller blades, the accurate
material for underwater vehicle propeller. Such complex
calculation of the stresses resulting from these forces is
analysis can be easily solved by finite element method
extremely difficult. The stress analysis of propeller blade
techniques.

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 ISSN 2278-3091

International Journal of Advanced Trends in Computer Science and Engineering, Vol.2 , No.1, Pages : 310 - 315 (2013)
Special Issue of ICACSE 2013 - Held on 7-8 January, 2013 in Lords Institute of Engineering and Technology, Hyderabad

with aluminium and composite material is carried out in 2 ANALYTICAL METHODS TO FIND OUT STRESSES IN A
the present work. BLADE SECTION

The calculation of the stresses in a propeller is extremely

complicated owing to a number of reasons: the loading Thrust force per blade, FT = T
fluctuates, its distribution over the propeller blade surface __________________ (1)
is difficult to calculate, and the geometry of the propeller
Torque force per blade, FQ =
is rather complex. It is therefore usual to use simplified
__________________(2)
methods to calculate the stresses in the propeller blades
2
Centrifugal force, FC = . ṝ(2πn)
and to adopt a large factor of safety based on experience.
2 2
=4π n ṝ
The simple method described here is based on the
_____________(3)
following principal assumptions:

3. FINITE ELEMENT ANALYSIS OF METALLIC AND

 The propeller blade is assumed to be a cantilever
COMPOSITE PROPELLER
fixed to the boss at the root. The critical radius is
just outside the root fillets. With the rapid advancement of technology, the
 The propeller thrust and torque, which arise complexity of the problem to be dealt by a design engineer
from the hydrodynamic pressure distribution is also increasing. This scenario demand speedy, efficient
over the propeller blade surface, are replaced by and optimal design from an engineer. To keep pace with
single forces each acting at a point on the the development and ensure better output, the engineer
propeller blade. to day resorting to numerical methods. For problems
 The centrifugal force on the propeller blade is involving complex shapes, material properties and
assumed to act through the centroid of the complicated boundary conditions, it is difficult and in
blade, and the moment of the centrifugal force many cases intractable to obtain analytical solutions.
on the critical section can be obtained by Numerical methods provide approximate but acceptable
multiplying the centrifugal force by the distance solutions to such problems.
of the centroid of the critical section from the Finite element analysis is one of such numerical
line of action of the centrifugal force. procedure for analyzing and solving wide range of complex
 The geometrical properties of the radial section engineering problems (may be structural, heat conduction,
(expanded) at the critical radius may be used flow field...) which are complicated to be solved
instead of a plane section of the propeller blade satisfactorily by any of the available classical analytical
at that radius, and the neutral axes may be taken methods.
parallel and perpendicular to the base line of the In the present problem, element type solid 46 is used for
expended section. composite propeller and solid 45 is used for aluminum
Let the propeller have Z blades, and be turning propeller.
at a revolution rate n when developing a thrust T
with a torque Q. [Link] [11] suggested the
following formulas.

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 ISSN 2278-3091

International Journal of Advanced Trends in Computer Science and Engineering, Vol.2 , No.1, Pages : 310 - 315 (2013)
Special Issue of ICACSE 2013 - Held on 7-8 January, 2013 in Lords Institute of Engineering and Technology, Hyderabad

3.1 finite element modeling of the propeller Boundary conditions are applied to meshed model. The
contact surface between hub and shaft is fixed in all
Modeling of the propeller is done using CATIA V5 R19. In
degrees of freedom. Thrust of 4000 N is uniformly
order to model the blade, it is necessary to have sections
distributed in the region between the sections at 0.7R and
of the propeller at various radii. These sections are drawn
0.75R on face side of blade, since it is the maximum
and rotated through their respective pitch angles. Then all
loading condition region on each blade. The loading
rotated sections are projected on to right circular cylinders
condition is as shown in fig [Link] of nodes created
of respective radii as shown in figure below. Now by using
were and number of elements created are 1,65,238.
multi section surface option, the blade is modeled.

Power=50 Kw velocity=12.5 m/s

Thrust = power/velocity
=50000/12.5
=4000 N

3.1.1 Solid model

3.2 MESH GENARATION USING HYPERMESH

The solid model is imported to HYPERMESH 7.0
and tetrahedron mesh is generated for the same. 3.2.1 loading on meshed model
Material properties of propeller

Exporting Mesh to the Ansys 11.0 Aluminum properties

First delete all the surfaces and 2d elements before

Young’s modulus E=70000 MPa
exporting to the ANSYS so that only 3D elements are
Poisson ration NUXY=0.34
exported. Now select the user profile in the preferences 3
Mass density = 2700 kg/m
then go to utility menu and mention the ET type as solid45
Damping co-efficient = 0.03
if it is aluminium or solid 46 for composite material,
specify material properties and real constants if necessary.
Then go to 3D option and mention the ET type and
element types. Update all the components in the
component option and at lat renumber all the
components. Now go to export the FE model to the ANSYS.

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 ISSN 2278-3091

International Journal of Advanced Trends in Computer Science and Engineering, Vol.2 , No.1, Pages : 310 - 315 (2013)
Special Issue of ICACSE 2013 - Held on 7-8 January, 2013 in Lords Institute of Engineering and Technology, Hyderabad

Mat no 1: [Link] fabric/ Mat no 2: carbon propeller). The propeller blade is considered as cantilever
Epoxy UD/Epoxy beam i.e. fixed at one end and free at other end. The
Ex = 22.925 Ex = 120 Gpa deformation pattern for aluminum propeller is shown in
Gpa Ey = 10 Gpa figure 6.1. The maximum deflection was found as
Ey = 22.925 Ez = 10 Gpa 6.883mm in y-direction. Similar to the cantilever beam the
Gpa NUXY = 0.16 deflection is maximum at free end.
Ez = 12.4 Gpa NUYZ = 0.2 Maximum principal stress value for the
NUXY = 0.12 NUZX = 0.16 aluminum propeller are shown in figure 6.2 .The Von mises
NUYZ = 0.2 Gxy = 5.2 Gpa stress on the basis of shear distortion energy theory also
NUZX = 0.2 Gyz = 3.8 Gpa calculated in the present analysis. The maximum von
Gxy = 4.7 Gpa Gzx = 6Gpa mises stress induced for aluminum blade is 525.918
2
Gyz = Gzx = 4.2 Gpa Ρ = 1.6gm/cc N/mm as shown in figure [Link] stresses are greatest
Ρ = 1.8gm/cc near to the mid chord of the blade-hub intersection with
smaller stress magnitude toward the tip and edges of the
blade.
4 RESULS AND DISSCUSSIONS 4.1.2 Static analysis of aluminum propeller
Result Aluminum
4.1 Linear static analysis:
propeller
Linear static analysis is concerned with the behavior of
Deflection in 6.883
elastic continua under prescribed boundary conditions and
mm
statically applied loads. The applied load in this case is
Max. normal 485.337
thrust acting on blades. Under water vehicle with contra 2
stress N/mm
rotating (aft) propeller is chosen for FE analysis. The FE
Von mises 525.918
analysis is carried out using ANSYS. The deformations and 2
N/mm
stresses are calculated for aluminum (isotropic) and st
1 principal 518.775
composite propeller (orthotropic material). In composite 2
stress N/mm
propeller 4 cases are considered, those are number of nd
2 principal 206.945
layers is varied as 4, 8, 12, 16. For propeller blade analysis 2
stress N/mm
3D solid element type 92 is considered for aluminum and
solid 46 for composite propeller.
4.1.1 Static analysis of aluminum propeller:
The thrust of 4000N is applied on face side of the blade in
the region between 0.7R and 0.75R. The intersection of
hub and shaft point’s deformations in all directions are
fixed. The thrust is produced because of the pressure
difference between the face and back sides of propeller
max deflection of aluminum propeller
blades. This pressure difference also causes rolling
movement of the under water vehicle. This rolling
movement is nullified by the forward propeller which
rotates in other direction (reverse direction of aft

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 ISSN 2278-3091

International Journal of Advanced Trends in Computer Science and Engineering, Vol.2 , No.1, Pages : 310 - 315 (2013)
Special Issue of ICACSE 2013 - Held on 7-8 January, 2013 in Lords Institute of Engineering and Technology, Hyderabad

Max normal stress of aluminum propeller

max. Interlaminar shear stress of composite propeller with

Static analysis of composite propeller:
8 layers
Four cases are considered for static analysis of composite
propeller by varying the number of layers to check the
bonding strength. Interlaminar shear stresses are
calculated for all cases.
Case 1: 4 Layers
Case2: 8 layers
Case 3: 12 layers
Case 4: 16 layers.

[Link] mises stress of composite propeller with 12 layers

Case1: Analysis results of 4 layers
Maximum deflection for composite propeller
Static analysis results of composite propeller
with 4 layers was found to be 0.47939mm Z-direction i.e
No. of Max Max. von Interlaminar
perpendicular to fibers of the blade as shown in figure 6.4.
layers deflection normal mises shear
The maximum normal stress was found to be 77.555
in mm stress, stress, stress,
2
N/mm as shown in figure [Link] maximum von mises 2 2 2
N/mm N/mm N/mm
2
stress was found to be 97.038 N/mm as shown in figure
4 0.479367 77.555 97.038 51.327
6.6. The maximum interlaminar shear stress was found to
2 th
8 0.47721 77.611 99.276 52.146
be 51.327 N/mm as shown in figure 6.7 at top of 4
12 0.4846 78.784 101.099 52.744
layer.
16 0.488923 79.511 101.876 53.01
. The variation of deflection, stress for different layers was
not found to be of much difference. The maximum
variation of interlaminar shear stresses was found to

3.1748%.

Max. deflection of composite propeller with 4 layers.

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 ISSN 2278-3091

International Journal of Advanced Trends in Computer Science and Engineering, Vol.2 , No.1, Pages : 310 - 315 (2013)
Special Issue of ICACSE 2013 - Held on 7-8 January, 2013 in Lords Institute of Engineering and Technology, Hyderabad

CONCLUSIONS AND FUTURE SCOPE OF WORK REFERENCES

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work: Washington, 1933
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