Propeller Roughness
Course Teacher:
Prof. Dr. N. M. Golam Zakaria
Department of Naval Architecture & Marine
Engineering
BUET, Dhaka-1000
Dr. Zakaria/NAME469/L4T2
Why Important?
When the reduction in ship performance is associated with the
condition of the ship hull, the effect of the propeller surface
condition is often overlooked. Nevertheless, the effect can be
significant.
It states that in absolute terms, the effect of the propeller
surface condition is less important than the hull condition, but
significantly more important in terms of energy loss per unit area.
In economic terms, high return of a relatively cheap investment
can be obtained by properly set propeller maintenance strategy.
When considering the propeller surface condition a distinction has
to be made between fouling and surface deterioration coupled with
an increase in propeller roughness.
Dr. Zakaria/NAME469/L4T2
Reasons for propeller roughness
As in the hull roughness case, propeller roughness arises from a
variety of causes, chief of which are:
corrosion
impingement attack
cavitation erosion
improper maintenance
marine growth
Dr. Zakaria/NAME469/L4T2
Marine growth
The marine growth found on propellers is similar to that
observed on hulls except that the longer weed strands tend to get
worn off.
Weed having a length of the order of 10 to 20mm is not
uncommon on the minor regions of the blade, as indeed are
stalked barnacles which are frequently found alive on the blades
after a vessel has docked subsequent to a considerable journey.
Marine fouling of these types increase the power absorption
of the propeller considerably, which for a fixed pitch propeller
will result in a reduction of service rotational speed.
Dr. Zakaria/NAME469/L4T2
Corrosion
The most common cause of propeller deterioration is corrosion.
This will occur on both sides of the propeller blade and in particular
in the outer half regions, where the speeds are very high relative to
the water.
When a new propeller is immersed in sea water it becomes the
cathode in the hull-propeller electrolytic cell. Alloys such as
Nikalium or Superston have about one half to one third the rate of
deterioration of manganese bronze, cast steels or cast iron.
The deterioration can be further minimised by the adoption of
properly designed and maintaining cathodic protection systems.
Dr. Zakaria/NAME469/L4T2
Impingement attack
Resulting from the passage of the water and the abrasive particles held
in suspension over the blade surfaces normally affects the blades in the
leading edge region and particularly in the outer radii of the blade where
the velocities are highest.
Results in a comparatively widespread area of fairly shallow depth
surfaces roughness and similar with corrosion of either the chemical or
electrochemical kind.
The severity of impingement roughness attack tends to be increased
with the turbulence levels in the boundary layer of the section.
Consequently, subsequent to an initial attack, increased rates of surface
degradation could be expected with time.
Use of alloys such as Superston and Nikalium will withstand attack.
Stainless steels are highly resistant to this type of attack, but mild steel
Dr. Zakaria/NAME469/L4T2
and cast iron have very poor resistance to it.
Cavitations erosion
Cavitation erosion is usually a concentrated and localised damage
near the tip and back of the blade. It is very highly dependant on the
pressure distribution of the propeller and the wake flow.
With modern design techniques this can be minimised and is
generally negligible even after years of service. However it is still
recommended to check for indications of cavitation damage during the
propeller’s early service life so that, if necessary, modifications to the
blade sections may be adopted.
It must be noted that these modifications cannot be regarded as a
routine part of the propeller surface maintenance.
Dr. Zakaria/NAME469/L4T2
Improper maintenance
Improper maintenance such as poor grinding during cleaning may
worsen the blade roughness due to scratching of the surface.
Damage to the leading edge can seriously impair performance.
Another aspect which needs attention during maintenance is that
during hull painting splashes of conventional anti-corrosive or anti-
fouling paints can drop onto the propeller, which increases the surface
roughness of the blade. During maintenance periods the propeller
should be protected from any grit blasting on the hull.
Dr. Zakaria/NAME469/L4T2
Fouling
Fouling (the majority of marine growth on the propeller surface
is of the animal type, acorn barnacles and tubeworms being the
most frequent) may cause a much greater effect than roughness.
The effects of fouling upon the propeller are difficult to quantify
since little theoretical and experimental work has been done on
the subject.
The experimental work found that small increases in roughness
will cause large increases in delivered horsepower (DHP), producing
a worse effect on propulsive efficiency than hull fouling but the
reduction in thrust due to roughness was very small.
Dr. Zakaria/NAME469/L4T2
Fouling contd..
These experiments, however, did not give very good
agreement with their full-scale results.
The full-scale measurements showed that the rate of increase
of DHP will decrease as the roughness increases; the initial
roughness has the greatest effect on performance.
Because of propeller fouling, the DHP decreases by 20% and
from these results, it can be seen that the effects of propeller
fouling in terms of a power penalty are much greater than those
of surface roughness.
Dr. Zakaria/NAME469/L4T2
Roughness measurement
There are various methods for doing this, such as
• using a propeller roughness comparator,
• by using a portable stylus instrument
• by taking a replica of the surface and measuring it with
laboratory equipment such as optical measurement
systems.
Dr. Zakaria/NAME469/L4T2
Propeller Roughness Comparator
It is a simple method by which the propeller surface can be
compared with a surface of known roughness.
This type of tactile and visual comparison can be made by using
the Rubert propeller roughness comparator.
It consists of six specimens (A,B,C,D,E&F) of surface finish
ranging from Ra=1 micron to Ra=30 microns. These surfaces are
exact replicas of the surface of actual propeller blades.
Dr. Zakaria/NAME469/L4T2
Propeller Roughness Comparator
contd..
Specimens A and B are replicas of the surface roughness of
new or reconditioned propeller blades to be used as a standard for
comparison with similar surface roughness taken from propellers
eroded by periods of service.
Specimens C,D,E and F can be used to assess and report upon
the propeller blade surface condition after periods of service.
The benefits of this comparator are that it is relatively
inexpensive, can be carried in the pocket and a special version
can be used underwater [Link] if required.
Zakaria/NAME469/L4T2
The gauge consists of six examples (A, B, C, D, E and F) of surface finish that range
from an average roughness amplitude Ra = 0.65μm to an amplitude of Ra =
29.9μm. The examples represent the surfaces of actual propeller blades. Examples
A and B represent the surface roughness of new or reconditioned propeller blades
while the remaining examples are replicas of surface roughness taken from
propellers eroded by periods of service. C, D, E and F can be used to assess and
report upon the propeller blade surface condition after periods of service.
Dr. Zakaria/NAME469/L4T2
Portable Stylus Machine
Portable stylus systems which can be taken and used anywhere
are required to measure the propeller roughness in certain
circumstances.
The Rank Taylor-Hobson Surtronic 3 is the most versatile and
compact instrument which can be used equally well in propeller
workshops or on the propeller on shaft in drydock. This instrument
records Ra in micron or micro inches if preferred, over a range of
cutoff lengths.
The stylus-based instrument will give a direct measure of the
surface profile, which is in contrast to the comparator gauge
method in which the surface of the blades at particular points are
‘matched’ to the nearest surface on the reference gauge.
Dr. Zakaria/NAME469/L4T2
Roughness measurement contd..
When measuring the roughness of a propeller surface it is not
sufficient to take a single measurement or observation on a blade.
This is because the roughness will vary over a blade and different
parts of the blade will be more significant than others, chiefly the
outer sections since the flow velocities are higher.
Furthermore, differences will exist from blade to blade. To
overcome this problem a matrix of elements should be superimposed
on the suction and pressure surfaces. In each of the twelve regions
defined by the matrix on each surface of the blade several roughness
measurements should be taken in the direction of the flow and
widely spaced apart.
A minimum of three measurements is recommended in each patch
from which a mean value can be taken.
Dr. Zakaria/NAME469/L4T2
Dr. Zakaria/NAME469/L4T2
The Bench Stylus Machine
A sophisticated system of modern instruments in conjunction
with microcomputer and associated software is also used in the
present work.
It consists of a Ferranti Surfcom bench stylus machine with two
alternative skidless styli. One, a large spherical stylus intended
primarily for film thickness measurements. The other is much
smaller, 3micron truncated pyramid stylus for the detailed
measurement of surface topography.
Dr. Zakaria/NAME469/L4T2
THE EFFECT OF PROPELLER ROUGHNESS ON
SHIP SPEED AND POWER
Power Penalty
In order to relate the effects due to the propeller roughness
to actual RPM and power, it is assumed that the propeller
develops a constant thrust in order to maintain the same ship
speed for a variety of blade surface roughness.
At the same time the hull surface roughness remains
unchanged or in other words, the resistance of the ship
remains the same. The ship speed will of course vary with the
hull roughness for the same thrust.
Dr. Zakaria/NAME469/L4T2
Power Penalty contd..
In general,
Dr. Zakaria/NAME469/L4T2
Dr. Zakaria/NAME469/L4T2
Speed Penalty
In order to calculate the speed loss at constant power, it is also
assumed that the hull roughness remains unchanged.
Generally, the essential controlling feature in the calculation of
speed loss at constant power is the slope of the P-V curve in
the range of the speed of interest. This is largely determined by
the speed index, n of the resistance-speed curve.
The speed index may vary from ship to ship and even within a
ship speed range.
Dr. Zakaria/NAME469/L4T2
Speed Penalty contd..
Dr. Zakaria/NAME469/L4T2
Speed Penalty contd..
Dr. Zakaria/NAME469/L4T2
Speed Penalty contd..
Dr. Zakaria/NAME469/L4T2
Methodology for the propeller roughness
measurements
Each blade surface is divided into a number of roughly uniform radial
strips, for each of which 3 measurements were taken with a cut-off
length of 2.5mm.
At that time this was designed for use a stylus type roughness device,
so Ra (the mean line average roughness amplitude) and Pc (the Peak
Count per unit length, which is a texture parameter) recorded.
Convert it into Musker’s “Apparent” or “Characteristic” roughness
parameter, h’, by the approximation below.
Dr. Zakaria/NAME469/L4T2
propeller roughness measurements
contd..
Calculate a value for the Average Propeller Roughness (APR).
This is a weighted average, so the roughness closer to the tip
has a much greater influence than the same roughness would,
if placed nearer the blade root.
Five sections were suggested and given the weights shown in
Table 1.
Dr. Zakaria/NAME469/L4T2
propeller roughness measurements contd..
Dr. Zakaria/NAME469/L4T2
Numerical Example
Dr. Zakaria/NAME469/L4T2
Dr. Zakaria/NAME469/L4T2