Podded propulsors: Some results of recent research and full scale experience

Abstract

Following the introduction of podded propulsors into the marine industry the market demanded a rapid increase in size of the units from a few megawatts to where they are now in excess of 20MW. Such an increase led Lloyd's Register to undertake a major research programme into the loadings experienced by these propulsors and the way in which they are reacted by the individual components. In addition much emphasis was given to the practical problems of achieving the design intent both at the time of building and subsequently through life. The results of this work were used to update the Rules, originally published in July 2003, and in developing a system of survey procedures which embraced the practical problems of initial manufacture and assembly as well as dry-docking maintenance activities. This paper, in conjunction with two further papers published elsewhere on the hydrodynamics of podded propulsors and another on the philosophy of developing Rule formulations for ships driven by podded, summarises much of this work.