Numerical Analysis of Propeller-Induced Hydrodynamic Interaction between Ships

Abstract

The hydrodynamic interaction effects between ships are significantly pronounced in restricted waters, and this may potentially threaten the safety of ships, especially given that ship dimensions and waterway traffic have kept increasing. Although there has been a good amount of research on ship hydrodynamic interactions, the study of the effect of the propeller on the ship’s hydrodynamic interaction is very limited. In this paper, a series of RANSE-based numerical simulations are carried out to study the characteristics of the propeller in near-field interaction between ships without speed. The hydrodynamic forces and moment acting on the ship are calculated and analyzed. Through the analysis of the characteristics of the flow field and the behavioral pattern of the hydrodynamic forces, it is found that the propeller has a significant influence on the pressure distribution on the hull as well as on the hydrodynamic interaction forces. The maximum lateral force acting on the interacting ship could reach 0.58 times the standard thrust of a KP458 propeller (the revolution is 594 rpm and the velocity coefficient is 0.25 in open water).