Validation of optimally designed stator-propeller system by EFD and CFD

Abstract

The development of energy-saving devices to lower the energy efficiency design index (EEDI) of ships has been actively researched worldwide. One such device is an asymmetric pre-swirl stator, which helps to improve the propulsion efficiency by recovering the rotational energy generated during propeller rotation. Determining the pitch angle is the most important factor in the design of an efficient asymmetric pre-swirl stator. To optimize the pitch angle of an asymmetric pre-swirl stator, this study deals with potential-flow, computational fluid dynamics, and model tests. The model delivered power at a design speed of 24 kt was compared by changing the pitch angle by ±2° with respect to the reference angle designed using a potential-flow program. The commercial code Star-CCM+ was used for the numerical analysis, and the model was also tested in a towing tank at Pusan National University. This study proposes an effective method for determining and verifying the optimal pitch angle of an asymmetric pre-swirl stator.