Full Scale Thruster-Hull Interaction Improvement Revealed With CFD Analysis
The performance of two steerable thruster configurations has been compared: a more conventional straight unit and a tilted-shaft-line unit. Based on a theoretical approach, it has been shown that the full scale bollard pull performance of both units is close to the realistic optimum. The open water performance of the units revealed comparable performance at bollard pull for the straight and tilted unit. A more pronounced difference in favor of the straight unit is found in free sailing condition. When the thruster-hull interaction effects are taken into account, the trends change however. Some typical cases have been analyzed in detail with RANS-CFD numerical analysis methods: a drill ship in free sailing and bollard pull condition and a drill rig in bollard pull condition. The thrust-deduction factors are reduced significantly for all analyzed cases when the tilted unit is compared to the straight unit. This leads to improved performance of the complete vessel. In order to capture the full potential of the tilted-shaft line thruster units, a detailed review of the currently used DP-capability calculation methods needs to be made. Besides the reduced thrust-deduction factors due to hull interaction, also the forbidden-zones due to thruster-thruster interaction need to be reviewed. The downward deflection of the jet in case of tilted units will reduce the zones of interaction with other thrusters. Based on the currently presented research, it should be clear that the tilted thruster concept has a large potential for drill ships and drill rigs. A very good DP-capability will be achieved with the currently installed powers.