Experimental study of immersion ratio and shaft inclination angle in the performance of a surface-piercing propeller
Abstract. Surface-piercing propellers have been widely used in light and high-speed vessels because of their superior performance. Experimental study of these propellers is one of the most reliable and accurate ways which can provide details about the performance and effect of different design parameters on the performance of the surface-piercing propellers. In this research, a five-blade surface-piercing propeller was tested in the free surface water tunnel of Babol Noshirvani University of Technology in order to expand the available experimental data and database for future engineering designs. The effects of immersion ratio and shaft inclination angle on the propeller's efficiency and hydrodynamic coefficients were examined. A free surface water tunnel and a calibrated dynamometer with the measurability of the thrust forces and the torque of a propeller were used for this purpose. Comparing the obtained results with the existing semi-experimental equations shows that the equations presented in various geometric conditions are not accurate enough, and developing the existing database is necessary. The details of the obtained results showed that the hydrodynamic coefficients of the thrust and torque increased by increasing the immersion ratio, but the coefficient of hydrodynamic thrust and efficiency reduced. The results also indicated that the coefficient of torque increased by increasing the shaft inclination angle. The highest efficiency of the propeller was achieved in the range of 40 %–50 % immersion ratios at all angles of shaft inclination. For all immersion ratios, the maximum and minimum efficiencies were obtained at 0 and 15 shaft inclination angles, respectively. The best efficiency of the propeller was at 50 % immersion ratio and zero shaft inclination angle.