Abstract
A high-efficiency propeller can enable a long mission duration for autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs). In this study, a new method with OpenProp coupled with computational fluid dynamics was developed to design a propeller for an Explorer100 AUV. The towed system simulation of the AUV was used to measure the nominal wake, and a self-propulsion simulation was used to measure the effective wake at the disc plane just in front of a propeller. Two propellers referring to the nominal wake (propeller 1) and effective wake (propeller 2) were designed with OpenProp and appended with the AUV for self-propulsion simulations, respectively. Through the numerical simulation of the AUV self-propulsion tests, the cruising velocity of AUV was obtained. The flow characteristics of the self-propulsion in pressure and velocity contours were also analyzed. The propeller designed with an effective wake improved the thrust, velocity, and efficiency by approximately 11.3%, 6.7%, and 2.5%, respectively, as compared with those with a nominal wake. The cruising velocity of the final designed propeller for the Explorer100 AUV improved by 21.8%, as compared to that of the original propeller from the AUV free-running tests.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Allston T, Munroe J, Lewis R, Mouland D, Xu J, Walker D (2014) Predicting the wake behind a large AUV hydrofoil. Methods in Oceanography, 1–12. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.mio.2014.07.004
Bellingham JG, Zhang YW, Jonathan E (2010) Efficient propulsion for the Tethys long-range autonomous underwater vehicle. 2010 IEEE/OES. IEEE, Monterey, CA, 1–7
Carrica PM, Castro AM, Stern F (2010) Self-propulsion computations using a speed controller and a discretized propeller with dynamic overset grids. Journal of Marine Science and Technology, 15: 316–330. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compfluid.2011.07.005
Chase N, Carrica PM (2013) Submarine propeller computations and application to self-propulsion of DARPA Suboff. Ocean Engin eering, 60: 68–80. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.oceaneng.2012.12.029
Ellenrieder V, Pothos KDS (2008) PIV measurements of the asymmetric wake of a two dimensional heaving hydrofoil. Experiments in Fluids, 44: 733–745. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00348-007-0430-z
Epagnier KPD, Chung HL, Stanway MJ (2007) An open source parametric propeller design tool. Oceans 2007, Vancouver, BC, Canada, 1–8
Gui L, Longo J, Stern F (2001) Towing tank PIV measurement system, data and uncertainty assessment for DTMB Model 5512. Experiments in Fluids, 31, 336–346. https://doi.org/10.1007/s003480100293
Jung YL, Bu GP, Sang JL (2009) PIV measurements of hull wake behind a container ship model with varying loading condition. Ocean Engineering, 36, 377–385. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.oceaneng.2009.01.006
Kimball, RW, Epps BP, Stanway MJ (2008) OpenProp MATLAB code, http://openprop.mit.edu.
Kyung JL, Tetsuji H, Jeung HL (2014) A lifting surface optimization method for the design of marine propeller blades. Ocean Engineering, 88 (472–479). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.oceaneng.2014.07.010
Li L, Zang HW, Wang YH (2017) Autonomous underwater vehicle appearance and propulsion system optimization design. Journal of Machine Design, 34(5): 23–29 (in Chinese). https://doi.org/10.13841/j.cnki.jxsj.2017.05.005
Rao ZQ (2017) A study of hydrodynamic optimization approach of submarine propulsors based on panel method. PhD thesis. Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, 54–74 (in Chinese).
Regener PB, Mirsadraee Y, Andersen P (2018) Nominal vs. effective wake fields and their influence on propeller cavitation performance. Journal of Marine Science and Engineering, 6(34): 1–14. https://doi.org/10.3390/jmse6020034
Sahili J, Zaidan K (2018) ROV Propellers optimization using CAD design and CFD modeling and experimental validation. 6th RSI International Conference on Robotics and Mechatronics (IcRoM), Tehran, Iran, 418–421. https://doi.org/10.1109/ICROM.2018.8657543
Sezen S, Dogrul A, Delen C, Bal S (2018) Investigation of self-propulsion of DARPA Suboff by RANS mehthod, 150, 258–271. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.oceaneng.2017.12.051
Sheng ZB, Liu YZ (2013) Ship theory (Vol. 2), Shanghai Jiao Tong University Press, Shanghai, China, 160–164 (in Chinese).
Stefano G, Juan GA, Mariano PS (2016) Design and analysis of a new generation of CLT propellers. Applied Ocean Research, 59: 424–450. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apor.2016.06.014
Su YM, Huang S(2013) Ship propeller theory. Harbin Engineering University Press, Harbin, China, 45–90 (in Chinese).
Sun WY, Huang GF (2019) Integrated lifting line/Surface panel method for optimal propeller design accounting. for hub effect. Journal of Hydrodynamics, 765–778 (in Chinese). https://doi.org/10.1007/s42241-019-0051-z
Wang C, Han K, Sun C, Guo CY (2020) Marine propeller optimization design and parameter analysis. J. Huazhong Univ. of Sci.& Tech. (Natural Science Edition), 48(4): 97–102 (in Chinese). https://doi.org/10.13245/j.hust.200418
Wang JH, Zou L, Wan DC (2017) CFD simulations of free running ship under course keeping control. Ocean Engineering, 141, 450–464 (in Chinese). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.oceaneng.2017.06.052
Wang WQ, Ma KF, Wang SY, Ye LY (2019) Wake-adapted theory design and parameter optimization design of propeller. Applied Science and Technology, 46(5): 1–9 (in Chinese).
Wei YS, Wang YS (2013) Unsteady hydrodynamics of blade forces and acoustic responses of a model scaled submarine excited propeller’s thrust and side-forces. Journal of Sound and Vibration, 332, 2038–2056 (in Chinese). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jsv.2012.12.001
Wu LH, Dong LB, Xu WH (2011) 3D Modeling of ship propeller based on MATLAB and ProE. Journal of Dalian Maritime University, 37(2): 17–20 (in Chinese). https://doi.org/10.16411/jxnki.issn1006-7736.2011.02.028
Wu LH, Li YP, Liu KZ, Wang SW, Ai XF, Li S, Feng XS (2019) A physics-based simulation for AUV underwater docking using the MHDG method and a discretized propeller. Ocean Engineering, 187, 106081 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.oceaneng.2019.05.063
Wu LH, Li YP, Su SJ, Yan P, Qin Y (2014) Hydrodynamic analysis of AUV underwater docking with a cone-shaped dock under ocean currents. Ocean Engineering, 85, 110–126. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.oceaneng.2014.04.022
Wu LH, Zhang AF, Li YP, Feng XS, Wang SW (2020) Prediction of autonomous underwater vehicle cruising velocity using a physics-based numerical method. Journal of Harbin Engineering University, 41(2): 194–198 (in Chinese). https://doi.org/10.11990/jheu.201903073
Wu XP, Liu YH, Zhang L (2014) Marine propeller design optimization based on genetic algorithm. Naval Architecture and Ocean Engineering, 4, 31–37 (in Chinese).
Zhang RC, Dong XQ, Wang ZY, Huang Y, Yu JC, Yang CJ (2019) Numerical design and validation of propeller for long-range AUV. Shipbuilding of China, 60(1): 141–53 (in Chinese).
Acknowledgement
We are grateful to the Underwater Vehicle Center of Shenyang Institute of Automation, China, for providing data on the AUV model and its free-running tests.
Funding
The National Key Research and Development Program (Grant No. 2021YFC2801100), Key-area Research and Development Program of Guangdong Province (Grant No. 2020B1111010004), and Joint Fund of Science & Technology Department of Liaoning Province, State Key Laboratory of Robotics (Grant No. 2020-KF-12-05).
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Additional information
Article Highlights
• Two propellers are designed with OpenProp based on nominal wake and effective wake respectively;
• The propeller designed with effective wake improves thrust, velocity and efficiency about 11.3%, 6.7% and 2.5% respectively, comparing with that based on nominal wake;
• The cruising velocity of the final designed propeller for the Explorer 100 AUV has improved by 21.8%, compared to that of the original propeller.
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Zhang, W., Wu, L., Jiang, X. et al. Propeller Design for an Autonomous Underwater Vehicle by the Lifting-line Method based on OpenProp and CFD. J. Marine. Sci. Appl. 21, 106–114 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11804-022-00275-w
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11804-022-00275-w