Numerical approach to performance analysis of modified duct shapes for electric hubless rim-driven propellers

초록

This study analyses the duct flow characteristics of a hubless rim-driven propeller (RDP) designed for a remotely operated vehicle (ROV). While conventional propeller thrusters utilize airfoil-shaped ducts to improve performance, this design is incompatible with the peripheral arrangement of stators and rotors in an RDP, necessitating the optimization of the duct shape. In the present study, optimization focuses specifically on the trailing-edge geometry of the duct surrounding the rim-driven propeller, while computational fluid dynamics (CFD) was employed to analyse wake flow characteristics, thrust force, and efficiency for eight distinct duct geometries. To ensure the accuracy of the numerical model, the velocity profile from the simulation was validated against experimental data obtained from particle image velocimetry (PIV). The results indicate that a duct shape maintaining a constant outlet width exhibited the highest thrust force and efficiency. Compared with the existing model, this optimized configuration increased thrust and improved efficiency by up to 17 %, demonstrating the impact of duct trailing-edge geometry on RDP performance.

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