Cavitation noise simulation of a thruster unit

Ville Viitanen; Johanna Kapanen; Otto Kontkanen; Antti Hynninen; Ronith Stanly; Martin Persson; Rhena Klose; Heike Richter

Cavitation noise simulation of a thruster unit

Ville Viitanen^*
, Johanna Kapanen
, Otto Kontkanen
, Antti Hynninen
, Ronith Stanly
, Martin Persson
, Rhena Klose
, Heike Richter

^*Corresponding author for this work

Kongsberg Maritime Sweden AB
Schiffbau-Versuchsanstalt Potsdam GmbH

Research output: Contribution to conference › Conference article › Scientific › peer-review

Abstract

A pulling thruster unit propulsor is analysed in wetted and cavitating operating conditions. OpenFOAM solver is applied in the analysis. Cavitation is modelled using mixture volume of fluid (VoF) method with mass-transfer models to account for phase change. Turbulence modelling is based on a hybrid Reynolds Averaged Navier-Stokes – Large Eddy Simulation (RANS-LES) method, Adaptive Mesh Refinement (AMR) to account for especially the extensive dynamic tip vortex cavitation and a Vortex Confinement (VC) method is used to improve accuracy at vortical flow regions. A computational hydroacoustics (CHA) approach based on acoustic analogy method is used to evaluate noise levels. The numerical simulation results are compared to experimental data obtained from cavitation tunnel tests in terms of the unit’s hydrodynamic performance, cavitation appearance and resulting underwater noise levels.

Original language	English
Publication status	Published - 18 Jun 2026
MoE publication type	Not Eligible
Event	International Conference on Underwater Acoustics ICUA 2026 - Glasgow, United Kingdom Duration: 15 Jun 2026 → 18 Jun 2026

Conference

Conference	International Conference on Underwater Acoustics ICUA 2026
Country/Territory	United Kingdom
City	Glasgow
Period	15/06/26 → 18/06/26

Funding

Business Finland, URNECO, 4824/31/2024 European Union - Horizon Europe, LOWNOISER, 101192302

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

SDG 9 Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure
SDG 14 Life Below Water

Keywords

Underwater radiated noise
Ships
Hydroacoustics
Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD)
Marine propulsor

LOWNOISER: LOWering underwater NOISE Radiation from waterborne transport
Hynninen, A. (Manager), Martio, J. (Participant), Rahikainen, J. (Participant), Sanchez Caja, A. (Participant), Savolainen, M. (Participant), Viitanen, V. (Participant) & Virtanen, J. (Participant)
1/01/25 → 31/12/28
Project: EU project
URNECO: Underwater Radiated Noise management for ECO-efficient shipping
Hynninen, A. (Manager), Junttila, J. (Participant), Koskela, J. (Participant), Martio, J. (Participant), Peltola, J. (Participant), Peltonen, P. (Participant), Perälä, I. (Participant), Saarinen, J. (Participant), Sanchez Caja, A. (Participant), Savolainen, M. (Participant), Viitanen, V. (Participant), Virtanen, J. (Participant), Liukkonen, S. (Participant), Kapanen, J. (Participant) & Kontkanen, O. (Participant)
1/11/24 → 31/12/26
Project: Business Finland project

Cite this

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title = "Cavitation noise simulation of a thruster unit",

abstract = "A pulling thruster unit propulsor is analysed in wetted and cavitating operating conditions. OpenFOAM solver is applied in the analysis. Cavitation is modelled using mixture volume of fluid (VoF) method with mass-transfer models to account for phase change. Turbulence modelling is based on a hybrid Reynolds Averaged Navier-Stokes {\textendash} Large Eddy Simulation (RANS-LES) method, Adaptive Mesh Refinement (AMR) to account for especially the extensive dynamic tip vortex cavitation and a Vortex Confinement (VC) method is used to improve accuracy at vortical flow regions. A computational hydroacoustics (CHA) approach based on acoustic analogy method is used to evaluate noise levels. The numerical simulation results are compared to experimental data obtained from cavitation tunnel tests in terms of the unit{\textquoteright}s hydrodynamic performance, cavitation appearance and resulting underwater noise levels.",

keywords = "Underwater radiated noise, Ships, Hydroacoustics, Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD), Marine propulsor",

author = "Ville Viitanen and Johanna Kapanen and Otto Kontkanen and Antti Hynninen and Ronith Stanly and Martin Persson and Rhena Klose and Heike Richter",

year = "2026",

month = jun,

day = "18",

language = "English",

note = "International Conference on Underwater Acoustics ICUA 2026 ; Conference date: 15-06-2026 Through 18-06-2026",

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TY - CONF

T1 - Cavitation noise simulation of a thruster unit

AU - Viitanen, Ville

AU - Kapanen, Johanna

AU - Kontkanen, Otto

AU - Hynninen, Antti

AU - Stanly, Ronith

AU - Persson, Martin

AU - Klose, Rhena

AU - Richter, Heike

PY - 2026/6/18

Y1 - 2026/6/18

N2 - A pulling thruster unit propulsor is analysed in wetted and cavitating operating conditions. OpenFOAM solver is applied in the analysis. Cavitation is modelled using mixture volume of fluid (VoF) method with mass-transfer models to account for phase change. Turbulence modelling is based on a hybrid Reynolds Averaged Navier-Stokes – Large Eddy Simulation (RANS-LES) method, Adaptive Mesh Refinement (AMR) to account for especially the extensive dynamic tip vortex cavitation and a Vortex Confinement (VC) method is used to improve accuracy at vortical flow regions. A computational hydroacoustics (CHA) approach based on acoustic analogy method is used to evaluate noise levels. The numerical simulation results are compared to experimental data obtained from cavitation tunnel tests in terms of the unit’s hydrodynamic performance, cavitation appearance and resulting underwater noise levels.

AB - A pulling thruster unit propulsor is analysed in wetted and cavitating operating conditions. OpenFOAM solver is applied in the analysis. Cavitation is modelled using mixture volume of fluid (VoF) method with mass-transfer models to account for phase change. Turbulence modelling is based on a hybrid Reynolds Averaged Navier-Stokes – Large Eddy Simulation (RANS-LES) method, Adaptive Mesh Refinement (AMR) to account for especially the extensive dynamic tip vortex cavitation and a Vortex Confinement (VC) method is used to improve accuracy at vortical flow regions. A computational hydroacoustics (CHA) approach based on acoustic analogy method is used to evaluate noise levels. The numerical simulation results are compared to experimental data obtained from cavitation tunnel tests in terms of the unit’s hydrodynamic performance, cavitation appearance and resulting underwater noise levels.

KW - Underwater radiated noise

KW - Ships

KW - Hydroacoustics

KW - Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD)

KW - Marine propulsor

M3 - Conference article

T2 - International Conference on Underwater Acoustics ICUA 2026

Y2 - 15 June 2026 through 18 June 2026

ER -

Cavitation noise simulation of a thruster unit

Abstract

Conference

Funding

UN SDGs

Keywords

Fingerprint

Projects

LOWNOISER: LOWering underwater NOISE Radiation from waterborne transport

URNECO: Underwater Radiated Noise management for ECO-efficient shipping

Cite this