Rans Predictions for End-plate Propeller and Compact Azipod at Model and Full Scale

VTT has numerically investigated the hydrodynamic performance of two multi-component propulsors, an end-plate propeller and a Compact Azipod unit at full and model scales at the design operation points, respectively. VTT used RANSE (Reynolds-Averaged-Navier-Stokes Equation) solver FINFLO in the calculations. FINFLO is a multi-block cell-centered finite-volume computer code with sliding mesh, moving-grid and free-surface capabilities. Computations are made at model and full scale using Chien's low Reynolds k- turbulence model. VTT generated the computational meshes with the IGG grid program and an in-house built program. The ENSIGHT program was used for post-processing the output files. A summary of the results for the end-plate propeller analysis is presented here. For more details the reader is referred to the original paper (Sánchez-Caja et al., 2006b). Special emphasis was set on describing the flow over the endplate. Relative differences between calculations and experiments are presented for performance coefficients in open water condition at model scale. Good correlation with experiments is obtained in terms of overall forces.