Influence of Ply Angle on the Cavitation Performance of Composite Propellers

In response to the core challenge of effectively controlling deformation to suppress cavitation in composite propellers under fluid–structure interaction (FSI), this study proposes a numerical investigation method based on pre-deformation design. A systematic analysis of the cavitation characteristics of a PC456-type composite propeller is conducted using a two-way FSI algorithm. Distinct deformation fields are first constructed by implementing different ply angles (0°, 90°, and 150°). The open-water hydrodynamic and cavitation performance of these pre-deformed propellers are then compared under uniform inflow. Furthermore, their unsteady responses under transient FSI conditions are examined in a non-uniform wake field. Numerical results demonstrate that the ply angle significantly influences the deformation distribution and hydrodynamic performance of the propeller. Under steady conditions, the 0° ply propeller exhibits the optimal cavitation-hydrodynamic performance, whereas the 90° ply configuration performs the poorest. In a non-uniform wake, the 0° ply propeller achieves 75% of the thrust fluctuation reduction effect observed in the 90° ply propeller, while requiring only 19% of its maximum deformation magnitude; additionally, it demonstrates a more gradual oscillation trend in the cavity area ratio. This study provides theoretical insights and design guidance for enhancing the cavitation performance of composite propellers through ply design and deformation control.