Numerical analysis of hydrodynamic characteristics of a shaftless rim-driven propeller

The rim-driven propeller (RDP) is an attractive propulsion system for ship designers across various maritime applications. In this study, the Reynolds-Averaged Navier-Stokes (RANS) equations were employed, using the moving reference frame (MRF) method and steady-state numerical simulations to address applicability challenges. The study also incorporated the SST turbulence model. Initially, a Ka-Series; (Ka4-0.70) +19A ducted propeller (DP) was selected, and the numerical results for hydrodynamic characteristics showed a close correlation with experimental data. The study subsequently focused on the RDP, which, while utilizing the same propeller, features a distinct duct design due to its rim-driven configuration. The hydrodynamic characteristics of the RDP were obtained and compared with those of the DP. The results revealed that the RDP exhibits lower efficiency than the DP, primarily due to the gap and presence of the rotor in RDP.