RIM DRIVEN THRUSTER OPTIMIZATION USING NUMERICAL SIMULATION

Abstract

CFD is used to calculate the performance of rim driven thruster. The choice of mesh strategy, turbulence model and cavitation model is validated and verified using ITTC benchmark propeller and SeaThrust TM T160 RDT experimental data. Different blade parameters are manipulated to test the effect on thruster performance. Combined cases are applied by adding the vanes with 5-blades rotor and changing pitch angle using 5-blades to enhance efficiency. The later case resulted in the best performance increasing the efficiency by 6:4% and widening the operation range as cavitation is delayed. (Key Words: Rim Driven Thruster, Computational Fluid Dynamics, Overset Grid, Cavitation, Swirl Recovery Vanes)