31-03-2017
PROPELLER THEORY
• propeller theory shows that even in ideal
conditions there is an upper limit to the
efficiency of a propeller, and that this
efficiency decreases as the thrust loading on
the propeller increases.
• propeller theory can be used to determine the
detailed geometry of a propeller for optimum
performance in given operating conditions
• the origin of the propeller thrust is explained
entirely by the change in the momentum of the
fluid due to the propeller
• The momentum theories are based on correct
fundamental principles but give no indication of
the shape of the propeller
• The blade element theories rest on observed
facts rather than on mathematical principles, and
explain the action of the propeller in terms of the
hydrodynamic forces experienced by the radial
sections
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31-03-2017
Axial Momentum Theory
• In this propeller is regarded as an “actuator disc”
which imparts a sudden increase in pressure to
the fluid passing through it.
• The mechanism by which this pressure increase is
obtained is ignored
• it is assumed that the resulting acceleration of
the fluid and hence the thrust generated by the
propeller are uniformly distributed over the disc
It is also assumed that
• the flow is frictionless,
• there is no rotation of the fluid,
• unlimited inflow of fluid to the propeller
• The acceleration of the fluid involves a
contraction of the fluid column passing through
the propeller disc
• since this cannot take place suddenly, the
acceleration takes place over some distance
forward and some distance aft of the propeller
disc
• The pressure in the fluid decreases gradually
as it approaches the disc, it is suddenly
increased at the disc, and it then gradually
decreases as the fluid leaves the disc
• Consider a propeller (actuator disc) of area AO
advancing into undisturbed fluid with a
velocity VA
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• The pressures and velocities in the fluid
column passing through the propeller disc be
p0 and VA
• p1 and VA+v1 just ahead of the disc
• p1I and VA+v1 just behind the disc
• p2 and VA+v2 far behind the disc
• far behind the propeller must be equal to the
pressure far ahead
p 2 p0
• The mass of fluid flowing through the
propeller disc per unit time is given by :
m AO V A v1
• is the density of the fluid. This mass of fluid
is accelerated from a velocity VA to a velocity
VA+v2 by the propeller
• propeller thrust T is equal to the change of
axial momentum per unit time :
T m V A v 2 V A AO V A v1 v 2
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• The total power delivered to the propeller PD
is equal to the increase in the kinetic energy of
the fluid per unit time
PD 12 m VA v2 VA2 AO VA v1 v2 VA 12 v2
2
T VA
1
2
v2
• This delivered power is also equal to the work
done by the thrust on the fluid per unit time
PD T V A v1
v1 1
2
v2
• i.e. half the increase in axial velocity due to
the propeller takes place ahead of it and half
behind it.
• By applying the Bernoulli theorem
successively to the sections far ahead and just
ahead of the propeller, and to the sections far
behind and just behind the propeller, one
obtains
p0 12 VA2 p1 12 VA v1
2
p2 12 VA v2 p1' 21 VA v1
2 2
• Since p2 = p0
p1' p1 1
2
VA v2 VA2
2
V A 12 v2 v2
• The propeller thrust is given by
1
T p1 p1 AO AO V A v 2 v 2
2
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• The useful work done by the propeller per unit
time is T VA. The efficiency of the propeller is
therefore
T VA T VA 1 1
i
PD
T VA 12 v2 1 v1 1 a
VA
• The efficiency i is called the “ideal efficiency”
because the only energy loss considered is the
kinetic energy lost in the fluid column behind the
propeller
• The thrust loading coefficient of a propeller is
T
CTL
1
AO V A2
2
• Substituting the value
T AO VA v1 v2
v1 = a VA
v2 = 2a VA
a 1 i 1
2
i
1 1 CTL
• it shows that the maximum efficiency of a
propeller even under ideal conditions is
limited to a value less than 1
• It therefore follows that for a given thrust the
larger the propeller the greater its efficiency
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31-03-2017
Momentum Theory Including Rotation
• In this theory, also sometimes called the impulse
theory
• the propeller is regarded as imparting both axial and
angular acceleration to the fluid flowing through the
propeller disc
• Consider a propeller of disc area AO advancing into
undisturbed water with an axial velocity VA while
revolving with an angular velocity
• Let the axial and angular velocities of the fluid
then be VA + v1 and 1 at the propeller disc
and VA+v2 and 2 far downstream
• The mass of fluid flowing per unit time
through an annular element between the radii
r and r + dr is given by
dm dAO V A v1
where dAO is the area of the annular element
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• The thrust developed by the element is
determined from the change in the axial
momentum of the fluid per unit time :
dT dm V A v 2 V A dAO V A v1 v 2
• The torque of the element is similarly
obtained from the change in angular
momentum per unit time :
dQ dm r 2 ( 2 0) dAO V A v1 2 r 2
• The work done by the element thrust is equal
to the increase in the axial kinetic energy of
the fluid flowing through the annular element.
Per unit time
dT VA v1 12 dm VA v2 2 VA2
dAO V A v 2 v 2 V A v1 12 dAO V A v1 v 2 2V A v 2
v1 1
2
v2
• The work done per unit time by the element
torque is similarly equal to the increase in the
rotational kinetic energy of the fluid per unit
time
dQ 1 1
2
dm r 2 22 0
1
2
dAO VA v1 2 r 2 .2
1
2
d Q 2
1 1
2
2
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• The total power expended by the element
must be equal to the increase in the total
kinetic energy (axial and rotational)
dQ dT VA v1 dQ 1
d T V A v1 dQ 1
• the efficiency of the element
1
1 VA 1
dT VA 1 a
dQ VA v1 1
v1 1 a
VA
• where a = 1 / and a = v1/VA are the
rotational and axial inflow factors
• By making the substitutions
dAO 2 r d r , v1 a V A , v2 2 a V A
1 a 2 2 a
dT dm V A v 2 V A dAO V A v1 v 2
dQ dm r 2 ( 2 0) dAO V A v1 2 r 2
dT 4 r d r V A2 a 1 a
dQ 4 r 3 d r V A a 1 a
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• The efficiency of the annular element is then
given by
dT V A 4 r d r V A2 a 1 a .V A a V A2
dQ 4 r d r V A a 1 a a 2 r 2
3
• Comparing two efficiency
a V A2 1 a
a 2 r2 1 a
a 1 a 2 r 2 a 1 a V A2
• the relation between the axial and rotational
induced velocities in a propeller when friction
is neglected
Blade Element Theory
• It is concerned with how the propeller generates
its thrust and how this thrust depends upon the
shape of the propeller blades
• propeller blade is regarded as being composed of
a series of blade elements
• Each of which produces a hydrodynamic force
due to its motion through the fluid
• The axial component of this hydrodynamic force
is the element thrust while the moment about
the propeller axis of the tangential component is
the element torque
• Consider a wing of chord (width) c and span
(length) s at an angle of attack to an incident
flow of velocity V in a fluid of density
• The wing develops a
hydrodynamic force whose
components normal and
parallel to V are the lift L
and the drag D. One defines
non-dimensional lift and
drag coefficients
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L
CL 1
2
AV 2
D
CD 1
2
AV 2
• A = s c is the area of the wing plan form. These
coefficients depend upon the shape of the wing
section, the aspect ratio s/c and the angle of
attack, and are often determined experimentally
in a wind tunnel
• Now consider a propeller with Z blades, diameter
D and pitch ratio p/d advancing into undisturbed
water with a velocity VA while turning at a
revolution rate n. The blade element between the
radii r and r + dr
• The blade element will then produce a lift dL
and a drag dD, where
dL C L 12 c d r V R2
dD C D 1
2
c d r V R2
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• If the thrust and torque produced by the
elements between r and r + dr for all the Z
.
blades are dT and dQ
1 dD
d T dL cos dD sin dL cos 1 tan
Z dL
1 dD
dQ dL sin dD cos dL cos tan
rZ dL
VA
tan
2 n r
• Putting tan = dD/dL, and writing dL and dD
in terms of CL and CD, one obtains :
dT Z C L . 12 c d r VR2 cos 1 tan tan
dQ r Z C L . 12 c d r VR2 cos tan tan
• The efficiency of the blade element is then
dT V A V A 1 tan tan tan
dQ 2 n 2 n r tan tan tan
• If the propeller works in ideal conditions, there is
no drag and hence tan = 0, resulting in the
blade element efficiency and hence the efficiency
of the most efficient propeller being = 1
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• The primary reason for this discrepancy lies in
the neglect of the induced velocities, i.e. the
inflow factors a, a. If the induced velocities
are taken into account
dT Z C L . 12 c d r VR2 cos I 1 tan I tan
dQ r Z C L . c d r V cos I
1
2 R
2
tan I tan
dT V A V A 1 tan I tan tan
dQ 2 n 2 n r tan I tan tan I
tan tan I 1 a tan I
tan I
.
tan I tan I 1 a
tan
VA V A 1 a 1 a
tan I tan
2 n r 2 n r 1 a 1 a
• the expression for efficiency consists of three
factors:
(i) 1 1 a , which is associated with the axial
induced velocity,
(ii) (1-a ), which reflects the loss due to the
rotation of the slipstream
(iii) which indicates the effect of blade element
drag
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• In order to make practical use of the blade
element theory,
• it is necessary to know CL, CD, a and a for
blade elements at different radii so that and can
be determined and integrated with respect to the
radius r.
• CL and CD may be obtained from experimental
data, and a and a with the help of the
momentum theory.
• This procedure does not yield realistic results
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