Abstract

Propeller design has evolved significantly in the last few years, with the introduction of numerical methods which can provide an ever improving assessment of propeller characteristics, considering propeller non stationary functioning and cavitating behavior, not only in correspondence to the usual design conditions, but also to off-design conditions. This assessment has become widely adopted, with numerical methods being able to predict propeller characteristic curves (and cavitating behavior) in correspondence to a wide range of advance coefficients. Modern propeller requirements involve many different characteristics, not limiting only to maximum efficiency, but considering also propeller cavitating behavior and, more and more, its side effects, in terms of radiated noise and pressure pulses. This is evident with the ever-increasing demand for improvement of comfort onboard and discussions about radiated noise problems, especially in proximity of protected a reas.