Propulsor Performance Scaling Using Compressed Air
Abstract
The large physical scale of modern marine propulsion systems makes them very challenging to study in the laboratory or with simulation tools. As a result, many correction methods have been proposed which attempt to scale up model results. However, there remains alack of full-scale data sets available for comparison which are gathered under well-controlled conditions. This project aims to provide insight into propulsor performance and wake development as a function of Reynolds number up to full-scale relevant conditions. The work will be completed using a new, compressed-air wind tunnel facility at Penn State University. Operating with compressed air has a number of advantages and is ideally suited to answering questions of scaling as a single model can be tested under a variety of background pressures, giving clear insight into how the fluid dynamics change with Reynolds number. The reduced testing complexityand cost of a compressed air facility also leads to much richer data sets which can encompass more of the fundamental fluid dynamics changing with scale. In addition to performance measurements (thrust and torque) on a model propulsor, this project will also investigate the wake development in the near (closer than one diameter) to intermediate wake regions (approximately three diameters) downstream. Mean and turbulence statistics will be gathered with a hot-wire anemometer, enabling insight into how or if the flow approaches similarity as a function of the operating Reynolds number. Results from this project will be publicly distributed and could serve as future comparison data sets for simulations or to develop new scaling relationships.
Document Details
- Document Type
- DoD Grant Award
- Publication Date
- Jul 24, 2023
- Source ID
- N000142312680
Entities
People
- Mark Miller
Organizations
- Office of Naval Research
- Pennsylvania State University
- United States Navy