Numerical Study of the Hydrodynamic Performance of Rim-Driven Propulsion Featuring a Modified 19A Duct

The rim-driven propeller (RDP) is an innovative propulsion system that is primarily used in underwater vehicles and the bow thrusters of ships. In this study, the Reynolds-averaged Navier-Stokes (RANS) equations are employed together with the moving reference frame method and steady-state numerical...

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Main Authors: Masoumpour Meysam, Ghassemi Hassan, Hossein Mousavizadegan S., He Guanghua
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Sciendo 2025-09-01
Series:Polish Maritime Research
Subjects:
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.2478/pomr-2025-0039
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author Masoumpour Meysam
Ghassemi Hassan
Hossein Mousavizadegan S.
He Guanghua
author_facet Masoumpour Meysam
Ghassemi Hassan
Hossein Mousavizadegan S.
He Guanghua
author_sort Masoumpour Meysam
collection DOAJ
description The rim-driven propeller (RDP) is an innovative propulsion system that is primarily used in underwater vehicles and the bow thrusters of ships. In this study, the Reynolds-averaged Navier-Stokes (RANS) equations are employed together with the moving reference frame method and steady-state numerical simulations to address challenges related to applicability. The SST turbulence model is also incorporated. Initially, a Ka-Series+19A ducted propeller (DP) is considered, and the numerical results for its hydrodynamic performance are found to show a close correlation with experimental data. Notably, the thrust coefficient of the duct at low advance coefficients is high, indicating that the duct can operate efficiently under heavy load conditions. The study then focuses on the RDP, which uses the same propeller but features a distinct duct design due to its rim-driven configuration. The hydrodynamic open-water characteristics of the RDP are obtained and compared with those of the DP. The results reveal that the RDP has lower efficiency than the DP, primarily due to the gap and the presence of the rotor in the RDP. Furthermore, a detailed analysis of the pressure distribution on the surfaces of the blade and duct is presented, as well as the velocity and pressure contours at various downstream positions for both the DP and RDP. Particular attention is paid to the flow gap between the propeller and duct, along with the associated turbulence intensity.
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issn 2083-7429
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spelling doaj-art-1f9bdb62080b40099a1af02f5b02244f2025-08-20T03:46:45ZengSciendoPolish Maritime Research2083-74292025-09-0132310011710.2478/pomr-2025-0039Numerical Study of the Hydrodynamic Performance of Rim-Driven Propulsion Featuring a Modified 19A DuctMasoumpour Meysam0Ghassemi Hassan1Hossein Mousavizadegan S.2He Guanghua31Department of Maritime Engineering, Amirkabir University of Technology, Tehran, Islamic Republic of Iran2Department of Maritime Engineering, Amirkabir University of Technology, Tehran; Islamic Republic of Iran; Int. School of Ocean Science and Engineering, Harbin Institute of Technology, Weihai, China3Department of Maritime Engineering, Amirkabir University of Technology, Tehran, Islamic Republic of Iran4Harbin Institute of Technology, ChinaThe rim-driven propeller (RDP) is an innovative propulsion system that is primarily used in underwater vehicles and the bow thrusters of ships. In this study, the Reynolds-averaged Navier-Stokes (RANS) equations are employed together with the moving reference frame method and steady-state numerical simulations to address challenges related to applicability. The SST turbulence model is also incorporated. Initially, a Ka-Series+19A ducted propeller (DP) is considered, and the numerical results for its hydrodynamic performance are found to show a close correlation with experimental data. Notably, the thrust coefficient of the duct at low advance coefficients is high, indicating that the duct can operate efficiently under heavy load conditions. The study then focuses on the RDP, which uses the same propeller but features a distinct duct design due to its rim-driven configuration. The hydrodynamic open-water characteristics of the RDP are obtained and compared with those of the DP. The results reveal that the RDP has lower efficiency than the DP, primarily due to the gap and the presence of the rotor in the RDP. Furthermore, a detailed analysis of the pressure distribution on the surfaces of the blade and duct is presented, as well as the velocity and pressure contours at various downstream positions for both the DP and RDP. Particular attention is paid to the flow gap between the propeller and duct, along with the associated turbulence intensity.https://doi.org/10.2478/pomr-2025-0039rim-driven propulsionhydrodynamic performancekaplan propellerpressure coefficientmodified duct 19a
spellingShingle Masoumpour Meysam
Ghassemi Hassan
Hossein Mousavizadegan S.
He Guanghua
Numerical Study of the Hydrodynamic Performance of Rim-Driven Propulsion Featuring a Modified 19A Duct
Polish Maritime Research
rim-driven propulsion
hydrodynamic performance
kaplan propeller
pressure coefficient
modified duct 19a
title Numerical Study of the Hydrodynamic Performance of Rim-Driven Propulsion Featuring a Modified 19A Duct
title_full Numerical Study of the Hydrodynamic Performance of Rim-Driven Propulsion Featuring a Modified 19A Duct
title_fullStr Numerical Study of the Hydrodynamic Performance of Rim-Driven Propulsion Featuring a Modified 19A Duct
title_full_unstemmed Numerical Study of the Hydrodynamic Performance of Rim-Driven Propulsion Featuring a Modified 19A Duct
title_short Numerical Study of the Hydrodynamic Performance of Rim-Driven Propulsion Featuring a Modified 19A Duct
title_sort numerical study of the hydrodynamic performance of rim driven propulsion featuring a modified 19a duct
topic rim-driven propulsion
hydrodynamic performance
kaplan propeller
pressure coefficient
modified duct 19a
url https://doi.org/10.2478/pomr-2025-0039
work_keys_str_mv AT masoumpourmeysam numericalstudyofthehydrodynamicperformanceofrimdrivenpropulsionfeaturingamodified19aduct
AT ghassemihassan numericalstudyofthehydrodynamicperformanceofrimdrivenpropulsionfeaturingamodified19aduct
AT hosseinmousavizadegans numericalstudyofthehydrodynamicperformanceofrimdrivenpropulsionfeaturingamodified19aduct
AT heguanghua numericalstudyofthehydrodynamicperformanceofrimdrivenpropulsionfeaturingamodified19aduct