A novel maneuverable propeller for improving maneuverability and propulsive performance of underwater vehicles

doi:10.1016/j.apor.2019.01.026

Applied Ocean Research

Volume 85, April 2019, Pages 53-64

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apor.2019.01.026 Get rights and content

Highlights

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A novel propeller to produce both thrust and manoeuvrability.
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A novel mechanism to produce both manoeuvring force/torque and thrust that same time.
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Cyclically change the blade angular velocity relatively to the hub as opposed the change of pitch for helicopter propellers.
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Able to create high manoeuvring torque, over 5 times of the thrust only mode.
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Best application for vehicles require high manoeuvrability.

Abstract

The existing propulsor that can perform both propulsion and maneuvering along axis of rotation is propeller/rotor for a helicopter. Helicopter propellers when maneuvering increase or decrease their blades’ pitch cyclically to create imbalanced thrust and hence maneuvering force/torque. A “maneuverable propeller” was developed and its performance on both maneuvering and propulsion is assessed. The “maneuverable propeller” is an alternative of the existing helicopter rotors. The novelty of this propulsor is that the imbalanced thrust force/torque is created by cyclically increasing or decreasing the angular speed of their blades relatively to the hubs/shafts, to provide the desired maneuvering torque. This maneuverable propeller is hence defined as the Cyclic Blade Variable Rotational Speed Propeller (CBVRP). One of the best advantages is that the maneuvering torque created by the “maneuverable propeller” is much higher, about 5 times of the shaft torque of the same propeller at thrust only mode. The “maneuverable propeller” has wide applications for both surface ships and underwater vehicles that require high maneuverability for cruising inside the narrow passage.

Introduction

One of the greatest challenges of a propulsion system of an underwater vehicle is to move as nimble as some ocean creatures like killer whales [1] for some special missions, such as cruising inside the river current, in narrow passages, in water caves or even in pipes as a micro-robot [2,3]. Nowadays, divers are performing this kind of high maneuverability missions.

Thrust generated by killer whales’ flukes is essential for underwater life, and often related to the creature survivability. This natural ability makes them agile in order to chase their hunt in any path [4].

Although killer whale generates thrust by the method of flutter, to succeed in designing it would not be possible by making a simple copy of the nature, because a vehicle with an oscillating tail could not to produce high enough thrust [[5], [6], [7]] with a normal dimension of the thruster.

Using several thrusters located outside the vehicle is a conventional way for this purpose. It can push the vehicle in any direction as desired. In addition, controlling thrust magnitude or changing propeller shaft direction make it possible to change the course of a vehicle.

There is one way for designing nimble slim underwater vehicle, and that is using propeller, which generate thrust along axis of rotation, as well as changing its direction.

There has been a propulsion-steering combined propulsion system, that is, Cyclic Variable Pitch (CVP) propeller of helicopters that can generate thrust along axis of rotation in an arbitrary direction. Until recently, a novel propeller-steering combined propulsion system was invented, that is, the “maneuverable propeller (CBVRP)” [17]. Unlike helicopter propeller, of which each blade changes its pitch cyclically to create a thrust in an arbitrary desired direction, the invention, changes the position of blade than hub during revolution. Therefore, angular velocity on blades changes in course of cycle consequently. This method is the key for creating a thrust in an arbitrarily desired direction.

Marine propeller in comparison with the helicopter has lower angular velocity and rotates in an incompressible fluid. Therefore, using CVP propeller in water there is a need for a special design and new mechanism to change blade pitch cyclically [11]. A change in pitch will change the angle of attack at the blade tip and hence creates a very high possibility of cavitation.

Fig. 1 shows an isometric sectional view of this maneuverable propeller (CBVRP) and its internal hub mechanism. Each blade and its satellite shaft are connected to a crank (which has a roller at its head) with a small shaft.

The rollers are circulating inside of the circular track guide (CTG) during the hub revolution.

The propeller has an internal fixed shaft and an external rotational shaft that rolling over each other by two bearings. Four hydraulic cylinders produce a precise offset of CTG. These four items in combination create the change of blade’s angular speed to achieve a thrust vector on the blade pointing an arbitrarily desired direction.

There are some kinds of the propellers, which located in the vessels bottom, such as Voith Schneider Propeller (VSP) [8,9] and Azimuth podded thruster. They are able to generate thrust in all directions. However, helicopter propeller is the only similar, integrated propulsion-maneuvering 2-in-1 system to the new Cyclic Blade Variable Rotation Speed Propeller (CBVRP). Both the helicopter propeller and the maneuverable propeller (CBVRP) are screw propellers and both can perform maneuvering function without change their propellers’ shaft angle and both can achieve zero radius of turn with a single propeller. The key differences between the maneuverable propeller (CBVRP) and other maneuvering propellers are listed in Table 1.

For underwater vehicles, in vertical and horizontal planes respectively there need at least two of these propellers to change of underwater vehicle’s courses in any desired direction [10].

If an axial propulsion system and its steering function are combined in one unit, the vehicle will be capable of high speed with much reduced profile drag.

For traditional underwater vehicles, propulsion-and-steering system works as two separately units [[12], [13], [14], [15]]. The first unit is the fix pitch propeller which is responsible for generating thrust into the straight direction. The second one is the lift force created by the rudders/fins that control the underwater in a circular path.

As propeller is operating in a spatially non-uniform wake of the underwater vehicle, the unsteady hydrodynamic components of the propeller (thrust, torque and vertical and horizontal side forces) are fluctuating due to the interaction between the propeller and the rudders and the stern planes [16]. On the other hand, the rudders behind propeller produce large amount of drag forces and side forces which enable the change of the course of an underwater vehicle.

Section snippets

Core technology of the maneuverable propeller

Traditional helicopter propellers create maneuvering force by changing their blades’ pitch cyclically to develop an imbalanced thrust force and hence a maneuvering torque [18]. For example, if a propeller is laid on a map and we increase the pitch to the maximum when it is at the north position and reduce the pitch to the minimum when it is at the south position, the thrust will be the maximum at the north position and minimum at the south position. This will create a maneuvering torque about

Mathematical model (governing equations)

Numerical simulations completed in this work are based on RANS equations. The incompressible continuity and momentum equations with RANS approximation are described as: $\frac{\partial U_{i}}{\partial x_{i}} = 0$ $\frac{\partial {(ρ}_{i})}{\partial t} + \frac{\partial (ρ u_{i} u_{j})}{\partial x_{j}} = - \frac{\partial p}{\partial x_{i}} + \frac{\partial}{\partial x_{j}} [μ (\frac{\partial u_{i}}{\partial x_{j}} + \frac{\partial u_{j}}{\partial x_{i}})] + \frac{\partial}{\partial x_{j}} (- ρ \bar{u_{i}^{'} u_{j}^{'}}) + S_{i}$ where $u_{i}$ and $u_{j}$ are the time-averaged values of the velocity components (i, j = 1, 2, 3), p is the time-averaged value of pressure, $ρ$ is the fluid density, $μ$ is the coefficient of dynamic viscosity, $S_{i}$ is the source term, and $ρ \bar{u_{i}^{'} u_{j}^{'}}$ is the Reynolds

Results

Several cases have been simulated, for different cruise speed and different modes. Here, the concentration is on the results of a case with $n$ = 10 $r p s$ for propeller hub and V = 7 $m / s$ cruising speed. In the thrust only mode, this propeller generates thrust only, under the example advance ratio of J = 0.7.

Fig. 8 shows a comparison of the thrust and torque coefficients (K_T and 10×K_Q), for the thrust only mode and two maneuvering modes.

The thrust and torque coefficients for the thrust only mode as

Conclusions

A novel maneuverable propeller was developed. This is another propeller-steering propulsion system in addition to the long existing traditional helicopter propeller. The maneuverable propeller in a normal load of J = 0.7 with the pitch ratio of about 1.0, with a ratio of the maximum maneuvering force to the thrust mode force of over 5 times to produce an extremely high maneuvering torque. The maneuverable propeller is also able to produce subnational straight thrust in maneuvering mode while

Authors’ contributions

Mohammad Eskandarian has:

1
Contributions to conception and design, acquisition and analysis of the data and technology;
2
Contributions to drafting the article.

Pengfei Liu has:

1
Contributions to drafting core technology description of the manuscript;
2
Contributions to agreement to be accountable for all aspects of the work in ensuring that questions related to the accuracy or integrity of any part of the work are appropriately investigated and resolved.

Data accessibility

The datasets supporting this article have been uploaded as part of the supplementary material.

Competing interests

Both authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

Ethics statement

This article does not contain any studies with human participants or animals performed by any of the authors.

Informed consent

All author declare that humans are NOT involved this study.

Funding statement

The authors have not received any funding for this research.

Acknowledgement

The authors thank to Australian Maritime College,University of Tasmania for its support.

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View full text

A novel maneuverable propeller for improving maneuverability and propulsive performance of underwater vehicles

Highlights

Abstract

Introduction

Section snippets

Core technology of the maneuverable propeller

Mathematical model (governing equations)

Results

Conclusions

Authors’ contributions

Data accessibility

Competing interests

Ethics statement

Informed consent

Funding statement

Acknowledgement

J. Bionic Eng.

Ocean Eng.

Energy Convers. Manag.

Appl. Ocean Res.

IFAC Proc. Vol.

Ocean Eng.

Ocean Eng.

Ocean Eng.

Int. J. Naval Arch. Ocean Eng.

J. Sound Vibr.

J. Electr. Syst. Inf. Technol.

J. Sound Vibr.