Assisting in design of marine propeller using genetic algorithm

Abstract

Research on selecting marine propellers suitable for the main engine and ship hull form plays an essential role in designing transportation vessels, especially container ships operating at low-speed range. In the preliminary design stage, the experimental marine propeller Wageningen (B-series) were selected because they are suitable for the transportation vessels and have reliable experimental data for thrust and torque coefficient. Experimental propeller selection schemes are often based on the recommendations of the graph and data; the design engineer's decision is restricted in the selection of propeller geometrical parameters. For propulsion equipment for transportation vessels, thrust characteristic and torque characteristic play an essential role in ensuring the speed according to the design mission and economic efficiency during the marine vehicle operation. In this study, the thrust coefficient and torque coefficient are integrated with the optimization technique based on the genetic algorithm, thereby successfully constructing an algorithm to support the recommendation of specific geometrical parameters of the marine propeller considering the influence of the main engine and ship hull form. The calculation results show that the calculated thrust coefficient and torque factor satisfy the design characteristics and improve the overall performance of the propeller and transportation vessels.