Numerical Optimization of a Self-Pitching Propeller

This report is describing the activities related to the optimization of a free-pitching propeller, in the context of the HYMAR research project. The original shape of the propeller is depicted in figure 1. The parametrisation of the propeller is obtained by super-imposition of a Bezier curve to the original radial distribution of classical geometrical quantities of the propeller design. The number of point controlling the Bezier curve are defining the number of design variables applied for the parameterisation of the blade. The quantities whose radial distribution is modified during the optimization process are: the pitch, the chord, the rake, and the skew. In order to preserve the shape of the palm of the original blade, not modelled during the numerical simulations, the value and the gradient of the different quantities is preserved at the root of the blade. For the same reason,the offset of the blade is not changed.