Development of a CFD Design Programme to Model the Performance of Self Pitching Propellers

This deliverable describes the development and validation of computational hydrodynamics models for marine propellers. The emphasis is on controllable-pitch and self-pitching propellers. Two computational approaches are proposed and compared: a Blade Element Momentum Theory (BEMT) and a Boundary Element Method (BEM). Theoretical and computational methodologies are outlined and results of validation studies on available test cases are presented and discussed. A blade dynamics model to determine free-pitching conditions is also derived and validated. The activity is performed in the framework of Work Package 3 of the HyMAR Project.