Submarine propeller hydrodynamic design at model scale by the PRO-INS software and experimental validation

This report describes a design procedure for model scale submarine pro- pellers by computational hydrodynamics modelling. The methodology allows to de ne the propeller geometry matching required objectives and constraints from basic data for the submarine hull geometry, the propeller diameter, and a given range of operating conditions (at model scale). The evaluation of candidate propeller geometries and the selection of the solution satisfying design objectives and constraints is performed by using computational models for the prediction of the propeller per- formance and for the manipulation of propeller geometry. The models have been developed at CNR-INM (formerly INSEAN) and are imple- mented into the computational platform developed for the Italian Navy under the project Contract 15CT17. The present report is written in the framework of the above mentioned project in order to provide examples of application of platform tools. Two cases are described where the methodology is applied to the design of model scale submarine propellers. The design methodology based on the use of the computational tools is described and results of the design studies are presented. In particular, propeller performance numerical predictions are validated by a posteriori comparisons with results of model tests performed on the designed model propellers.