• Journal of Ocean Engineering and Technology
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• v.28 no.6
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• pp.500-507
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• 2014

This study aimed at conducting a flow analysis of the pressure distribution, discharge flow rate, and consequent thrust force according to the rotational speed of a three-dimensional screw propeller, and then investigating the effect of the rotational speed on the characteristics of the screw propeller by varying the relevant speed (3200, 2400, 1600, 800 rpm). In particular, the computational domain was considered by the analysis in the blades and outlet chamber, using boundary conditions. The difference between the minimum and maximum pressures was 5.5 MPa under the given conditions. The discharge flow rate at this pressure difference was on the level of 1956.67 kg/s, as a thrust force of 47083.7 T(N) was obtained. This study showed that the discharge flow rate linearly increased with the rotational speed, proportional to the RPM, while the thrust force was gradually and steadily increased with the relevant speed. In addition, it was proved that the occurrence of cavitation under the given conditions was closely related to the decrease in the durability of the screw propeller because the thrust force depends on the speed.