The Calculation of Marine Propellers Based on Lifting-Surface Theory

Since the present theoretical propeller design method is based on the lifting-surface theory formulated by Ginzel and Ludwieg, an improvement to this lifting-surface theory is made first. Aside from the fact that the improved lifting-surface theory is more general with respect to blade outline and the loading distribution over the blade area, the most important improvement is in the method of obtaining the induced mean lines. In the new theory the induced mean line at any radius is derived from the down-wash distribution along the entire chord length rather than from the rate of change of the down wash at the middle chord as has been done by Ginzel and Ludwieg. The results obtained from the new method show that the induced mean line at any radius is not a function of the chordwise loading distribution at that radius alone but a function of the loading distribution over the entire blade area and the blade outline. Based on the improved theory a new theoretical propeller design method has been developed. The numerical work involved in this design method has been programmed into a high-speed computer for a special case of uniform chordwise loading distribution. Two design examples have been carried out in accordance with the new design procedure, one with skewed blade and the other with symmetrical blade. The experimental verification of the work presented here will be done in the near future.