Numerical Study on the Unsteady Flow Field Characteristics of a Podded Propulsor Based on DDES Method

The podded propulsor has gradually become an important propulsion device for high technology ships in recent years because of its characteristics of high maneuverability, high efficiency, low noise, and vibration. The performance of podded propulsor is closely related to its flow field. To study the unsteady flow field characteristics of podded propulsor, the DDES (delayed detached eddy simulation) method was used to carry out high-precision transient numerical simulations. Results showed that the pod has a significant influence on the unsteady flow field. The rotor–stator interaction between the propeller and pod can be observed, leading to the periodic fluctuation of thrust on the propeller. On the surface of pod, pressure distribution changes with time, leading to the difference of local lateral force. In the spatial region affected by the propeller wake flow, pressure distribution presents a spiral characteristic, both in the region far away from the pod, and in the region of the wake flow of strut and fin. The vortex structures of podded propulsor are complex since the interference of the pod. In addition to the tip, root and hub vortex, strut and fin vortices also occur. The vortices generated by the effect of mutual inductance between vortices are also discussed.