A computational investigation of noise spectrum due to cavitating and non-cavitating propellers

In this article, noise spectrum of marine propellers is investigated in uniform flow under non-cavitating and cavitating conditions. New results are presented for this research field. Hydrodynamic performance of both non-cavitating and cavitating marine propellers is first analyzed by viscous and potential based flow solvers. In viscous solver, sheet cavitation on propeller blades is simulated with Schnerr–Sauer cavitation model based on Rayleigh Plesset equation using volume of fluid approach. Numerical hydrodynamic results based on viscous solver is compared with potential solver and then validated with experimental data of benchmark David Taylor Model Basin 4119 model propeller. Later, noise spectrum of model propellers is predicted by a hybrid method which combines Reynolds-averaged Navier Stokes and Ffowcs Williams Hawkings equations. Computed noise spectrum is compared with other numerical studies in the literature for the selected model propeller. In addition, hydrodynamic and hydroacoustic pressures are compared in near field to show reliability of numerical solution. Effects of blade number on hydrodynamic performance and noise spectrum are also investigated. Numerical results indicated that as blade number increases, propeller noise level decreases for different loading conditions due to decreased blade loading (circulation) per blade. However, propeller efficiency increases as blade number decreases.