Numerical Simulation of Tonal and Broadband Hydrodynamic Noises of Non-Cavitating Underwater Propeller

Abstract

The objective of the study was to carry out numerical simulation of the hydrodynamic noise generated by the flow around a non-cavitating underwater propeller. To achieve this goal, hydrodynamic simulation of flow around the propeller was initially done. Te unsteady 3-D flow was modelled numerically along with the LES turbulence model. Te hydrodynamic parameters calculated for different advance coefficients are visibly in line with the previous experimental works. Te turbulent quantities of the hydrodynamic study and the FWH model were used to find spectral distributions of flow noise for different advance coefficients. Te results of the acoustic investigation were compared against other numerical results. An array of 100 hydrophones was used to find the directional distribution of the noise around the propeller. Te obtained results indicate that, for different advance coefficients, the highest intensity of the noise recorded by different receivers around the propeller occurs in BPF. Furthermore, it has been found that the noise is directionally as well as intensively distributed around the propeller. Noise distributions of noise are presented and discussed for different regimes of propeller rotation. Te analysis of the expanded spectrum (broadband analysis) of noise on the propellers has also been done and the contribution of all parts of the propeller to hydrodynamic noise generation are presented.

Keywords

• numerical simulation
• tonal
• broadband
• hydrodynamic noise
• propeller