Validation of a Quasi-potential Flow Model for the Analysis of Marine Propellers Wake

A theoretical model for the analysis of marine propeller wake flow is presented. The proposed methodology is based on a boundary integral formulation for the velocity potential. A wake­alignment technique is formulated in which the near wake shape is determined as a part of the flowfield solution, whereas a far wake model allows to include the effects of the vortices extended to infinity. A viscous­flow correction to the potential field is determined through Lighthill's transpiration velocity concept. Numerical results by the proposed methodology are presented in order to verify the numerical scheme and to validate propeller slipstream flow predictions against model propeller measurements by using PIV and LDV velocimetry techniques.