Experimental and theoretical investigations of propeller-rudder interaction phenomena

The problem of an isolated free-running propeller-rudder combination has been studied through an experimental and a theoretical approach. The former regards flow measurements by LDV phase sampling techniques and visualizations at high frame rate in a cavitation tunnel, the latter an inviscid-flow solver for lifting/thrusting bodies in arbitrary motion. The main features of the propeller­rudder interaction have been pointed out on the basis of the velocity field distribution over two transversal planes of the wake, just in front and behind the rudder. In addition, experimental results have been used to assess the validity of the theoretical model in such a critical configuration.