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Title: Large diameter propellers of reduced weight. Final report

Technical Report ·
OSTI ID:6165913

A study of the design and economic analysis of large diameter, slow-turning marine propellers to improve the fuel economy of merchant ships. Detailed designs of several lightweight propellers were made. It was determined that the best combination for weight reduction is a cast hollow blade with 1 1/4 inch wall thickness and a hollow hub. Other investigations made were: fabrication techniques, resonant frequency effects, hydrodynamic characteristics, cascading effects and tip emersion effects. Costs and benefits as applied to a 120,000 DWT Tanker are discussed allowing for both strict adherence to IMCO Rules of tip submersion and with a relaxing of IMCO Rules. Strict adherence shows a maximum propeller diameter of about 30.2 feet with a resulting annual fuel savings of 1/4 million dollars over the 27.5' propeller. Relaxing these rules allows for a 42.5 diameter propeller turning at 30.8 RPM which would result in an annual fuel savings of one million dollars per year over the 27.5 propeller.

Research Organization:
Webb Inst. of Naval Architecture, Glen Cove, NY (USA)
OSTI ID:
6165913
Report Number(s):
PB-83-152520
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English