Parametric Modeling and Hydrodynamic Analysis of Underwater High Performance Propeller

: At present, the propeller-dependent drive system is still the mainstream propulsion mode of underwater vehicle. The propeller plays an important role in the whole propulsion system, and its effect directly affects the thrust, speed, efficiency and endurance of the underwater vehicle. The propeller used by autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV) should not only satisfy the demands of thrust and torque, but also high efficiency. In this paper, four kinds of airfoil propellers with different sizes and shapes are designed based on OpenProp software, and their performances are tested by thrust test. The comparison between the four kinds of airfoil propeller and the contrast between the airfoil propeller and the MAU type four-bladed propeller are made. In addition, a series of conclusions are drawn, which lays the foundation for designing the propeller with high efficiency and thrust.