Setting new standards for model propeller testing

What if a small modification could dramatically enhance the accuracy, interpretability and reliability of model tests used to predict ship performance? This is not mere fiction, but the result of three years of intensive research into model propeller boundary layers.

In this research, we reinvented an Experimental Fluid Dynamics (EFD) method to visualise propeller boundary layer flow using paint, refined Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) simulations, and developed an innovative approach to stimulate turbulence in propeller models.

These advancements are not just academic; they promise practical improvements in maritime model testing. This article will explore the intricacies of this groundbreaking method and its far-reaching implications for the maritime industry.In our quest to improve the accuracy and reduce the uncertainty of model tests, we have confronted a key challenge: the nature of the propeller's boundary layer during model tests.