Hull Propeller Interaction

When a propeller is fitted at the stern of a ship, it operates in water that has been disturbed by the ship
during its forward motion. The behaviour of the propeller is therefore affected by the ship. In a similar
manner, the operation of the propeller "behind" the ship hull affects the behaviour of the ship. There is
thus a mutual interaction between the hull and the propeller, each affecting the other. This “hull-
propeller interaction” has three major effects on the performance of the propeller and the ship taken
together as compared to their behaviour considered individually:

Wake. Propeller fitted at the stern operates in water which has been disturbed by the passage of the
hull. In general, the water around the stern acquires a forward motion in the same direction as the ship
due to various reasons such as boundary layer etc., which is called as the wake. If the speed of the ship
with respect to still water is V, and the forward speed of wake is VW, then the speed of the propeller with
respect to the water that flows into it is called as the speed of advance of the propeller, VA = V – VW.

The wake speed therefore is mathematically equal to the difference between the velocity of the ship, V
and the velocity with which the water flows to the propeller, VA.

The wake is due to

three principal causes:

(a) Frictional Wake:

Due to boundary layer
flow, the frictional
drag of the hull causes
a following current
which increases in
velocity and volume
towards the stern, and
produces there a wake
having a considerable forward velocity relative to the surrounding water.

(b) Potential Wake or Streamline Wake: The

streamline flow past the hull causes reduced
pressure at the middle body where the
streamlines are close together and an increased
pressure around the stem and the stern, where
the stream lines are spaced out and closing in.
This means that in the region the relative velocity
of the water past the hull will be less than the
ship's speed and will appear as a forward or positive wake augmenting that due to friction.

(c) Wave Wake: The ship forms a wave pattern on the surface of the water, and the water particles in
the crests have a forward
velocity due to their
orbital motion, while in
the troughs the orbital
velocity is sternward.
This orbital velocity will
give rise to a wake
component which will be
positive or negative
according to whether
there is a crest or a

Naval Architecture Lecture Notes BSW Page 36/158

trough of the wave system in the vicinity of the propeller.

The total wake is made up of these three components, and in the great majority of cases is positive.
Exceptions arise in very high-speed craft such as destroyers and high-speed motor boats.

Wake Fraction. Froude expressed the wake speed as a fraction of the speed of advance calling this
ratio the wake fraction, so that

𝑉𝑤 𝑉 − 𝑉𝐴 𝑉 𝑉
𝑤𝐹 = = = −1 𝑜𝑟 𝑉𝐴 =
𝑉𝐴 𝑉𝐴 𝑉𝐴 1 + 𝑤𝐹

WF is called as the Froude wake fraction. The expression 1 + 𝑤𝐹 is called the Froude wake factor. For a
forward wake, 𝑤𝐹 is positive, but it may have small negative values in high speed ships such as
destroyers.

Taylor introduced a different definition of wake fraction by expressing the wake speed as a fraction of
the ship speed, so that,
𝑉𝑤 𝑉 − 𝑉𝐴 𝑉𝐴
𝑤= = =1− 𝑜𝑟 𝑉𝐴 = 𝑉(1 − 𝑤)
𝑉 𝑉 𝑉

This definition has been extensively used in modern literature, since a wake of 50 percent then means
that the wake speed is 50 percent of the ship's speed, whereas in the Froude notation a 50 percent wake
implies that the wake speed is 33 percent of the ship's speed. The Taylor definition is more or less
universal in current literature, but the difference must be remembered when using older published
data, particularly British, much of which gives Froude-wake values.
𝑉
Relation of 𝒘 and 𝒘𝑭 . From definition of 𝑤𝐹 , we have 𝑉𝐴 = 1+𝑤 , and from definition of 𝑤, 𝑉𝐴 = 𝑉(1 −
𝐹
𝑤). Eliminating VA from the two expressions.

𝑉 1
= 𝑉(1 − 𝑤) ⇒ =1−𝑤 … . 𝐸𝑞 1
1 + 𝑤𝐹 1 + 𝑤𝐹

1 𝑤𝐹
𝐹𝑟𝑜𝑚 𝐸𝑞 1 𝑤𝑒 𝑐𝑎𝑛 𝑤𝑟𝑖𝑡𝑒, 𝑤 = 1 − 𝑤ℎ𝑖𝑐ℎ 𝑚𝑒𝑎𝑛𝑠, 𝑤 =
1 + 𝑤𝐹 1 + 𝑤𝐹

1 𝑤
𝐹𝑟𝑜𝑚 𝐸𝑞 1 𝑤𝑒 𝑐𝑎𝑛 𝑎𝑙𝑠𝑜 𝑤𝑟𝑖𝑡𝑒, 1 + 𝑤𝐹 = 𝑤ℎ𝑖𝑐ℎ 𝑚𝑒𝑎𝑛𝑠, 𝑤𝐹 =
1−𝑤 1−𝑤

Naval Architecture Lecture Notes BSW Page 37/158

Wake Distribution. When designing a propeller by use of the circulation theory (This will be seen
later) it is of interest to know the radial variation of the wake fraction. The radial distribution of the
wake fraction can be determined using model tests by means of blade wheels, resistance rings, or pitot
tube measurements. The blade wheel method is the simplest. The results from a series of such
measurements are presented by means of a diagram, which can be used for predicting of the radial
distribution of the wake on a new ship when taking into account the scale effect and when a very high
degree of accuracy is not required.

For big ships and for ships designed for high speed there is a need for knowledge of the wake field
behind the ship. 1t is necessary to introduce a detailed description of the wake field in order to design
efficient propellers, which also have a reasonable pressure variation over the blades resulting in a
reasonable pressure variation over the ship hull which helps to avoid noise and vibration. With regard
to the wake distribution on the propeller disk, a vast amount of data have been collected in the course
of time.

Propeller in Real Fluid (Yielding Medium) -

Slip

Now consider a right-hand propeller with Z

number of blades, diameter D and pitch ratio
P/D advancing into undisturbed water with a
velocity VA while turning at a revolution rate
n.

If the screw is turning at n-revolutions in unit

time, then in that time it will advance a
distance Pn axially and we can obtain a
velocity diagram for the section, Fig. shown. In
a real fluid, there will be a certain amount of
yielding when the propeller is developing
thrust and the screw will not advance a
distance LM, equal to Pn, in unit time, but
some smaller distance LS, the distance MS
being called the slip, and the ratio MS/ML = sR
is called the real slip ratio and MAS the slip
angle or angle of attack for the blade section.
From the above figure, it is seen that

𝑃𝑛 − 𝑉𝐴 𝑉𝐴
𝑠𝑅 = =1−
𝑃𝑛 𝑃𝑛

Where VA is the speed of advance of the

propeller

Similarly, we can define apparent slip ratio as

𝑃𝑛 − 𝑉 𝑉
𝑠𝐴 = =1−
𝑃𝑛 𝑃𝑛

Where, V is the velocity of the ship.

Relation of Slip to Thrust Thrust produced

by a propeller can be approximated using the Newton’s laws. The propeller can be considered as a disc
which is imparting momentum to the water that is passing through it. This change in momentum per
second is the thrust exerted by the propeller on water and also the reaction of water which propels the
propeller and the ship ahead.
Naval Architecture Lecture Notes BSW Page 38/158
𝐿𝑒𝑡,
𝐴 = 𝑒𝑓𝑓𝑒𝑐𝑡𝑖𝑣𝑒 𝑑𝑖𝑠𝑐 𝑎𝑟𝑒𝑎 𝑜𝑓 𝑝𝑟𝑜𝑝𝑒𝑙𝑙𝑒𝑟 𝑖𝑛 𝑚2

𝐸𝑓𝑓𝑒𝑐𝑡𝑖𝑣𝑒 𝑑𝑖𝑠𝑐 𝑎𝑟𝑒𝑎 = 𝐴𝑟𝑒𝑎 𝑜𝑓 𝑝𝑟𝑜𝑝𝑒𝑙𝑙𝑒𝑟 𝑑𝑖𝑠𝑐 𝑒𝑥𝑐𝑙𝑢𝑑𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑡ℎ𝑒 ℎ𝑢𝑏 𝑎𝑟𝑒𝑎 = 𝜋(𝑅 2 − 𝑅ℎ2 )

𝜌 = 𝑑𝑒𝑛𝑠𝑖𝑡𝑦 𝑜𝑓 𝑤𝑎𝑡𝑒𝑟 𝑖𝑛 𝑘𝑔/𝑚3

𝑃 = 𝑝𝑖𝑡𝑐ℎ 𝑜𝑓 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑝𝑟𝑜𝑝𝑒𝑙𝑙𝑒𝑟 𝑖𝑛 𝑚

𝑛 = 𝑟𝑒𝑣/𝑠

𝑉𝐴 = 𝑠𝑝𝑒𝑒𝑑 𝑜𝑓 𝑎𝑑𝑣𝑎𝑛𝑐𝑒 𝑖𝑛 𝑚/𝑠

𝑀𝑎𝑠𝑠 𝑜𝑓 𝑤𝑎𝑡𝑒𝑟 𝑝𝑎𝑠𝑠𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑡ℎ𝑟𝑜𝑢𝑔ℎ 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑝𝑟𝑜𝑝𝑒𝑙𝑙𝑒𝑟 𝑑𝑖𝑠𝑐 𝑖𝑛 1 𝑠𝑒𝑐 = 𝜌𝐴𝑃𝑛 𝐾𝑔

𝐶ℎ𝑎𝑛𝑔𝑒 𝑖𝑛 𝑣𝑒𝑙𝑜𝑠𝑖𝑡𝑦 𝑜𝑓 𝑤𝑎𝑡𝑒𝑟 𝑎𝑠 𝑖𝑡 𝑝𝑎𝑠𝑠𝑒𝑠 𝑡ℎ𝑟𝑜𝑢𝑔ℎ 𝑝𝑟𝑜𝑝𝑒𝑙𝑙𝑒𝑟 = 𝑃𝑛 − 𝑉𝐴 𝑚/𝑠

𝑆𝑖𝑛𝑐𝑒 𝑡ℎ𝑖𝑠 𝑐ℎ𝑎𝑛𝑔𝑒 𝑖𝑛 𝑣𝑒𝑙𝑜𝑐𝑖𝑡𝑦 𝑜𝑐𝑐𝑢𝑟𝑠 𝑖𝑛 1 𝑠𝑒𝑐, 𝑎𝑐𝑐𝑒𝑙𝑒𝑟𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛, 𝑎 = 𝑃𝑛 − 𝑉𝐴 𝑚/𝑠 2

𝑃𝑛 − 𝑉𝐴
𝑆𝑢𝑏𝑠𝑡𝑖𝑡𝑢𝑡𝑖𝑛𝑔, 𝑠𝑅 = 𝑔𝑖𝑣𝑒𝑠, 𝑎 = 𝑠𝑅 𝑃𝑛
𝑃𝑛

𝑆𝑖𝑛𝑐𝑒, 𝐹𝑜𝑟𝑐𝑒 = 𝑚𝑎𝑠𝑠 × 𝑎𝑐𝑐𝑒𝑙𝑒𝑟𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛, 𝑇ℎ𝑟𝑢𝑠𝑡, 𝑇 = 𝜌𝐴𝑃𝑛 × 𝑠𝑅 𝑃𝑛 𝑁𝑒𝑤𝑡𝑜𝑛𝑠

𝑇ℎ𝑒𝑟𝑒𝑓𝑜𝑟𝑒, 𝑇 = 𝜌𝐴𝑃2 𝑛2 𝑠𝑅 𝑁

From the above equation, it is interesting to know the following:

(a) The propeller produces maximum thrust when the slip is maximum and equal to 100%, i.e., when
VA=0. Increased slip leads to increased propeller thrust

(b) When slip is zero propeller exerts no thrust

(c) The condition when propeller exerts zero thrust at zero slip occurs when VA is a maximum for the
given RPM. This is called as feathering condition and the pitch in this condition is called as the effective
𝑃𝑒 or as per the ITTC nomenclature as ‘Analysis Pitch’. Therefore, at a speed of advance when thrust is
zero,
𝑉𝐴 = 𝑉𝐴(max) = 𝑃𝑒 𝑛

𝑉𝐴(max)
⇒ 𝑃𝑒 𝑛 = 𝑉𝐴(max) 𝑜𝑟 𝑃𝑒 =
𝑛

The above is true for a constant rotational speed or ‘n’.

(d) The slip ratio with respect to effective slip at other speeds is called as the effective slip ratio.
Therefore,
𝑃𝑒 𝑛 − 𝑉𝐴 𝑉𝐴
𝑠𝑒 = =1−
𝑃𝑒 𝑛 𝑃𝑒 𝑛

From the above we conclude that for constant rpm

Velocity of advance, VA Real Slip Effective Slip Thrust

Zero Max (100 %) Max (100 %) Maximum
Increases Reduces Reduces Reduces
VA(max) Minimum Zero Zero
Naval Architecture Lecture Notes BSW Page 39/158
Propeller Working behind Ship - Augment of Resistance or Thrust Deduction

Resistance RT of a ship at a speed V is the force required to tow the ship at that speed. However, when
the ship is using its own propulsion, then the resistance at the same speed V is higher than R T. This
happens because, when a propeller produces thrust it accelerates the water flowing through the
propeller disc and reduces the pressure in the flow field ahead of it. The increased velocity of water at
the stern of the ship and the reduced pressure cause an increase in the resistance of the ship.

This added resistance due to action of propeller is called as the augment of resistance. If T is the thrust
required to propel the ship at a speed V, then the augment of resistance is equal to T – RT and the
augment of resistance fraction ‘a’ is defined as

𝑇 − 𝑅𝑇 𝑇
𝑎= = −1
𝑅𝑇 𝑅𝑇
So that:
𝑇 = 𝑅𝑇 (1 + 𝑎)

and the thrust deduction fraction ‘t’ is defined as

𝑇 − 𝑅𝑇 𝑅𝑇
𝑡= =1−
𝑇 𝑇
So that:
𝑅𝑇 = 𝑇(1 − 𝑡)

The thrust deduction fraction is related to the wake fraction, a high wake fraction usually being
associated with a high thrust deduction fraction. The thrust deduction fraction also depends to some
extent on the rudder if placed in the slip stream of the propeller.

Relation of 𝒂 and 𝒕. By definition

𝑇 = 𝑅𝑇 (1 + 𝑎) … 𝐸𝑞 1

𝑅𝑇 = 𝑇(1 − 𝑡) … 𝐸𝑞 2
Substituting Eq. 2 in Eq. 1
(1 + 𝑎)(1 − 𝑡) = 1

Example 1 A propeller running at 120 rpm is found to produce no thrust when its velocity of
advance is 11.7 knots. The propeller works most efficiently at a velocity of advance 10 knots. Determine
the effective pitch and effective slip ratio at maximum efficiency.

Ans. When thrust is zero, slip is zero and propeller pitch is the effective pitch.

Naval Architecture Lecture Notes BSW Page 40/158

 𝑉𝐴 11.7 × 0.5144 𝑚/𝑠𝑒𝑐
𝑊ℎ𝑒𝑛 𝑇ℎ𝑟𝑢𝑠𝑡 = 0, 𝑉𝐴 = 𝑉𝐴 (max) 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑃𝑒 = = = 3.009 𝑚
𝑛 (120⁄60) 𝑟𝑝𝑠
The slip ratio with respect to effective slip at other speeds is the effective slip ratio
Therefore,
𝑉𝐴 10 × 0.5144 𝑚/𝑠𝑒𝑐
𝑠𝑒 = 1 − =1− = 0.1453 = 14.53%
𝑃𝑒 𝑛 3.009 𝑚 × (120⁄60) 𝑟𝑝𝑠

Example 2 A 125 m long, 16.5 m wide and 12400 tonne displacement ship has a draught of 7.5 m
in fresh water. The propeller has a face pitch ratio of 0.75. With the propeller running at 100 rpm the
ship travels at 12 knots with real slip ratio of 30%. Calculate (a) pitch of the propeller (b) apparent slip
(c) propeller diameter.
Assume wake speed VW=(0.5 CB-0.05)V.

(12400⁄1)
Ans. 𝐶𝐵 = 125×16.5×7.5 = 0.8

𝑉𝑊 = (0.5 × 0.8 − 0.05)12 × 0.5144 = 2.16048 𝑚/𝑠𝑒𝑐

𝑉𝐴 = (𝑉 − 𝑉𝑊 ) = 12 × 0.5144 − 2.16048 = 4.012𝑚/𝑠𝑒𝑐

𝑉𝐴 4.012
𝑠𝑅 = 1 − =1− = 0.3 (𝑔𝑖𝑣𝑒𝑛), ⇒ 𝑃 = 3.44 𝑚
𝑃𝑛 𝑃 × (100/60)

𝑉 12 × 0.5144
𝑠𝐴 = 1 − =1− = −0.0775 𝑜𝑟 − 7.75%
𝑃𝑛 3.44 × (100/60)

𝑃 3.44
𝐺𝑖𝑣𝑒𝑛 = 0.75 ⇒ 𝐷 = = 4.59 𝑚
𝐷 0.75

Example 3 The pitch of a propeller is 6m. At 105 rpm, apparent slip is 10% and real slip is 24%.
Calculate ship speed and Taylor wake fraction.
𝑉 105
Ans. 𝑠𝐴 = 1 − 𝑃𝑛 = 0.10 (𝑔𝑖𝑣𝑒𝑛), ⇒ 𝑉 = (1 − 0.1) × 6 × 60
= 9.45 𝑚/𝑠𝑒𝑐

𝑉𝐴 105
𝑠𝑅 = 1 − = 0.24 (𝑔𝑖𝑣𝑒𝑛), ⇒ 𝑉𝐴 = (1 − 0.24) × 6 × = 7.98 𝑚/𝑠𝑒𝑐
𝑃𝑛 60
𝑉 − 𝑉𝐴 9.45 − 7.98
𝑤= = = 0.156
𝑉 9.45

Example 4 The pitch of a propeller is measured by means of a batten and cord. The horizontal
ordinate is found to be 40 cm while the vertical ordinate is 1.15 m at a distance of 2.6 m from the
centre of the boss. Calculate the pitch of the propeller and the blade width at that point.
Ans.
40
𝑇𝑎𝑛 𝜃 = = 0.3478 ⇒ 𝜃 = 19𝑜 10′
115
𝑃𝑖𝑡𝑐ℎ
𝑊𝑒 ℎ𝑎𝑣𝑒 𝑇𝑎𝑛𝜃 =
2𝜋𝑟
22
𝑜𝑟 𝑃𝑖𝑡𝑐ℎ = 2𝜋𝑟 × 𝑇𝑎𝑛𝜃 = 2 × × 2.6 × 0.3478 = 5.682 𝑚
7

𝐻𝑜𝑟𝑖𝑧𝑜𝑛𝑡𝑎𝑙 𝑂𝑟𝑑𝑖𝑛𝑎𝑡𝑒
𝑊𝑒 𝑎𝑙𝑠𝑜 ℎ𝑎𝑣𝑒 𝑆𝑖𝑛 𝜃 =
𝑊𝑖𝑑𝑡ℎ
40
⇒ 𝑊𝑖𝑑𝑡ℎ = = 121.8 𝑐𝑚 = 1.218 𝑚
𝑆𝑖𝑛19𝑜 10′
Naval Architecture Lecture Notes BSW Page 41/158
 Practice Exercise
1. A single screw ship having a block coefficient of 0.70 was found to have a speed on trial of
16.06 knots. The Froude wake fraction was estimated at 0·43. Estimate the speed of the wake.
Compare with the value given by Taylor’s formula (4.83 Knots)

2. A propeller of 4.5 m pitch turns at 120 rev/min and drives the ship at 15.5 knots. If the wake
fraction is 0.30 calculate the apparent slip and the real slip. (11.38%, 37.96%)

3. A ship travels at 14 knots when the propeller, 5 m pitch, turns at 105 rev/min. If the wake
fraction is 0.35, calculate the apparent and real slip. (17.7%, 46.5%)

4. 3. A propeller of 5.5 m diameter has a pitch ratio of 0.8. When turning at 120 rev/min, he
wake fraction is found to be 0.32 and the real slip 35 % calculate the ship speed, speed of advance and
apparent slip. (11.12 knots, 16.35 knots, 4.44%)

5. A ship of 12400 tonne displacement is 120 m long, 17.5 m beam and floats at a draught of 7.5
m. The propeller has a face pitch ratio of 0.75 and, when turning at 100 rev/min, produces a ship speed
of 12 knots with a real slip of 30 %. Calculate the apparent slip, pitch and diameter of the propeller. The
wake fraction w may be found from the expression: w = 0.5 CB - 0.05. (-5.8%, 3.52m, 4.7m)

6. When a propeller of 4.8 m pitch turns at 110 rev/min, the apparent slip is found to be - s % and
the real slip + 1.5s %. If the wake speed is 25 % of the ship speed, calculate the ship speed, the apparent
slip and the real slip. (19.01 knots, -11.10%, 16.66%)

7. At 90 rev/min a propeller of 5 m pitch has an apparent slip of 15% and wake fraction 0.10.
Calculate the real slip. (23.52%)

8. A propeller has a diameter of 4.28 m, pitch ratio of 1.1 and rotates at a speed of 2 rev/s. If the
apparent and true slip are -0.7% and 12% respectively, calculate the wake speed. (2.05 knots)

9. A propeller working at 8% apparent slip has a diameter of 5.5 m and a pitch ratio of 0.95.
Calculate the rpm and the real slip when ship speed is 14 knots and Froude wake fraction, wF is 0.36.
(90rpm, 32.35%)

10. The trial speed of the ship is 17.3 knots and the estimated Taylor wake fraction is 0.20. Estimate
the velocity of water at the propeller and value of Froude wake fraction. (13.84 Knots, 0.25)

11. A ship travels at 15 knots when, the propeller 5 m pitch turns at 105 rpm. If Taylor wake
fraction is 0.33, calculate the apparent and real slip. (98.6%, 99%)

12. A vessel departed from port A, at 1206 Hrs with the number of revolutions counter reading
616729 and arrived at port B when the counter read 731929 at 1148 Hrs, the following day. The vessel
has a 630 cm diameter propeller with a pitch of 610 cm. If the observed distance was 404.16 NM,
determine the apparent slip. (-6.24%)

13. A propeller has a pitch of 5.5 m. When turning at 93 rpm, the apparent slip is found to be – s %
and the real slip + s %, the wake speed being 10 % of the ship speed, calculate the ship speed, the
apparent slip and the real slip. (17.44 knots, -5.25%, 5.25%)

14. A propeller has a diameter of 5·2 m, a pitch ratio of 1·12 and works at an apparent slip of 7 per
cent. For a ship speed of 17·5 knots determine the rev/min. (100)

************

Naval Architecture Lecture Notes BSW Page 42/158