Numerical study of the brash ice effects on propeller performance with different advance speeds

Abstract In this paper, the effects of brash ice on propeller performance with different advanced speeds are numerically analysed based on the CFD-DEM method. The results show that in the ice-water environment, the thrust and torque of the propeller oscillate violently due to the interaction between the ice and the propeller, and as the advanced speed increases, the oscillation becomes more and more intense. Moreover, under the blocking effect of sea ice, the average value of the thrust and torque of the propeller obviously increase and cause a large loss of propeller performance under high advance speed conditions, which would seriously affect the ice-breaking ability of polar ships.