Analyzing the performance of hull and water jet propeller under mooring conditions: effects of shallow water depths and varying inflow speeds

Purpose Water jet propulsion is widely used in various military and civilian fields due to its advantages of simple structure and high propulsion efficiency. The process of mooring involves utilizing specially designed equipment to secure a ship at a designated berth. During the process of water jet propulsion, the single propeller operates within a complex and turbulent three-dimensional flow. Hence, studying the coupling between the water jet propeller and the hull is critical to comprehending the characteristics of the device and the distribution of the flow field in detail. Design/methodology/approach Firstly, we conducted computational fluid dynamics (CFD)-based self-propulsion calculations to evaluate the interaction between the hull and the propeller. We subsequently analyzed the propeller's performance and the forces acting on the hull to understand how the presence or absence of the hull influenced the water jet propeller. Finally, we performed calculations and analysis of the cavitation characteristics of the coupling between the hull and the water jet propeller, considering different rotational speeds and water depths at the bottom of the pool. Findings The study demonstrated that the presence of the hull boundary layer under the hull-propeller coupling condition led to reduced uniformity of propeller inlet flow and lower efficiency of the propulsion pump. However, it also increased the bias toward low-flow conditions. Additionally, increasing the impeller speed led to a gradual increase in the cavitation volume within the water jet propeller, resulting in a gradual decrease in the propeller's performance. Originality/value This research provides the technical support required for effective design and operation of water jet propulsion systems. This paper involves studying and analyzing the performance and flow field of the coupling between the hull and propeller under mooring conditions with a specified hull model.