Estimate of the Propeller Oscillatory Loads Introduced in the Shaft and their Reduction Using Skew Angle

This paper describes the determination of the oscillatory loads generated by a propeller operating in an irregular wakefield. The vibrations caused by these loads can damage the shaft and its bearings or cause undesirable noise. The method used in this determination is the two-dimensional unsteady method based on Sears function. The loads are corrected for the aspect ratio of the propeller blades. The results are compared with results from literature. The influences of the skew angle and number of blades in the reduction of shaft vibrations are also evaluated, qualitatively and quantitatively, for a single propeller ship model.