Preliminary Propeller Selection Using the Wageningen B-Screw Series and a General Purpose Nonlinear Optimizer.

This thesis presents the use of a general purpose nonlinear optimization program in the preliminary stage of ship design for the selection of a propeller based on methodical series propeller test data. The propeller series used is the well-known Wageningen B-Series. Three design cases -- representing the thrust, power and matching approaches to powering problems -- are formulated as FORTRAN subprogram analysis codes for solution by the synthesisoptimization program COPESCONMIN. Designer constraints considered that diameter limitation cavitation limit on expanded area ratio using Kellers criterion and strength requirement determined by an empirical relation and by a method developed by Schoenherr with modifications by the author. Objective functions considered are maximized open water efficiency and minimized propeller blade weight. Optimized solutions to specific problems previously presented by other authors are obtained and results are compared.