Development of a Preswirl Stator-Propeller System for Improvement of Propulsion Efficiency : a Symmetric Stator Propulsion System

A series of design, theoretical analysis and model test procedures is presented for the development of an axisymmetric stator-propeller system. A preswirl stator is located in front of a propeller in order to improve the propulsion efficiency by cancellation of the slip stream rotational velocity due to the propeller. Model test results show that propulsion efficiency gain due to the symmetric stator-propeller system is about 3% compared to the single propeller. This efficiency gain would increase for full scale application since the pressure drag coefficient of the stator would decrease due to increasement of turbulent intensity behind the hull wake and increasement of Reynolds number.