Propeller-ice interaction experiments on a scaled S.A. Agulhas II propeller

Between 2011 and 2020, over 16% more incidents of machinery damage and failure were reported in the waters within the Arctic Circle compared to the rest. In addition, Allianz (AGCS) also reported that machinery damages and failures account for more than 45% of all incidents in Arctic waters, which are caused by the exposure of the propulsion system to ice contact. A better understanding of the propeller-ice interaction process would allow a more efficient propeller design and a safer operation in ice-covered waters. However, full-scale measurements of propeller-ice loads are unique. In addition, propeller-ice loads determined in model tanks are hard to transfer to full scale due to the model ice properties and the large scaling of the propeller. Moreover, holistic propeller-ice simulations have yet to be created, capturing the complex ice failure and representing realistic loads. This paper presents propeller-ice interaction experiments on the propeller of S.A. Agulhas II on a scale of 1:3. The experiments focus on contact milling and impact loads. The test matrix consists of different interaction velocities up to 4 m/s using a drop-tower, cylindrical ice specimen with diameters up to 200 mm, and three different contact conditions from milling loads to impact loads. The specimens consist of granular freshwater ice with high uniaxial strength, and the reports of the measured interaction force and the strains measured on the propeller should provide valuable information for future simulations of the propeller-ice interaction process.

Subjects

Ice

Icebreaker

Impact loads

Milling loads

Propeller

DDC Class

600: Technology

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Propeller-ice interaction experiments on a scaled S.A. Agulhas II propeller