Objective  Aiming at the mapping relationship between combined hydraulic components and performance, the hydrodynamic performance prediction method of a podded propulsor for cruise ship based on Reynolds-averaged Navier-Stokes (RANS) is studied.

  Methods  Taking a scale model of a podded propulsor as the research object, the open water performance test of the propulsor is carried out in a deepwater towing tank, and the accuracy of the prediction method is verified. The effects of pod geometry, disk ratio and blade number on the hydrodynamic performance of the podded propulsor are simulated and analyzed.

  Results   The results show that the geometry of the pod has little effect on the open water performance of the propulsor. Increasing the disk ratio of the propeller causes the thrust coefficient and open water efficiency to first increase and then decrease, while the torque coefficient only increases within a certain range. Increasing the number of propeller blades will first increase and then decrease the open water performance of the propulsor, and the number of propeller blades has little effect on the open water efficiency of the podded propulsor under low advance coefficient.

  Conclusion  The results of this study can provide reference value for the optimal design of cruise ship podded propulsors.