Load response characteristics of ship shaft system under maneuvering conditions based on the MMG-CFD method

Objective During ship slewing maneuvers, propeller-induced loads acting on the propulsion shafting directly affect its service life and the vessel's operational safety. Owing to the complexity of loads during actual ship navigation, it is imperative to enhance the computational accuracy of the dynamic response of the shafting system.

Method In this study, a coupled approach combining an improved 4-DOF discrete MMG model with computational fluid dynamics (CFD) is employed to investigate the response characteristics of the propulsion shafting during slewing maneuvers.

Results The simulation results indicate that the slewing radius decreases as the rudder angle increases. Moreover, the lateral and axial thrust generated by the propeller exhibits pronounced variations with changes in both rudder angle and rotational speed. Under the combined effects of propeller hydrodynamic forces and slewing centrifugal forces, the loads acting on the shafting system exhibit an asymmetric distribution.

Conclusion The findings of this study provide a valuable reference for the design optimization of large-scale ship propulsion shafting systems and for improving ship maneuvering control performance.