Simulation for The Propeller Loading of

Marine Electrical Propulsion Based on

Matlab
jiang pan
School of Energy and Power
Engineering
Wuhan University of
Technology
Wuhan, China
Jiangpan1@sina.com

Yao Yunan

Fan Shidong

School of Energy and Power

Engineering
Wuhan University of
Technology
Wuhan, China
yunanyao@163.com

School of Energy and Power

Engineering
Wuhan University of
Technology
Wuhan, China
fsd1963@263.net

AbstractWith the requirement of energy-saving,

environmental protection, control performance

II. FOUR QUADRANT PROPELLER EXPRESSION

and military strategy.The improvement of ship

The propeller thrust coefficient K p torque

electric propulsion technology has become an

important direction for future development of
ship.First according to the Chebyshev Polynomial
to fitting Four-quadrant propeller characteristic

coefficien

ratio

of

velocity

to

 K p = P / D N  (1)
4

paddle.Last use matlab to create the simulation

model,then run the model to simulate the real and

K M = M / D 5 N 2  (2)

dynamic working course in the no wind and head

wind environment.

J = V p / DN (3)

Keywords-marine; electric; propulsion; simulation

INTRODUCTION

and

revolution J are defined as follow[1]:

chart,then establish the mathematical model of

I.

KM

In the expression: V p is the velocity of

characteristics is one of the most important part

P and M are thrust and torque

generate from propeller; D is the diameter of

for the simulation of the electric propulsion. At

propeller;

The accurate analysis of the propeller load

propeller;

is seawater density.

design stage for the electric propulsion system, to

According to different speeds and velocity,

meet the indicator, simulate the propulsion

the propeller working conditions can be divided

system in all working condition. The existed

into

simulation models omitted the influence of air

resistance on the ship, and the simulation is run

four

quadrants.

coefficient K p , K M , and

And

the

J are infinity. It is

in an ideal conditions. On this basis, this article

called non-bounded expression. In the dynamic

considering the air resistance and simulate the

expression of the propeller in full working

propeller loading in no wind and head wind

condition, it is usually more convenient to take

situation. Therefore, the paragraph below will

the form of bounded expression. When

introduce the propeller load characteristics for

complex conditions for further simulation.

978-1-4244-8039-5/11/$26.00 2011 IEEE

N and

V p are not equal to zero at the same time, the

corresponding definition is[2]:

12n.
According to the reference [3], input the

K p ' = p /[ D 2 (V p + D 2 N 2 )] (4)
2

K m ' = m /[ D 3 (V p + D 2 N 2 )]  (5)

2

J ' = V p /(V p + D 2 N 2 )1 / 2  (6)

2

J ' = V p / D N (1 + (V p / D 2 N 2 )1 / 2 (7)
Then from the two expressions above it could

After converting J ( - , ) is
converted to J ' [ - 1 ,1 ].

and

advisable

to

adopt

eight-order

Chebyshev

eight-order Chebyshev polynomial fitting style.

In the Matlab editor using the polynomial
calculation and cellular array are used to compile

work file. while those two coefficients are in

need the M function in document can be called
and then gives the result. This method eases the
trouble of inputting the data into the database,
saves a lot of intermediate procedures, and makes

Kp'

the model a relatively simple structure. In this

way the model runs faster and more stable.
The

K m ' could be fit as follow

1
a0T0 ( J ' ) + a1T1 ( J ' )
2
+ ... + anTn ( J ' )

view of accuracy and time efficiency, it is

K p ' ( J ' ) and K m ' ( J ' ) and is saved in the

(N<0)(7b)

According to the expression above

thrust and torque polynomial coefficients. In

a document, which could calculate the expression

J and J ' :

J ' = J /(1 + J 2 ) (N>0)(7a)

J ' = J /(1 + J 2 )

obtain general characteristics of the propeller

polynomial fitting style, it is advisable to adopt

From the expression (6) it could deduce:

deduce the relation between

corresponding data into equation (9) and (10) can

calculation

K p ' J ' and K m ' J '

K p '(J ') =

result

of

the

chart:

0.5
0.4

(8)

0.3
0.2
0.1
Kp

1
K M ' ( J ' ) = b0T0 ( J ' ) + b1T1 ( J ' )
2
+ ... + bnTn ( J ' )

0
-0.1

(9)

-0.2
-0.3

The

T0 ( J ' ) , T1 ( J ' ) ,., Tn ( J ' ) are

-0.4
-1

defined as follow:

-0.8

-0.6

-0.4

-0.2

0
J'

0.2

0.4

0.6

0.8

(1) four-quadrant thrust characteristics of propeller

T0 ( J ' ) = 1 , T1 ( J ' ) = J ' T2 ( J ' ) = 2 J '2 1

0.06

0.04

T3 ( J ' ) = 4 J ' 3 J '

variable

of

, ..., J ' is an independent

polynomial

Tk ( J ' ) .It is a

dimensionless variable.The general recurrence

formula is:

Tk +1 ( J ' ) 2 JTk ( J ' ) + Tk 1 ( J ' ) = 0 , k =

0.02

Km

-0.02

-0.04

-0.06
-1

-0.8

-0.6

-0.4

-0.2

0
J'

0.2

0.4

0.6

0.8

(2) four-quadrant torque characteristics of propeller

III. PROPELLER MATH MODEL

(10)

M = K m ' D 3 (V p + N 2 D 2 ) =

In the expression: L is length of ship; D is

K m ' D 3V p / J '2
(11)

P = K p ' D 2 (V p + N 2 D 2 ) =

P Pe ,
t=
P

the ffective thrust generated by propeller is :

Pe = (1 t ) P = (1 t ) K p ' D 2V p / J '2 (12)

In the expression :

Pe

is the effective thrust ,

V p = Vs (1 )
In the expression:

resistance

calculating

formula:

R1 = 75 N R / Vs

(18)

Air resistance calculating formula:

R2 = K b FVs

(19)

C and K b in

the (15) and (19) are determined by the

(13)

reference[3].

V p is the velocity of

Vs is the velocity of ship, is

mixed flow coefficient.

The motion equation for the propeller system
is established:

(m + m)dv / dt = Pe R (14)

m is the quality of ship ;

m is the quality of water attached on the hull ;

R is the toal resistance of ship.
The total resistance of the ship include:
resistance

Hydrodynamic

Among them the coefficient

t is the thrust deduction coefficient .

R1

and

air

resistance R2 . Firstly the drag power of a ship in

[3]

working state is calculated :

3

DVs (1 + ka )
(15)
NR =
LC

is ship square coefficient.

Due to thrust deduction coefficient:

hydrodynamic

K a is accessories influence coefficient; is

coefficients of form ; B is breadth of ship ;

K p ' D 2V p / J '2

In the expression:

is correction factor;

vessel displacement;

Propeller thrust:

propeller,

L
(17)
100

= 0.7 + 0.3

Propeller torque:

10 B
(16)
L

In the simulation model, parameters t and

[4]

are determined as follow :

t = 0. 33
t = - 0. 33N / N

t = 0. 13N / N e
t = 0. 13

N < - Ne
- Ne N < 0
0 N < Ne

DQG

N Ne

=0

= 0. 22 VS /VSe
= 0. 22

VS 0
0 VS VSe

VS VSe

IV. THE SIMULATION MODEL OF THE

PROPELLER

In the matlab / simulink environment the

simulation model can be build based on
mathematical

model.

the

corresponding

simulation model contains many a functional

simulink block in simulink. An easy copy from
module library module to the model window and
a connect of each module make a simulation
model in place. As the model structure is
complicated, a subsystem module is used to
make the whole model simpler and more

readable. The simulation model and its sub-block

are as follows [5]:
The simulation model is built based on
mathematical model In the matlab / simulink
environment. In simulink tool box there are many
packaged blocks, which can be copied to model
window and then be connected together. As this
model is complex. here choose a subsystem,
making the model simple and easy to read. The
simulation model and subsystem model are as

(5)Velocity of ship

follows:

(6) torque
simulation model of the propeller

(7)Velocity of ship

Subsystem model

9DYNAMIC LOAD CHARACTERISTICS OF THE

PROPELLER
According to the parameters of electric
propulsion ship, it applies the simulation model.
The results are:
(8) torque

9,
CONCLUSION
Sea breeze has great influence on a sailing
ship, especially on maneuverability and the
loading characteristic. Analysis of above result
draws the following conclusions:

(1)Starting the motor at the same load,

whether in no wind or headwind situation, in
chart (6) and (8), the cusp means the motor will
overloaded for a short time. In no wind situation
ship will stabilize in 180s, while in the headwind
situation ship will stabilize in 350s.Therefore, in
the headwind situation increase of motor power
enable ships to achieve a steady velocity.
(2)From 010s the motor is preparing to
start, Speed of motor is still 0,Compare chart (5)
with (7), the affect of headwind ship will get
negative velocity. In the two different situations,
ship velocity in headwind situation is lower than
in no wind situation when ship comes to a steady
velocity, which is consistent to reality.
From the comparison of the two situations,
two conclusions are made above. But this paper
does not take the foulingwind scale and wind
direction into consideration. In order to get more
accuracy result, which worth further research in
order to improve simulation.

REFERENCES:
[1]Wen shinie,Simulation of hip power plant,shanghaishang
hai jiao tong university press,1991
[2]Li Dianpu, Wang Zongyi, Chi Haihong. Chebyshev
fitting way and error analysis for propeller atlas across four
quadrants.Journal of Marine Science and Application
2002(1):52-59
[3]Yan shisong, practical calculation method of ship
resistance, Ship Building of China, 1998,Vol.16,19-24
[4]Fan

shangyan,ship

power

plant

simulation

and

technology, shang hai jiao tong university press,1993

[5]Song shi quan, Application of Matlab in the Simulation
of Electric Ship Power System, Research and exploration in
laborary,2008,Vol27(12),168-172