Design and Performance Investigation of the Energy Recovering Rudder Bulb-Turbine Device

This study presents the performance investigation of a rudder bulb-turbine device (RBTD), which is designed to recover the rotational energy into torque to drive a generator inside the rudder. The blade of turbine is designed first by using lifting line theory, which is modified by lifting surface theory. The induced velocities between the forward propeller and turbine are obtained through the surface panel method (SPM). Hydrodynamic performance for the system is predicted by using SPM. An iterative calculation method is used until the hydrodynamic performance of the system converges. Through the design of turbine behind propeller of a large container ship, the influence of rotational speed of turbine on hydrodynamic performance of propeller-turbine system is observed. Then the size of rudder bulb is determined by calculating the influence of rudder bulb geometry on the hydrodynamic performance of the propeller-rudder system. Based on CFD technology, the hydrodynamic performance of the propeller-rudder system without/with RBTD is also simulated, and velocity distribution is observed. The results show that RBTD is successfully designed and as a ship energy saving device is feasible.