Experimental and numerical investigation on self-propulsion performance of polar merchant ship in brash ice channel

For polar ship operating in the brash ice channel, self-propulsion performance prediction is a significant topic. In this paper, the CFD-DEM coupling method is presented to investigate self-propulsion performance of an ice-strengthened Panamax bulk carrier in brash ice channel. The hydrodynamic performance of propeller was simulated by CFD tool, while ice load was calculated by DEM method. The ship model was towed by a carriage with propulsion assistance of rotating propeller through brash ice in numerical simulation, which is consistent with ice tank test. In general, the simulation results could reproduce both ship-ice interaction and propeller-ice interaction processes in a reasonable way. Self-propulsion simulations in model scale under the loaded and ballast conditions were analyzed. As key parameters, the thrust, developed power, propulsion efficiency, as well as ice load on hull and propeller were calculated and compared with model test data. The results show that the difference between simulated power and the measurements in model tests is within 8.5%. The present work can provide a technical tool for hull line development of ice-strengthened polar ships and ship navigation guidance in brash ice channel.