CFD Analysis of Ducted Propeller Flow Field Characteristics

This study investigates the flow field characteristics of ducted propellers and the impact of duct shape on thrust. Numerical simulations using computational fluid dynamics (CFD) and a sliding mesh model were conducted to analyze various duct shapes, lengths, and tip clearances. Results show that increasing duct length enhances the flow field, boosting propeller thrust. Conversely, larger tip clearance generates a low-speed flow field inside the duct, significantly reducing thrust. Notably, the thrust reduction from increased tip clearance outweighs the thrust gain from extended duct length. These findings underscore the critical role of duct length and tip clearance in optimizing ducted propeller design and efficiency.