Ship&Offshore | Issue 02/2023
Small propeller defects can result in increased underwater radiated noise
The slightest deviation in the machining, polishing, and finishing of ships’ propeller blades could result in underwater radiated noise and cavitation, even if defects are within the maximum tolerance allowed by classification societies and the ISO 484-1 standard. A Canada Transport-funded study on the impact of manufacturing tolerances on propeller performance – carried out by Memorial University of Newfoundland, DRDC Atlantic Research Centre, and propeller manufacturer Dominis Engineering – found that even slightest change in propeller geometry could result in “significant” cavitation, and much earlier than previously thought....