Momentum theory Rankine (1865); R.E.

Froude (1887)
1.

Simple theory based on the axial motion of the water passing

2.

Does not concern itself with the geometry of the propeller.

3.

4.

5.

through the propeller disc.

Not very useful for blade design purposes.

General conclusions about propeller action can be drawn.

Validated by recent theoretical methods and experiment.

Assumptions

1. The propeller works in an ideal fluid. So no energy losses

due to frictional drag.
2. Propeller can be replaced by actuator disc ( blades)
3. Propeller produces thrust without causing rotation in the
slipstream.

6.

Propeller disc absorbs all of the power of the engine and

dissipate this power by causing a pressure jump across the
two faces of the disc.

Rankines original theory, which is based on the above three

assumptions, is generally known as the axial momentum theory.
7.

R.E. Froude in his subsequent work removed the third

8.

Propeller imparts a rotational velocity to the slipstream

assumption

9.

Realistic model of propeller action.

The subsequent theory is known either as the RankineFroude

momentum theory or the general momentum theory of propellers.

10.

Our study is based on the first two assumptions only.

Flow is proceeding from left to right.

A is far upstream B is far downstream and B is the propeller

11.

12.

The static pressure at stations A and C are

Increase in pressure immediately behind actuator disc is

= =

13.

Let us express in terms of the velocity

= +

= + 1
14.
15.
16.

1 = 2

Important conclusion: Half the acceleration of the flow takes

place before the propeller disc and the remaining half after
the propeller disc.

From continuity

it follows that the

slipstream must contract between the conditions existing far

upstream and those existing downstream.
Thrust is given by

17.

18.

19.

We shall define the thrust coefficient CT as

but

therefore

= [2 ]

=
=

[ ] = 2 [ ]
= 2

2 [ ]
2

2 [ ]

1] 2 [ 1]

=
= 2 [ 1]

2 [

20.

21.

Contraction / is given in terms of the propeller thrust

coefficient as

For the slipstream after the propeller, a similar but more

complex expression can be derived

22.

Experimental

correlation

with

this

formula

23.
24.
25.
26.

Let us assume that the increase in pressure is due to the

presence of an angular velocity in the slipstream

immediately behind the propeller disc.

Then the angular velocity of the water relative to the

propeller blades, immediately ahead and astern of the

propeller, is respectively and

Applying Bernoullis theorem at any radius 'r'

1 / + 12 /2 + 1 = 2 / + 22 /2 + 2

Taking 1 = 2

22 12
= 1 2 =
2 2


2
= {(r)2 (( )r) }
2

r2
{()2 (( )) 2 }
=
2

r2
{( + )( + )}
=
2

27.

r2
{(2 )()}
=
2

= {( ) r2 }
2

Elemental thrust dT acting at some radius r is

= 2 2
2

Writing = 2a

28.

2a
= 2
2a 2 = 4 3 2 {(1 a )a }
2

Elemental torque dQ at the same radius r is equal to the

angular momentum imparted to the slipstream per unit time

within the annulus of thickness dr

29.

= 2 = 2 3 = 4 3 (1 + )

The ideal efficiency of the blade element ( ) is given by

=
=

(1 )
=
(1 + )

30.

It can further be shown from this theory that for maximum

31.

From , we can see that there is an upper bound on the

32.

efficiency the value of should be the same for all radii.

efficiency of an ideal, frictionless propeller.

The ideal efficiency is a measure of the losses incurred by the

propeller because the changes in momentum necessary to

generate the required forces are accompanied by changes in

33.

kinetic energy.

If the rotational assumption had not been removed in the

derivation for then the ideal efficiency would be
1
=
(1 + )

34.

, (propeller power coefficient) and (propeller speed

coefficient) are shown in fig

Blade element theory W. Froude (1878)

1.

Is concerned with how the propeller generates its thrust and

how this thrust depends upon the shape of the propeller
blades.

2.

A propeller blade is regarded as a series of blade elements

3.

The axial component of this hydrodynamic force is the

4.

that produce hydrodynamic force.

element thrust. Moment about the propeller axis of the

tangential component is the element torque.

The integration of the element thrust and torque over the

radius for all the blades gives the total thrust and torque of
the propeller.

5.

Consider a wing of chord (width) c and span (length) s at an

angle of attack to an incident flow of velocity V in a fluid of

density .

6.

The wing develops a hydrodynamic force whose components

7.

8.

9.

normal and parallel to, V are the lift L and the drag D.

1

2

, = 1
2
2

where = is the area of the wing plan form.

These coefficients depend upon the shape of the wing

section, the aspect ratio s/c and the angle of attack, and are
often determined experimentally in a wind tunnel.

10.
11.
12.

These experimental values may then be used in the blade

element theory, which may thus be said to rest on observed

fact.

Now consider a propeller with Z blades, diameter D and pitch

ratio

advancing into undisturbed water with a velocity

while turning at a revolution rate n

The blade element between the radii rand r + dr when

expanded will have an incident flow whose axial and
tangential velocity components are and 2 respectively,
giving a resultant velocity VR at an angle of attack .

13.

The blade element will then produce a lift dL and a drag dD

1
= 2
2
1
= 2
2

14.

If the thrust and torque produced by the elements between r

15.

and r + dr for all the Z blades are dT and dQ, the

= = (1

16.

18.

17.
19.
20.

= + = ( +

,
2

Putting tan =

2 (1 )

2 ( + )

The efficiency of the blade element is then:

21.
22.

( + )

If the propeller works in ideal conditions, there is no drag

and hence = 0, resulting in the blade element

efficiency and hence the efficiency of the most efficient

23.

propeller being = 1.

This is at variance with the results of the momentum theory

which indicates that if a propeller produces a thrust greater
than zero, its efficiency even in ideal conditions must be less

24.
25.

than 1.

The primary reason for this discrepancy lies in the neglect of

the induced velocities, i.e. the inflow factors a, a'.

If the induced velocities are taken into account, one obtains

2 (1 )

26.

28.

(1 )
(1+ ) ( + )

1/(1 + ), which is associated with the axial induced

27.
29.
30.
31.

=
=

2 ( + )

and =

(1+)
2 1 /

(1+)

1 /

Expression for efficiency consists of three factors:

o

velocity

(1 -a'), which reflects the loss due to the rotation of the

slipstream

o
32.
33.
34.
35.

( + )

which indicates the effect of blade element drag.

If there is no drag and = 0, the expression for efficiency,

becomes identical to the expression obtained from the

impulse theory.

Necessary to know , , for blade elements at

different radii so that

and

can be determined and

integrated with respect to the radius r.

, may be obtained from experimental data, and

with the help of the momentum theory.

Unfortunately, this procedure does not yield realistic results

because it neglects a number of factors.