Author(s): Yao Zhao; Li Zhou; Shifeng Ding; Fang Li
Linked Author(s):
Keywords: CFD-DEM-VOF; Propeller-ice interaction; Brash ice
Abstract: With the accelerated melting of polar ice sheets, abundant oil, gas, and mineral resources in the Arctic are becoming increasingly accessible, triggering a global surge of interest in the design and development of polar marine equipment. In particular, the investigation of hydrodynamic characteristics of near-surface propellers operating in ice-infested waters has emerged as a research hotspot. In this study, a coupled Computational Fluid Dynamics–Discrete Element Method–Volume of Fluid (CFD–DEM–VOF) approach is employed to account for fluid–fragmented ice interactions, and a multi-medium coupled model is established to represent the complex ice-region environment. On this basis, a numerical simulation framework for analyzing propeller hydrodynamic performance is developed. The hydrodynamic characteristics of the propeller under open-water conditions and fragmented-ice channel scenarios are systematically investigated, and the key influencing factors and underlying mechanisms governing the behavior of propellers in ice-infested waters are elucidated.
Year: 2026