Modular Carbon Fiber Propeller Kevin Cullen, Thomas Cummings, Rob Edsall, Sam Henry Undergraduate, Marine Engineering Technology Methods Design Create design parameter Model propeller in Pro-Engineer design software Import design into ALGOR Finite Element Analysis Software Preform stress, fatigue, and failure analysis Manufacturing Water-jet the propeller hub by Farmer’s Copper Shape Expanded Polystyrene (EPS) foam for blade core Wrap blades in carbon fiber and coat with epoxy resin Industrial Applications This blade is designed to be used as an alternative to traditional bronze and other metal propellers. The removable blades will allow ships to make quick and easy repairs to the propeller dockside rather than in a dry-dock. It will also allow ships to remove the blades to prevent damage during long lay-up periods. Introduction Marine propellers throughout the years have come a long way. They are the basic instrument by which ships and sub-sea equipment operate. Traditionally, they have been made using bronze, aluminum, or other metal alloys. Recent advancements in carbon fiber technology have made their use prevalent in many other industries. Our goal is to implement a carbon fiber composite material as an alternative to traditional metal propellers. Finite Element Analysis of propeller blade and hub Blade profile showing the incorporated NACA files Pro-Engineer design of blade Actual manufactured blade before carbon fiber coating Purpose The purpose of our teams design was to incorporate a light weight durable material, like carbon fiber, with a marine propeller. By utilizing a modular blade design, vessels can easily install or replace blades without the need for dry-docking. The characteristics of this light weight material will provide ships with faster speeds and lower fuel consumption rates. Also, this particular materials ductility leads to longer fatigue life cycles. Finally, carbon fiber provides a corrosion resistant finish that eliminates the need for periodic cleaning that plagues traditional metal propellers because it is biologically inert. Horsepower 776 SHP RPM 330 Gear Ratio 6:1 Ship Speed of Advance 10.7 Knots Prop. Diameter 74 in. Propeller Pitch 70 in. Propeller efficiency 60% Apparent Slip 0.37 Hub Diameter 14 in. Shaft Diameter 5 in. Blade Volume in 3 Blade Mass 63.5 lb Thrust Produced lbf Torque Produced lbf*ft Theoretical Propeller Design Specifications Conclusion In conclusion, our design of a carbon fiber modular propeller as an alternative to traditional metal propeller was successful in various applications. A modular carbon fiber propeller, from what we concluded from our results and research, is a more effective design than a metal propeller for these following reasons: Replaceable Blades Lighter Weight Stronger Corrosion Resistant Fatigue Resistant We conducted a small scale test comparing a composite propeller to a bronze propeller and found that the composite propeller was more efficient. The composite propeller was faster and used less energy than the bronze propeller. We concluded that it takes more energy and time to get the heavier bronze propeller rotating up to full speed than the composite propeller. We also concluded that it is much more cost effective to repair a carbon fiber modular propeller than a traditional metal propeller. Pro Engineer design of propeller assembly Acknowledgements Farmer’s Copper Dr. Rudy Martinez Mr. Vinny Treglia