The term 'marine propulsor'can be used to describe a range of systems which propel a vessel. These could include propellers, pumpjets, waterjets, thrusters and podded drives. Currently, most propulsor blades are manufactured out of non-ferrous metals such as Nickel Aluminium Bronze. However, the need for longer lasting, cheaper structures has lead to the development of a programme to investigate the use of Fibre Reinforced Plastic (FRP) composite materials. The use of these materials for marine propulsors offers the potential to eliminate corrosion and hence reduce through life costs. Additionally, through careful design, the use of composites will lead to significant weight savings, improved efficiency and cavitation performance and reduced underwater signatures. This paper describes the design considerations for such a structure, discusses the manufacturing techniques available and looks at some of the results from a composite propeller recently tested on the QinetiQ trials vessel, RV Triton, the world's largest motor powered trimaran.
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