Submarine Hull Form Optimization Case Study

摘要

The potential benefits of full stern submarines are investigated. First, a parametric-based arrangement study is conducted. The results of this study yield two variants which are identical in terms of installed horsepower and mission hardware, but with different stern taper. Then, the powering characteristics of the two variants are optimized using a suitable lifting-line code and a genetic algorithm. The arrangement study uses parametric estimates of volume, area and weight, including machinery-dependent stack-length requirements. The resulting layouts are used to approximate required stern fullness and the length-to-diameter ratio for enclosing the arrangement. The full stern and the tapered stern variants identified as having the highest parametric-based maximum speed are used as input to the hydrodynamic analysis/optimization technique. The hydrodynamic analysis employs a ducted lifting-line propeller code, which is used as the evaluator module for a multi-objective (Pareto) genetic algorithm. Two of the resulting "optimal" variants, one full and the other tapered, are then selected based on their resemblance to those of the arrangement study. Power coefficients calculated by the propeller code are then used to estimate these submarines' maximum speeds. The results indicate that potential benefits exist for submarine hulls with non-traditional, fuller sterns.