HydroComp PropElements ® 2023 Released
New Features for Wake-Adapted Propeller Design and Analysis
PropElements was developed not only for propeller specialists and manufacturers, but for naval architects and vehicle designers as well. It provides a key optimizing design stage between specification of principal parameters for Vessel-Propeller-Drive system matching and full 3D design for manufacture. The initial release of HydroComp PropElements 2023 offers new features across applications and workflows.
New 3D views and exports
New3D render and 3D mesh views provide additional visualizations for presentation and confirmation of geometry. The 3D render can be saved as an IGES geometry file and an image file (currently BMP). Export of the mesh as a 3D STL triangular faceted panel file can offer a direct path of the geometry to most CFD/FEA tools and 3D printing without intermediate CAD manipulation.
Improved calculation for low-J high-thrust applications
Propeller codes universally have had difficulty accurately predicting thrust and power performance (KT-KQ) for open propellers at low-J high-thrust conditions. Even CFD codes struggle with this, particularly with high-pitch propellers. Reliably delivering accurate predictions across the entire advance coefficient speed regime has always been apriority for us. New updates further enhance PropElements accuracy with updated models for stall/separation and the influence of jet compression on performance. The KT-KQ utility now also identifies where stall/separation is indicated(as shown below by red figures in the KT column).
For additional information, visit www.hydrocompinc.com/solutions/propelements/