Marine composite propellers are ship propellers, usually made from fiber composites like glass or carbon fibers. They are infused with a high-strength resin like epoxy or polyimide. These composites are made from strong, light, high-tech materials. Such composite propellers can be produced in several ways, including vacuum-infused molding and injection molding processes, depending on size and resin viscosity.

Advantages

The composite propellers can be made with a Lay-Up process which creates anisotropic properties. This can create a passive adaptation of the self-twisting propeller blades. Self-twisting blades are much more energy-efficient compared to rigid propeller blades.[1] Passive adaptation in form may also be affected by the geometry of the propeller.

Lower unit production cost and production without heat are the main advantages of composite materials. The initial cost of a composite propeller is usually comparable to an aluminum propeller, which costs significantly less than one made of stainless steel. Additionally, offering easily replaceable blades is much more cost-effective than repairing metal propellers. Composite propellers are also made of lightweight material. The composite material is about half the weight of aluminum, and 1/6 the weight of stainless steel. A lightweight propeller reduces the amount of wear and tear on the entire boat.

Effect on the environment

Composite materials offer an environmentally friendly option as well. The corrosive resistance[2] and resistance to impact damage of composite propellers[3] can lead to a long lifetime. When a composite propeller hits debris, the propeller absorbs the impact energy instead of transferring it to the lower unit; therefore, providing more protection for the drive train. Corrosion from saltwater and electrolysis are nonexistent with composite material in water. Still, the water saturation of the propellers and the propeller application cause some problems with the longevity of composite propellers. Composites' corrosive resistant properties cannot be considered to be undeniably better than traditional metal alloys in the propeller application with today's technology.[4]

References

  1. ↑ Liu, Zhanke; Young, Yin L. (2009-08-01). "Utilization of bend–twist coupling for performance enhancement of composite marine propellers". Journal of Fluids and Structures. 25 (6): 1102–1116. doi:10.1016/j.jfluidstructs.2009.04.005. ISSN 0889-9746.
  2. ↑ Dr. S. Selvaraju, S.Ilaiyavel, 2011 APPLICATIONS OF COMPOSITES IN MARINE INDUSTRY
  3. ↑ Effects of Seawater Immersion on the Impact Resistance of Glass Fiber Reinforced Epoxy Composites
  4. ↑ Yamatogi, Toshio; Murayama, Hideaki; Uzawa, Kiyoshi; Mishima, Takahiro; Ishihara, Yasuaki (2011). "Study on Composite Material Marine Propellers". Marine Engineering. 46 (3): 330–340. doi:10.5988/jime.46.330. S2CID 135597704.
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