Data-driven optimization of a composite ducted propeller based on a bi-directional FSI method

Compared to traditional metallic marine propellers, composite marine propellers offer greater design flexibility. With the development of the bi-directional fluid-structure interaction (FSI) technique, the accuracy of the design and optimization process for marine composite propellers has been significantly improved. Due to the complex geometric and material structure of composite marine propellers, the design process using the FSI method is usually computationally expensive. To improve the efficiency and accuracy of the design process for composite propellers, an automated optimization design method combining data-driven optimization and the bi-directional FSI method is proposed in this paper. To enhance the structural vibration performance of a composite ducted propeller derived from the original metallic ducted propeller geometry, an optimization model for the laminate lay-up design is established. The proposed automated workflow successfully determines the optimal configuration of the composite ducted propeller. The results demonstrate that the proposed optimization method enables an efficient and accurate design process for composite ducted propellers.