Numerical analysis of influence of selected elements on effectiveness of streamline rudder

During designing steering gear for large fast transport ships (e.g. container carriers), shipowners usually put forward strong demands concerning ship manoeuvrability. It means that streamline rudders should be characterized by a high effectiveness, i.e. fast increasing values of lifting force in function of rudder angle and large values of lifting force related to rudder area. As gabarites of streamline rudder depend on a form and draught of stern part of ship’s hull, an improvement of rudder effectiveness can be reached by an appropriate selection of rudder profile and application of additional elements to rudder blade. This paper presents results of numerical investigations (by using CFD methods) of hydrodynamic forces acting on rudder blades of the same gabarites but based on different profiles. Such calculations were also performed for selected rudder blades fitted with additional elements intended for the improving of rudder effectiveness.