Study on the Reliability of Electric Motor Boat Propeller Structure Due to Axial Load

This study investigates the structural reliability of B-Series propellers used in electric motor-driven ships under axial loads induced by fluid flow. The distinct operating characteristics of electric propulsion systems require dedicated reliability assessment to ensure safe and efficient performance. Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) simulations were conducted under uniform viscous flow conditions to evaluate hydrodynamic loading, yielding a maximum axial load of 32.74 kN at a rotational speed of 1500 RPM. The resulting loads were applied in Finite Element Method (FEM) simulations to assess structural stress and deformation, with maximum values of 273.27 MPa and 5.10 mm, respectively. Structural reliability analysis was performed using probability density functions of hydrodynamic loads and aluminum alloy material strength. The results indicate a structural reliability of 99.90% at a ship speed of 10 knots, which decreases significantly to 33.31% at 20 knots. The inclusion of safety factors of 10% and 40% effectively increased reliability by 9.99% and 100%, respectively. These findings emphasize the importance of appropriate safety factors and material selection to improve the structural reliability of electric motor ship propellers under high-speed operating conditions.