Shipping activities, traffic and operations in Arctic and Antarctic areas are increasing. Moreover, due to climate change, more ice is drifting towards the open sea (Marginal Ice Zone), increasing the likelihood of propeller ice interaction. Ice impacting the propeller generates extreme impulse loads on ships. This poses a significant risk for safe operations - considering that losing an element of the propeller powertrain in icy water requires in-port repair. How these loads are transmitted through the powertrain of a propulsion system and how the components life are affected is of great interest for both operators, in terms of passenger safety and maintenance cost, and owner and designers, for new vessels.

It is, therefore, of great value to develop high-fidelity models and simulation tools capable of evaluating the ice loads, on the propeller, which is the main contribution of TUHH to this project. The mechanical loads on the propeller, shafts, bearings, gears, flexible coupling, electric transmission line (if in use), and the power engine itself. HealthProp aims to develop tools and models for monitoring and life prediction of a ship propulsion system and drive line during ice impact. The propulsion system’s virtual model (Digital Twin) will be tested on SA Agulhas II in South Africa to estimate the life and predict failure due to ice impact.

Within the project the load spectra measured on SA Agulhas II will be reproduced with experimentally validated models. Ice-Propeller loads may be classified into two contact load categories. The analytical and experimental validated numerical models will be further utilized to generate a novel ice load spectrum, which will serve as input for the life prediction models of the HealthProp project.  

Partners: M10 (Franz von Bock und Polach), NTNU (Amir Rasekhi Nejad), SUN (Anriette Bekker), RWTH (Benjamin Lehmann), EDRMedeso (Mostafa Valavi) and Otto Piening GmbH (Sebastian Sturm)

Duration: 2020-2023