OpenProp

OpenProp is free software for the design and analysis of marine propellers and horizontal-axis turbines. This software is coded as a suite of MATLAB m-files, so it does require MATLAB. OpenProp can be run using a simple graphical user interface, via the MATLAB command line, or with a user-created script.

OpenProp was initially developed by B. Epps, R. Kimball, and several others at MIT circa 2007. Epps continued development of OpenProp at MIT from 2007—2012 and at Dartmouth College from 2012—2019. The legacy OpenProp URLs (http://openprop.mit.edu and https://openprop.engineering.dartmouth.edu/download.html) now redirect to this webpage.

Software:

OpenProp v3.3.4 — OpenProp 3.3.4 source code and documentation

Author: Brenden Epps

Capabilities:

Design Optimization

  • Lifting line design optimization for axial flow propellers and turbines

  • Blade chord and thickness optimization

  • Ducted rotor design and analysis

  • Parametric design study capability, with analysis over the entire operating profile

Performance Analysis

  • Analysis and prediction of performance curves for a given OpenProp optimized rotor design

  • Analysis and prediction of performance curves for a given rotor geometry

  • Blade cavitation analysis for any converged operating state

  • Blade stress analysis for any converged operating state

Geometry Generation

  • Geometry generation within MATLAB for visual inspection of preliminary blade design

  • Geometry output for 3D modeling in SolidWorks and rapid prototyping

License:

  • OpenProp is released under the GNU General Public License.

  • By downloading this software, you agree to abide by the GNU GPL conditions.
    The most important conditions are as follows:

    • You may copy, modify, and redistribute the software freely.

    • Any such redistributions must be done under the terms of the GPL.

Documents:

OpenProp 2.4 Theory Document: PDF

References:

  1. B.P. Epps and R.W. Kimball (2013) "Unified Rotor Lifting Line Theory," Journal of Ship Research, vol. 57(4). HTML PDF ResearchGate

  2. B.P. Epps (2017) “On the rotor lifting line wake model”, Journal of Ship Production and Design, vol. 33(1), pp. 31–45. HTML PDF ResearchGate

  3. B.P. Epps, O. Víquez, and C. Chryssostomidis (2015) “A method for propeller blade optimization and cavitation inception mitigation,” Journal of Ship Production and Design, vol. 31(2), pp. 88-99. HTML PDF ResearchGate

  4. B.P. Epps, O. Víquez, and C. Chryssostomidis (2011) “Dual-operating-point blade optimization for high-speed propellers,” 11th Intl. Conference on Fast Sea Transportation, Honolulu, HI. PDF ResearchGate

  5. B.P. Epps, J. Ketcham, and C. Chryssostomidis (2010) “Propeller blade stress estimates using lifting line theory,” Grand Challenges in Modeling and Simulation, Ottawa, CA. PDF ResearchGate

  6. B.P. Epps, M.J. Stanway, and R.W. Kimball (2009) “OpenProp: an open-source design tool for propellers and turbines,” SNAME Propellers and Shafting, Williamsburg, VA. PDF ResearchGate

  7. B.P. Epps, J. Chalfant, K. Flood, A.H. Techet, R.W. Kimball, and C. Chryssostomidis (2009) “OpenProp: An open-sourced parametric design and analysis tool for propellers,” Grand Challenges in Modeling and Simulation, Istanbul, Turkey. PDF ResearchGate

  8. K. Wilkins (2012) "Propeller Design Optimization for Tunnel Bow Thrusters in the Bollard Pull Condition" MS thesis, MIT.

  9. M. Angle (2011) "Electrical Instrumentation of a Contra-rotating Propeller Drive System" MS thesis, MIT.

  10. E. Kravitz (2011) "Analysis and Experiments for Contra-Rotating Propeller" MS thesis, MIT.

  11. D. Laskos (2010) "Design and Cavitation Performance of Contra-Rotating Propellers" MS thesis MIT.

  12. J. Ketcham (2010), "Design, Build and Test of an Axial Flow Hydrokinetic Turbine with Fatigue Analysis" MS Thesis, MIT.

  13. B.P. Epps (2010), "An impulse framework for hydrodynamic force analysis: fish propulsion, water entry of spheres, and marine propellers" PhD Thesis, MIT.

  14. Flood (2009), "Propeller performance analysis using lifting line theory" SM Thesis, MIT.

  15. Stubblefield (2008), "Numerically based ducted propeller design using vortex lattice lifting line theory" SM Thesis, MIT.

  16. Chung (2007), "An enhanced propeller design program based on propeller vortex lattice lifting line theory" SM Thesis, MIT.

  17. D'Epagnier (2007), "A computational tool for the rapid design and prototyping of propellers for underwater vehicles" SM Thesis, MIT.

  18. D'Epagnier, Chung, Stanway, and Kimball (2007) "An Open Source Parametric Propeller Design Tool" MTS/IEEE OCEANS, Vancouver, BC, Canada.

  19. C. Peterson (2006) "Minimum Pressure Envelope Cavitation Analysis Using Two-Dimensional Panel Method" MS thesis, MIT.

  20. Stanway and Stefanov-Wagner, (2006) "Small-diameter ducted contrarotating propulsors for marine robots" MTS/IEEE OCEANS.

For additional references, see citing articles in Google Scholar.