Design and Performance Analysis of a Tiny Water Propulsion Propeller Using CFD Simulation

This research presents the design, computational simulation, and performance analysis of a compact water propulsion propeller, demonstrating the effectiveness of Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) in optimizing thrust and torque performance. The propeller, modelled in AutoCAD 3D with a 35° blade angle, was fabricated using ABS plastic for its lightweight and hydrodynamic efficiency and imported into ANSYS Workbench for detailed CFD analysis. A refined mesh generation strategy and an optimized turbulence model ($k-\omega$ SST) were employed to enhance simulation accuracy. The CFD analysis, conducted in ANSYS Fluent, evaluated key performance parameters, including thrust, torque, and rotational speed (RPM) under varying inlet velocities. The results confirmed stable thrust values between 0.56 N and 23.75 N and torque values between 5.30 Nm and 103.30 Nm, ensuring a balanced interaction of aerodynamic and hydrodynamic forces. The flow dynamics were characterized by calculating time period, pulse count, and frequency, further validating the propeller's stability. Residual analysis indicated strong convergence of momentum and energy equations, while further mesh refinement and turbulence modelling were suggested for improved mass conservation and predictive accuracy. A key practical innovation of this study is the potential application of the propeller in a water flow meter system. By integrating a Hall effect sensor and microcontroller, the rotational speed (RPM) can be converted into real-time water velocity measurements, offering a cost-effective, accurate, and energy-efficient solution for industrial, agricultural, and environmental water flow monitoring. Future research could explore advanced sensor calibration, machine learning-based flow prediction models, and experimental validation under different environmental conditions to enhance system reliability. This research establishes a CFD-based design framework for tiny water propulsion systems, paving the way for more efficient propeller designs in micro-hydro systems and water flow monitoring technologies. This work addresses the need for compact, low-power water propulsion systems for flow monitoring in agriculture, pipelines, and environmental channels where conventional systems are too large, powerintensive, or costly.