u/PersonalityOld1238

Hi everyone,

I’m a French engineering student working on a science project involving underwater acoustics and I’d really appreciate some guidance from people who know more about this field.

My goal is to estimate the number of blades on a propeller based on the sound it produces underwater (basically, acoustic identification of submarines/propellers). I’m already aware of the relationship between rotation speed, blade count, and the resulting frequency (blade-passing frequency), and I’d like to validate this experimentally.

My plan is to test several propellers (for example 1,2,3,4,5,6 blades), but with a key constraint: the blades must be identical in shape across all versions so that the only variable is the number of blades. That’s where I’m running into trouble.

I don’t have much experience with 3D modeling. I can probably find existing models and edit them in SolidWorks, but I’m not sure if that’s the best approach. Would it make sense to hire someone (e.g., Fiverr) to create a parametric model where I can just change the number of blades while keeping everything else constant?

My main questions:

• What propeller shape should I use as a baseline for this kind of experiment?
• Do different blade shapes significantly affect the acoustic signature underwater?
• Should I test multiple shapes, or is it better to stick to one standardized geometry?
• What types of propellers are commonly used on submarines? Are there “typical” designs I should look into (e.g., skewed blades, specific profiles, etc.)?
• what do you think of my appraoch generally (as submarine experts)?

I’m trying to keep the experiment as controlled and realistic as possible, but I’m a bit lost on the design side. If anyone here has experience with marine propellers, underwater acoustics, or naval engineering, your input would be incredibly helpful.

Thanks a lot in advance for your help!

edit : TLDR : French engineering student trying to identify the number of propeller blades from underwater sound (blade-passing frequency). I want to test 1–6 blade propellers while keeping blade shape identical, but I need advice on propeller design, submarine propeller types, and whether blade shape strongly affects the acoustic signature. Also wondering if I should hire someone for the CAD modeling.

Hi everyone,

I’m a French engineering student working on a science project involving underwater acoustics and I’d really appreciate some guidance from people who know more about this field.

My goal is to estimate the number of blades on a propeller based on the sound it produces underwater (basically, acoustic identification of submarines/propellers). I’m already aware of the relationship between rotation speed, blade count, and the resulting frequency (blade-passing frequency), and I’d like to validate this experimentally.

My plan is to test several propellers (for example 1,2,3,4,5,6 blades), but with a key constraint: the blades must be identical in shape across all versions so that the only variable is the number of blades. That’s where I’m running into trouble.

I don’t have much experience with 3D modeling. I can probably find existing models and edit them in SolidWorks, but I’m not sure if that’s the best approach. Would it make sense to hire someone (e.g., Fiverr) to create a parametric model where I can just change the number of blades while keeping everything else constant?

My main questions:

• What propeller shape should I use as a baseline for this kind of experiment?
• Do different blade shapes significantly affect the acoustic signature underwater?
• Should I test multiple shapes, or is it better to stick to one standardized geometry?
• What types of propellers are commonly used on submarines? Are there “typical” designs I should look into (e.g., skewed blades, specific profiles, etc.)?
• what do you think of my appraoch generally (as submarine experts)?

I’m trying to keep the experiment as controlled and realistic as possible, but I’m a bit lost on the design side. If anyone here has experience with marine propellers, underwater acoustics, or naval engineering, your input would be incredibly helpful.

Thanks a lot in advance for your help!

edit : TLDR : French engineering student trying to identify the number of propeller blades from underwater sound (blade-passing frequency). I want to test 1–6 blade propellers while keeping blade shape identical, but I need advice on propeller design, submarine propeller types, and whether blade shape strongly affects the acoustic signature. Also wondering if I should hire someone for the CAD modeling.