Postgraduate Diploma in Hull-Propeller Interaction and Numerical Wake
Online 800-hour Postgraduate Diploma in Hull-Propeller Interaction and Numerical Wake. 8 modules with the ITTC 1978 Power Prediction Method, ITTC CFD Procedures (7.5-03 series) and STAR-CCM+. Assigned tutor and open enrolment.
Postgraduate Diploma in Hull-Propeller Interaction and Numerical Wake — studying from South Africa
South Africa's coastline and ports make maritime engineering important, with the Port of Durban, the Port of Cape Town and the Port of Ngqura serving major trade flows. The South African Navy and Armscor support naval procurement, and shipbuilding and repair businesses operate along the coast. Offshore energy and marine services create additional demand, and the sports nautical sector serves recreational boating. The South African Maritime Safety Authority regulates shipping and marine safety.
Fees for South Africa: R 16 700 (South African rand), with instalments and employer sponsorship available.
Relevant bodies in South Africa
Typical roles
Questions from South Africa
Will a SEIUM qualification be recognised by the professional bodies in South Africa for this area?
SEIUM qualifications are private, not official state degrees, and are not accredited by any South African body. Marine and offshore work may involve bodies such as the South African Maritime Safety Authority (SAMSA) and ECSA for engineering registration. Recognition of a private qualification is decided by employers or the relevant body, so confirm this with them directly.
How might this qualification be used by employers in South Africa in naval and offshore industries?
Shipyards, offshore energy firms and marine design consultancies look mainly for certified competence, relevant experience and regulatory knowledge. A private qualification may complement these but will not replace formal certification. Its usefulness depends on each employer's assessment, so ask prospective employers how they would weigh it.
Can I study this programme alongside full-time work from South Africa, and is there a time zone or language issue?
Yes, the programme is 100% online and in English, so you can study from home without a student visa. Master's programmes total 1,900 hours, postgraduate diplomas 800 hours and specialist courses 300 hours. You receive an assigned technical tutor, can pay in instalments, and may seek employer sponsorship. Confirm time-zone and workload expectations with SEIUM before committing.
Take the controls.
Run a real engineering trade-off from this field. Move the sliders, watch the model react in real time and beat the challenge.
What you will be able to do
Characterise the ship's nominal and effective wake.
Explain propeller hydrodynamics and its characteristic curves.
Calculate hull-propeller interaction factors.
Numerically simulate the wake using RANS models.
Model the propeller in CFD using an actuator disc or full geometry.
Evaluate energy-saving devices and their effect on the EEDI.
Design the stern considering vibration, cavitation and noise.
Who it's for
- Propulsion engineer wishing to specialise in Hull-Propeller Interaction and Numerical Wake.
- Naval CFD engineer wishing to specialise in Hull-Propeller Interaction and Numerical Wake.
- Stern form designer wishing to specialise in Hull-Propeller Interaction and Numerical Wake.
- Energy efficiency engineer wishing to specialise in Hull-Propeller Interaction and Numerical Wake.
- Noise and vibration engineer wishing to specialise in Hull-Propeller Interaction and Numerical Wake.
- Hydrodynamics researcher wishing to specialise in Hull-Propeller Interaction and Numerical Wake.
- Graduates in engineering or science seeking to enter shipbuilding.
What you'll work with
- ITTC 1978 Power Prediction Method
- ITTC CFD Procedures (7.5-03 series)
- ISO 484 (manufacturing tolerances for propellers)
- Code on Noise Levels on Board Ships (Res. MSC.337(91))
- ISO 20283 (measurement of vibration on ships)
- MEPC.1/Circ.833 (reduction of underwater noise)
- MARPOL Annex VI (EEDI/EEXI)
8 modules · 800 h
1.1Nominal and effective wake1.2Potential, viscous and wave components1.3Taylor wake fraction coefficient1.4Circumferential and radial distribution1.5Influence of stern forms1.6Scale effect on the wake1.7Measurement with Pitot tubes and LDV1.8Wake in twin-screw ships1.9Wake quality and vibration excitation1.10Practice: analysis of a nominal wake field
2.1Geometry: pitch, skew and rake2.2Wageningen B and Gawn systematic series2.3Open-water KT, KQ curves and efficiency2.4Lifting line and lifting surface theories2.5Panel methods for propellers2.6Types of cavitation and cavitation number2.7Burrill and Keller criteria2.8Controllable-pitch and nozzled propellers2.9Scale effects in open water2.10Workshop: propeller selection using Wageningen series
3.1Thrust deduction coefficient3.2Relative rotative efficiency3.3Hull and propulsive efficiency3.4Self-propulsion test3.5ITTC 1978 extrapolation method3.6British and continental methods3.7Thrust identity and torque identity3.8Interaction under off-design conditions3.9Interaction with the rudder3.10Practice: self-propulsion analysis with ITTC 1978
4.1RANS modelling of the stern4.2Mesh requirements at the propeller disc4.3Numerical versus experimental wake4.4Full-scale wake4.5Bilge vortices and turbulence4.6Hull roughness4.7Free-surface influence4.8Post-processing of velocity fields4.9Validation against towing tank data4.10Laboratory: KCS wake at model and full scale
5.1Actuator disc with force distribution5.2Coupled blade element (BEM)5.3Body force method5.4Resolved propeller with sliding mesh5.5RANS-BEM coupling for effective wake5.6Effective wake calculation5.7Pressure pulses on the hull5.8Numerical simulation of blade cavitation5.9Comparison of computational cost5.10Practice: RANS self-propulsion with body force
6.1Classification of ESDs by area of action6.2Mewis pre-swirl ducts6.3Pre-swirl stators and fins6.4Rudder bulb and rudder fins6.5Contra-rotating propellers and rotational energy recovery6.6PBCF hub cap fins6.7Numerical evaluation of ESDs6.8Scale effects on ESDs6.9Verification of savings and EEDI6.10Case study: evaluation of a Mewis duct
7.1Exciting forces on shafts and bearings7.2Pressure pulses and class criteria7.3Radiated noise from cavitation7.4URN notations of classification societies7.5Propeller-hull clearances7.6Optimisation of stern forms7.7Propeller design adapted to the wake7.8Twin-screw ships with shaft brackets7.9Cavitation tunnel tests7.10Workshop: propeller clearance optimisation
8.1Ship selection and geometric data8.2Nominal wake calculation8.3Preliminary propeller design8.4Self-propulsion simulation8.5Calculation of interaction factors8.6Evaluation of an energy-saving device8.7Extrapolation to full scale8.8Analysis of results8.9Report and presentation8.10Final review with the tutor
How you'll learn
100% online training on the SEIUM campus, with downloadable material, recorded classes and an assigned technical tutor. No fixed timetables: students progress at their own pace within the intake, allowing it to be combined with work.
Each module combines theory, guided reading of the original standard and applied exercises. The working software is STAR-CCM+, ANSYS Fluent, OpenFOAM, PROCAL, MATLAB, in free, academic or evaluation versions. Tests are studied using real procedures for self-propulsion tests in towing tanks, nominal wake measurement with PIV/LDV, and cavitation tunnels. Assessment is continuous, module by module, plus a final integrative project.
Build it end to end
Your final project follows the real engineering workflow, step by step, reviewed by your tutor.
Characterise the ship's nominal and effective wake.
Explain propeller hydrodynamics and its characteristic curves.
Calculate hull-propeller interaction factors.
Numerically simulate the wake using RANS models.
Model the propeller in CFD using an actuator disc or full geometry.
Where this takes you
Requirements
- Prior technical training or professional experience in the sector. A university degree is not required.
- Internet connection and a computer capable of running the programme's software.
- Sufficient Spanish level to follow technical regulatory texts.
Ready to start?
Send your application today. Our admissions team replies within 72 hours with your study plan and funding options.
Frequently asked questions
The programme totals 800 hours, spread over 6 to 8 months. That is an average of 10 to 15 hours per week, compatible with a full-time job.
The programme uses STAR-CCM+, ANSYS Fluent, OpenFOAM, PROCAL and MATLAB. Free, academic or evaluation versions are used, and the tutor indicates the free alternative where one exists.
SEIUM's own diploma upon passing continuous assessment and the integrative project. It is in-house training, not an official Ministry qualification.
Yes. Modules passed in a course or postgraduate diploma in the same area are recognised towards the higher-level programme. Check the recognition policy when you enrol.
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