Abstract: Magnus rotor is a new type of auxiliary propulsion device for ships. Addressing the disparity between the lift model of Magnus rotors and traditional lift formulae, a combined approach of theory and numerical simulation is employed for investigation. Initially, the geometric and flow domain models of the Magnus rotor are established. Subsequently, computational fluid dynamics software is utilized for grid independence verification and numerical validation. A numerical simulation method is then employed to analyze the aerodynamic characteristics of the Magnus rotor model, considering the impact of various wind speeds and rotor rotation rates on the generated thrust. Finally, based on the obtained data, adjustments are made to the traditional lift model, and the reliability of the modified model is verified by comparing simulation data under different conditions with literature data. The results indicate that the propulsion force of the Magnus rotor increases with the increase of rotation ratio, and the optimized lift model exhibits a high degree of fit with simulated values, demonstrating higher accuracy. 

Key words: Magnus effect, rotor sail, lift/ drag characteristics, numerical simulation