William B. Morgan

Who is William B. Morgan?

Dr. William B. Morgan is an American naval architect and renowned expert in propeller design.

Morgan was born in Iowa, received his M.S. in Mechanics and Hydraulics 1951 from the University of Iowa, and a doctorate in Naval Architecture from the University of California, Berkley in 1961, and devoted his entire professional career to the Carderock Division, Naval Surface Warfare Center, Bethesda, Maryland.

Morgan started working with UNIVAC I and UNIVAC II computers in 1954. He introduced computers into naval engineering and thereby revolutionized propeller design. He published numerous studies of sub-cavitating, super-cavitating, and contra-rotating propellers; annular airfoil and ducted propeller theory; propeller blade strength; hydrodynamic properties of blade sections; and propeller cavitation, ventilation and noise. Perhaps most significantly, he led development of the highly skewed propeller with its superior vibration and acoustic properties.

Morgan ultimately was named head of the hydromechanics directorate, David Taylor Model Basin, responsible for all hydromechanic research concerning U.S.