Prediction of tip vortex cavitation inception on marine propellers at an early design stage

Abstract

The inception of vortex cavitation at an early design stage is still difficult to forecast. The most reliable prediction of the full scale performance is achieved by means of model tests, which are possible for few designs only. A simplified model to calculate the inception of tip vortex cavitation is developed and tested. The model is based on results obtained from potential flow theory, using a boundary element method. The developed tip vortex cavitation inception model and also the panel method are described, after a short introduction to vortex cavitation. The numerical behaviour of the model is investigated for an elliptic wing at different angles of attack and two marine propellers in homogenous and not axially symmetric inflow. The cavitation model s properties concerning different Reynolds numbers are studied and the scale effects on calculated model- and full-scale tip vortices are discussed.