Experimental and Numerical Investigation of the Cavitation Pattern on a Marine Propeller

An experimental investigation on a cavitating propeller in a uniform inflow is presented. Flow field investigations by advanced imaging techniques are used to extract quantitative information on both the cavity extension and thickness. A refined map of the propeller cavitating behavior is established. Measurements are compared to numerical results obtained using an inviscid flow boundary element method for the analysis of blade sheet partial and super-cavitation. The effect of the trailing wake vorticity on the prediction of the cavitation pattern is analyzed via a wake alignment technique