Correlation of predictions and full scale observations of propeller cavitation

Article type: Research Article

Authors: Johnsson, C.-A.

Affiliations: Swedish State Shipbuilding Experimental Tank, Göteborg, Sweden

Abstract: A short review is given of the development of the techniques used for cavitation tests with propellers and reference made to the correlation work with full scale carried out lately on merchant ship propellers. The difficulties of making theoretical calculations of the inception and extension of cavitation on propeller blades are discussed with the emphasis on the influence of the leading edge radius on the pressure distribution for the blade profiles. An approximate method for such calculations is outlined and applied to some cases for which results of full scale observations and model tests in cavitation tunnels are available. The agreement between calculation and experiment is found to be satisfactory. Calculations are made for investigating the influence of leading edge radius, cavitation number, radial circulation distribution and tangential velocities on the extension of cavitation. Finally the results of the calculations are discussed in the view of the desire to predict the danger of erosion and vibration. The conclusions drawn are summarised at the end of the Paper.

DOI: 10.3233/ISP-1973-2022602

Journal: International Shipbuilding Progress, vol. 20, no. 226, pp. 194-210, 1973