Investigation into the Propeller Cavitation in Oblique Flow

Abstract

In order to serve the improvement of performance prediction of high-speed vessels, theoretical and experimental investigations into the propeller cavitation in oblique flow condition have been carried out.A series of supercavitating propellers were tested in cavitating oblique flow condition. The test results show that in non-cavitating condition the variation of propeller characteristics due to the shaft inclination is related closely with pitch ratio but little with expanded area ratio, while in cavitating condition the variation decreases with cavitation number and the effect of geometrical particulars of propeller is not so clear as in non-cavitating condition.In view of the analysis and the application of the test results, a quasi-steady method was developed to calculate the propeller characteristics in oblique flow condition from those in axial flow condition. The comparision of the experimental and the calculated results showed pretty good coincidence.