Prediction of supercavitation shapes for a wide range of Froude numbers

Abstract

In this study, we developed an inviscid model to predict the shape of supercavitation in a wide range of Froude numbers (Fr) based on the potential theory suggested by Logvinovich (1973). Visualization experiments were carried out in a cavitation tunnel, and shapes of supercavitation were obtained for 15 < Fr < 30. Existing data on supercavity shapes at high Froude number (100 < Fr < 400) were used to verify the developed model. As a result, the cavity shapes at high Froude number were predicted with high accuracy because the cavity rise is weak due to relatively low buoyancy. In the case of low Froude number (15 < Fr < 30), the cavity shapes were predicted within 5–10% accuracy from the cavitator to 2/3 of the total cavity length due to the strong effect of buoyancy.