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Experimental investigation of vortex generator influences on propeller cavitation and hull pressure fluctuations

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Abstract

In this paper, the transient turbulent cavitating flow around a marine propeller behind a ship was investigated experimentally with emphasis on how vortex generator (VG) influences propeller cavitation and hull pressure fluctuations. The experiments were carried out in China Large Cavitation Channel with the closed test section covering 10.5 m in length and cross-section of 2.2 m2 ϗ 2.0 m2. The experiment recorded instantaneous cavitation photos of the propeller and pressure fluctuations on the hull surface. The results demonstrate that without vortex generator, the sheet cavitation inception begins at −50° (310°), and then from −50° (310°) to 30°, the extent and area of sheet cavitation increase. When vortex generator installed on the hull, the sheet cavitation inception occurs in advance at −60° (300°), and the sheet cavitation expands to larger rotation range due to the vortex generator. It is shown that the vortex generator with proper geometry and installed location may contribute the highly nonuniform wake to be more uniform, and can make the change of propeller cavitation to be milder, which decrease the pressure fluctuations in this study. Further analysis indicates that the vortex generator may promote the energy distribution to be more uniform in physical and spectral space in some degree.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. National Key Laboratory on Ship Vibration and Noise, China Ship Scientific Research Center, Wuxi, 214082, China

    Hong-bo Huang

  2. State Key Laboratory of Water Resources and Hydropower Engineering Science, Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430072, China

    Yun Long & Bin Ji

Authors
  1. Hong-bo Huang
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  2. Yun Long
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  3. Bin Ji
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Bin Ji.

Additional information

Project supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant Nos. 11772239, 51822903), the Natural Science Foundation of Hubei Province (Grant Nos. 2017CFA048, 2018CFA010).

Biography: Hong-bo Huang (1979-), Male, Master, Senior Engineer

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Huang, Hb., Long, Y. & Ji, B. Experimental investigation of vortex generator influences on propeller cavitation and hull pressure fluctuations. J Hydrodyn 32, 82–92 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s42241-020-0005-5

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s42241-020-0005-5

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