Cavitation Inception Behind a Jet-Propelled Body

Cavitation inception behind an axissymmetric body driven by a waterjet has been studied experimentally and numerically. Water tunnel tests have been performed with the body mounted on a force balance. The transom of the body contained a nozzle located along the centerline. Tests were carried out for various water tunnel speeds such that jet velocity ratio, V_J/U, could be varied in the range 0 to 2. Distinctly different cavitation patterns were observed at zero jet velocity (when cavitation appeared in spiral vortices in such flows) and at a various jet velocity ratios (when cavitation appeared between counter-rotating vortices around the jet in such flows). Cavitation inception/disappearance has been determined visually. The body drag was also measured. An analytical method for determination of cavitation inception index has been developed on the basis of a viscous-inviscid interaction concept, with employment of special semiempirical approximations for vortices and consideration of surface tension. These approximations have been preliminarily validated for nozzle jet cavitation (for nozzle discharge in co-flow). It was assumed that visualization allows detection of cavities (bubbles) of 0.4mm-0.5mm diameter or larger. The cavitation inception index is defined as the cavitation index for cavities of such minimum diameter when these cavities are located between counter-rotating vortices. The initial comparison of predicted and measured values of the cavitation inception index shows good agreement.