Large Eddy Simulation of Cavitating Propeller Flows

This paper deals with the simulation of cavitating flowsbased on Large Eddy Simulation techniques, combinedwith a volume of fluid implementation to capture theinterface between liquid and vapor and a fairlysimplistic and ad hoc model for the mass transferbetween the phases. Two flows are considered: the firstis over a three dimensional hydrofoil, and the second is apropeller operating in an artificially generated wakefield. The cavitation over the hydrofoil displays a highlyunsteady flow including important cavitationmechanisms due to side-entrant and re-entrant jet, shearlayers and shed vorticity. Detailed experimental work isavailable, and partly revied in the paper, to validate thesimulations. The propeller cavitation displays, apartfrom internal jets, also the upstream desinence as theblade exits the wake flow. In both cases the simulationsgive qualitatively very promising results, reproducing allthe above mentioned mechanisms, although the cavityextent is slightly small. These results indicate that thetechniques used in this work, may, in a near future,make it possible to gain in understanding of theprocesses of erosive cavitation and even constitute apredictive tool for cavitation nuisance