Nucleation and Cavitation Physics of a Marine Propulsor
Abstract
In this research project we propose to use the unique capabilities of the Cavitation Research Laboratory (CRL) at the Australian Mar,itime College (a specialist institute of the University of Tasmania) to gain new insights into the effects of nucleation on cavitati,on inception and dynamics in tip leakage flows (TLFs) of marine propulsors.Due to the complexity of the flow through the gap and hig,h blade tip velocity, TLF is often a flow feature with the global pressure minimum. A particular peculiarity of TLFs is the interact,ion between various vortical structures, which can lead to large unsteady pressure fluctuations and consequent early onset of cavita,tionCavitation inception and dynamics have been shown to be complex and significantly affected by microbubble populations in canonic,al flows modelling sheet, cloud and vortex cavitation. Recent work performed at the CRL contributed to understanding of the effect o,f microbubbles on cavitation in TLFs for a single stationary hydrofoil model. However, the level of understanding of the influence o,f microbubble populations on cavitation thresholds and nucleation physics for the flow associated with a multi-bladed rotating propu,lsor is limited.Within the scope of the proposed work, inherently rotating phenomena will be investigated using a two-bladed rotatin,g model enclosed in a circular section casing. This configuration will be tested for a range of conditions, most importantly includi,ng several nuclei populations. These tests will provide new insights in the physics of cavitation nucleation and inception in TLFs,,as well as archival experimental datasets useful for design considerations and improvements in computational models for predicting t,his phenomenon.The proposed efforts are aligned with the integrated research portfolio Mission Capable, Persistent & Survivable Sea,Platforms, and support the Science and Technology Program Propulsor Hydrodynamics, Hydroacoustics and Structural Dynamics. The resea,rch will be co-funded by Australian Defence Science and Technology Group and conducted in close collaboration with the ONR Tip Gap F,low Study (TGF) program (2021-2024) managed by Prof. Yin Lu (Julie) Young, Program Officer (ONR 331). Specific collaborators from th,e ONR TGF technical team are Prof. Steven Ceccio at the University of Michigan, Prof. Joseph Katz at Johns Hopkins university and Pr,of. Krishnan Mahesh at the University of Minnesota. The project will also be performed in collaboration with the staff of Code 87 at, the Naval Surface Warfare Center Carderock Division, who will offer, on an as-needed basis, their consultation on the scope and exe,cution of the experiments throughout the course of the project.The project outcomes include new knowledge on the effects of nuclei o,n cavitation inception in propulsor TLF and scaling effects, state-of-the-art experimental techniques and data analysis methods, com,prehensive experimental database for CFD validation and conference/journal papers.
Document Details
- Document Type
- DoD Grant Award
- Publication Date
- Oct 07, 2022
- Source ID
- N629092212058
Entities
People
- Luka Barbaca
Organizations
- Office of Naval Research
- United States Navy
- University of Tasmania