Partially cavitating hydrofoils: experimental and numerical analysis
Résumé
The numerical modeling of partially cavitating foils under a confined flow configuration is described. A complete study of previous numerical models highlights that the presence of a turbulent and two-phase wake, at the rear of the cavity, has a nonnegligible effect on the local pressure coefficient, the cavitation number, the cavity length and the lift coefficient; hence viscous effects must be included. Two potential methods are used, each being coupled with a calculation of the boundary layer developed downstream of the cavity. So, an open cavity numerical model, as it is called, was developed and tested with two types of foil: a NACA classic foil and a foil of which the profile is obtained performing an inverse calculation on a propeller blade test section. On the other hand, under noncavitating conditions, for each method, the results are compared with the results obtained by the Navier-Stokes solver FLUENT. The cavitating flow configurations presented herein were carried out using the small hydrodynamic tunnel at Bassin d'Essais des Carènes [Val de Reuil, France]. The results obtained by the two methods are compared with experimental measurements.