Novel scaling law for estimating propeller tip vortex cavitation noise from model experiment

The tip vortex cavitation(TVC) noise of marine propellers is of interest due to the environmental impacts from commercial ships as well as for the survivability of naval ships. Due to complicated flow and noise field around a marine propeller, a theoretical approach to the estimation of TVC noise is practically unrealizable. Thus, estimation of prototype TVC noise level is realized through extrapolation of the model TVC noise level measured in a cavitation tunnel. In this study, for the prediction of prototype TVC noise level from a model test, a novel scaling law reflecting the physical basis of TVC is derived from the Rayleigh-Plesset equation, the Rankine vortex model, the lifting surface theory, and other physical assumptions. Model and prototype noise data were provided by Samsung Heavy Industries(SHI) for verification. In applying the novel scaling law, similitude of the spectra of nuclei is applied to assume the same nuclei distribution in the tip vortex line of the model and the prototype. It was found that the prototype TVC noise level predicted by the novel scaling law has better agreement with the prototype TVC noise measurement than the prototype TVC noise level predicted by the modified ITTC noise estimation rule.     

Application of signal processing techniques to the detection of tip vortex cavitation noise in marine propeller

The tip vortex cavitation and its relevant noise has been the subject of extensive researches up to now. In most cases of experimental approaches, the accurate and objective decision of cavitation inception is primary, which is the main topic of this paper. Although the conventional power spectrum is normally adopted as a signal processing tool for the analysis of cavitation noise, a faithful exploration cannot be made especially for the cavitation inception. Alternatively, the periodic occurrence of bursting noise induced from tip vortex cavitation gives a diagnostic proof that the repeating frequency of the bursting contents can be exploited as an indication of the inception. This study, hence, employed the Short-Time Fourier Transform (STFT) analysis and the Detection of Envelope Modulation On Noise (DEMON) spectrum analysis, both which are appropriate for finding such a repeating frequency. Through the acoustical measurement in a water tunnel, the two signal processing techniques show a satisfactory result in detecting the inception of tip vortex cavitation.     

Experimental measurement of tip vortex flow field with/without cavitation in an elliptic hydrofoil

In this paper, recent measurements of tip vortex flow with and without cavitation carried out in Cavitation Mechanism Tunnel of China Ship Scientific Research Center(CSSRC) are presented. The elliptic hydrofoil with section NACA 662-415 was adopted as test model. High-speed video(HSV) camera was used to visualize the trajectory of tip vortex core and the form of tip vortex cavitation(TVC) in different cavitation situations. Laser Doppler velocimetry(LDV) was employed to measure the tip vortex flow field in some typical sections along the vortex trajectory with the case of cavitation free. Stereo particle image velocimetry(SPIV) system was used to measure the velocity and vorticity distributions with and without cavitation. Series measurement results such as velocity and vorticity distributions, the trajectory of tip vortex core, the vortex core radius, cavity size and cavitation inception number were obtained. The results demonstrated that the minimum pressure coefficient in the vortex core obtained by flow field measurement was quite coincident with the tip vortex cavitation inception number obtained under the condition of high incoming velocity and low air content. And TVC would decrease the vortex strength comparing with the case without cavitation.     

EXPERIMENTAL STUDY OF EFFECTS OF AIR CONTENT ON CAVITATION AND PRESSURE FLUCTUATIONS

This article studies the effects of air content on propeller cavitation and pressure fluctuations. The cavitation is observed while the pressure fluctuations on the hull are measured. When adjusting the air content, the sheet cavitation range does not change distinctly, but the pressure fluctuations see obvious differences. The amplitudes of the pressure fluctuations increase with the decrease of the air content. The results indicate that the air content has little effect on the sheet cavitation range but has an important effect on the bubble cavitation and the tip vortex cavitation. When the air content decreases, the water tensile force increases, which results in the instability of the bubble cavitation and the tip vortex cavitation and the increase of the pressure fluctuations. To minimize the scale effects, the experiments should be run at a high Reynolds number with a high nuclei content. The high Reynolds number is often realized by increasing the flow velocity and the propeller rotation speed, and the high nuclei content is often made by increasing the dissolved air content.     

VISCOUS SCALE EFFECTS ON PROPELLER TIP VORTEX CAVITATION

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A review of studies of mechanism and prediction of tip vortex cavitation inception

The inception of the tip vortex cavitation(TVC) is a very important problem in cavitation researches. The study of the mechanism of the TVC inception is not only conducive to its prediction, but also helps to suppress or suspend the occurrence of cavitation. In this paper, the research progresses on the TVC inception including theoretical, experimental and numerical studies mainly in the last two decades are reviewed. It is shown that the TVC inception is affected by complicated factors, such as the water quality, the average pressure and the fluctuating pressure. In the scaling law for the determination of the TVC inception, all these factors are considered. To precisely describe the scaling law, more investigations are needed to understand the effects of the water quality and the fluctuating pressure.     

ON THE RELATION BETWEEN CAVITATION INCEPTION AND FLOW PATTERN ON PROPELLER BLADES

Oil flow visuallization on the model propellers with and without tripping devices atthe leading edge is revealed in this paper. Roughing leading edge with sand blasting was to simu-late the flow at full-scale condition. The observations of cavitation inception and the detection ofcavitation erosion were made in uniform and non-uniform flow respectively so as to consider theeffects of flow pattern on cavitation inception and to investigate the causes of difference in thelocations of cavitation erosion between model propeller and prototype. In addition, calculationsof the pressure distributions and the behaviour of boundary layer on the propeller blade were alsodone by using theoretical method. It is necessary to gain a better understanding of cavitation in-ception of the propeller.     

The effect of water quality on tip vortex cavitation inception

The inception of tip vortex cavitation is very sensitive to water quality. In order to quantify the effect of water quality on the inception of tip vortex cavitation, we develop a motion model to describe the migration and growth of nuclei in water. An analytical solution of migration of nuclei in a vortex flow is obtained so that the capture times of various nuclei can be given out directly. A criterion is built to determine the critical nucleus in a certain nuclei spectra distribution. Tensile strength of the critical nucleus is used to quantify the effect of water quality and correct the tip vortex cavitation inception number. Finally this change of cavitation inception number is compared with experimental results to validate our model.     

The design of propeller and propeller boss cap fins (PBCF) by an integrative method

Generally, after a marine propeller design, the propeller boss cap fins (PBCF) design concerns with an optimal selection of model test results, without a due consideration of the interaction between the PBCF and the propeller. In this paper, the PBCF and the propeller are considered as a whole system with their design as an integrative process, in which the concept of the increased loading in the blade root is incorporated. The load distribution on the blade becomes well-proportioned due to the increased loading in the blade root, and it is advantageous to the reduction of the vibratory force and the blade tip vortex. The blade root area is stronger in withstanding forces, and is not easy to be vibrated, therefore, the increased loading there is beneficial to the noise reduction. The disadvantage of the increased loading in the blade root is the generation of the hub vortex behind the boss cap, but the hub vortex can be broken up by the energy saving hydrodynamic mechanism of the PBCF. The integrative design method introduced in this paper can provide a higher efficiency for propellers under the same design conditions. In this paper, an integrative propeller and PBCF design method including the theoretical design and the numerical optimization design is proposed, based on the potential flow theory, the CFD tools, the improved particle swarm optimization algorithm, and the model tests. A propeller with the PBCF is designed based on the method of integrated increased loading in the blade root for a cargo vessel in this paper. The cavitation tunnel model test results show that the propeller and the PBCF thus designed enjoys a higher efficiency, and the design method is effective, reliable and practical.     

Improvements of model-test method for cavitation-induced pressure fluctuation in marine propeller

Although the prediction of propeller cavitation-induced pressure fluctuation strongly depends on the model-scale measurement in a cavitation tunnel, there is still a lack of correlation with full-scale data. This paper deals with the enhancement of such a correlation deficiency by improving the conventional model-test technique, two majors of which are in the following. One is to take into account the boundary layer effect of wooden fairing plate at the ceiling of water cavitation tunnel. The other is to avoid the resonance frequency range of model-ship via adjusting the revolution speed of model propeller. Through a case study, for which both model and full-scale test data are available, the improved method in this study shows its validness, and furthermore a close correlation with full scale measurement.     

The method to control the submarine horseshoe vortex by breaking the vortex core

The quality of the inflow across the propeller is closely related with the hydrodynamic performance and the noise characteristics of the propeller. For a submarine, with a horseshoe vortex generated at the junction of the main body and the appendages, the submarine wake is dominated by a kind of highly non-uniform flow field, which has an adverse effect on the performance of the submarine propeller. In order to control the horseshoe vortex and improve the quality of the submarine wake, the flow field around a submarine model is simulated by the detached eddies simulation （DES） method, and the vortex configuration is displayed using the second invariant of the velocity derivative tensor. The state and the transition process of the horseshoe vortex are analyzed, then a modified method to break the vortex core by a vortex baffle is proposed. The flow numerical simulation is carried out to study the effect of this method. Numerical simulations show that, with the breakdown of the vortex core, many unstable vortices are shed and the energy of the horseshoe vortex is dissipated quickly, and the uniformity of the submarine wake is improved. The submarine wake test in a wind tunnel has verified the effect of the method to control the horseshoe vortex. The vortex baffle can improve the wake uniformity in cases of high Reynolds numbers as well, and it does not have adverse effects on the maneuverability and the speed ability of the submarine.     

导流洞改建为孔板泄洪洞水力学问题研究

本文对导流洞改建为孔板泄洪洞时的孔板体型与阻力系数的关系、出口水流收缩系数的计算、泄流能力的计算、雷诺数对孔板初生空化数的影响、初生空化数与体型的关系等进行较深入的研究，提出了系统的计算公式和设计方法。文中提出的消涡环不仅抑制了孔板上游的角隅漩涡，并且还收到了增加阻力系数和结构强度的效果。     

验证用于初生空化数检测的比较法

该文作者在若干年前提出了用于初生空化试验的"比较法"的概念.方法的原理是:当初生空化数和消失空化数之差达到最小时,试验液体的抗拉强度就非常接近于零.由此;可以在不用专业仪器的情况下,检测不受液体抗拉强度影响的初生空化数.近年来的的研究成果证实了该"比较法"与使用检测仪器得到的成果具有相同的效果,进一步地验证和讨论了它的合理性.     

非均匀进流对螺旋桨空化水动力性能的影响

以全附体SUBOFF潜艇桨盘面处标称伴流作为七叶大侧斜桨的非均匀进流,分析了对空化引起的推力和力矩崩溃性能以及叶背梢涡空化初生的影响,描述了非均匀进流条件下空化时推力和力矩的脉动特征、桨叶空化面积和空化形态随周向位置的变化,并给出了伴流中螺旋桨是否出现叶面片空化的区间划分。空化模拟时采用改进Sauer空化模型和修正SST湍流模型。梢涡空化初生依据作者提出的当σ>σi时,叶截面压力系数分布不再改变的相对准则来判定。结果表明,伴流能够有效延迟该桨叶面片空化初生,但同时会使叶背片空化初生提前且空化范围明显增加;在对应敞水效率最高的工况点,伴流使得该桨因空化引起的推力下降起始点较均匀来流时提前量大于7.1%,且叶背梢涡空化初生提前量大于6.7%;即使在空化较为严重的情况下,该桨在伴流场中的推力和力矩脉动幅值也很小;由于桨叶旋向的影响,一周内桨叶空化面积对于艇尾左右舷空间并不完全对称。研究结果可用于分析大侧斜使艇尾桨空化初始航速提高一定程度的现象。     

PREDICTION OF LOADING DISTRIBUTION AND HYDRODYNAMIC MEASUREMENTS FOR PROPELLER BLADES IN A RIM DRIVEN THRU-STER

This article presents an approach which employs a commercial Reynolds-Averaged Navier-Stokes(RANS)solver to predict the steady wake field and loading distributions for a rim driven thruster.Four different cases of propeller blades are chosen to be calculated with the presented method.The propeller blade radial circulation and chordwise circulation density distributions are analyzed.The maximum radial circulation is found at the blade tip,which is different from conventional shaft driven propeller.The numerical results indicate that there is no tip leakage vortex in rim driven propulors.But there exist the tip joint vortex and the root region vortex.Bollard characteristics are calculated by taking rim surface effect into account.From the predicted results the second case in this paper is selected as the final one to perform hydrodynamic experiment.The calculation results with empirical rim surface corrections are compared with the measurement.It shows that the developed numerical method can well predict hydrodynamic performances of the rim driven thruster.     

拖式吊舱螺旋桨定常性能理论计算

本文提出拖式吊舱螺旋桨(螺旋桨位于吊舱首部)定常水动力性能的势流理论计算方法。螺旋桨采用升力面理论涡格法、吊舱采用面元法分析计算，二者的相互干扰通过叠代计算来处理。考虑吊舱的影响，修改了尾涡模型。应用本方法，计算了拖式吊舱螺旋桨的定常性能，并与空泡水筒试验结果进行了比较，计算与试验吻合良好。     

NUMERICAL PREDICTION OF BLADE FREQUENCY NOISE OF CAVITA- TING PROPELLER

The blade frequency noise of a cavitating propeller in a uniform flow is analyzed in the time domain. The unsteady loading (of a dipole source) and the sheet cavity volume (of a monopole source) on the propeller surface are calculated by a potential-based surface panel method. Then the time-dependent pressure and the cavity volume data are used as the input for the Fowcs Williams-Hawkings formulation to predict the acoustics pressure. The integration of the noise source is performed over the true blade surface rather than the ideal blade surface without thickness. The noise characteristics of the cavitating propeller are discussed. With the sheet cavitation, the thickness (cavitation) noise is larger than the loading noise and is the dominant noise source.The noise directivity is not as clear as that of the noise under a non-cavitation condition. The cavitation noise is attenuated mores lowly than the non-cavitation noise.     

高负荷螺旋桨水动力性能试验研究

以某大型集装箱船高负荷螺旋桨为研究对象,分别采用大侧斜、反弯扭叶片和毂帽鳍等技术进行螺旋桨优化设计,以改善螺旋桨的空泡和水动力性能.设计了5型螺旋桨,分别在空泡水筒进行了模拟伴流场中的空泡和激振力试验,并在拖曳水池进行了敞水试验.试验结果表明,采用大侧斜可有效减小螺旋桨诱导船艉激振力;反弯扭叶片螺旋桨空泡性能较好,有较低的螺旋桨诱导船艉激振力水平;桨毂帽鳍可改善毂涡空泡,模型试验状态下可提高推进效率2%左右.     

水流初生空化噪声机理分析及试验研究

根据水流的初生空化特性,对其发生发展过程在模型和原型进行系统的试验观测。试验和理论分析表明,水流的初生空化和空蚀可以利用常压水洞来模拟。与减压箱试验结果的比较可知常压水洞更可信和合理。水流的初生空化噪声频率不仅与汽化压力和流体的特性有关,而且还与流体的环境压力分布和速度分布有关,与空化类型关系更为密切。试验和计算表明初生空化噪声频率的分布频段为10kHz—12.5kHz。     

URANS COMPUTATION OF CAVITATING FLOWS AROUND SKEWED PROPELLERS

Cavitating flows around skewed propellers are investigated numerically by means of the unsteady Reynolds Averaged Navier-Stokes (RANS) Equation method. The standard k-ε turbulence and the modified Z-G-B cavitation models are employed. A measured nominal wake is used for the inlet velocity boundary condition. Predicted cavitating evolution processes and tip cavity patterns are compared with experimental observations. In addition, the influence of the skew angles on the cavitation and unsteadiness performances of propellers operating in a non-uniform wake is also studied. Results show that the modified Z-G-B cavitation model performs better to simulate the cavitating flow cases studied in this paper. Comparisons demonstrate that the skewed propeller with a skew angle of 20 o is the best choice for a given stern wake with a assigned thrust and the minimum force fluctuations.