Numerical analysis of supercavitating flow around axisymmetric underwater objects using a viscous-potential method

摘要

A numerical method is developed to predict the supercavity around two-dimensional and axisymmetric cavitators. The proposed method uses potential flow to compute cavity shapes and drag forces acting on underwater bodies, which are parameters of practical importance for supercavitating objects. The numerical results are validated via comparison with existing analytical and empirical solutions for symmetric cavity flows, as well as with experimental results for axisymmetric cavity flows. In addition, a viscous-potential method is developed for calculating the frictional drag acting on the wetted body surface behind the cavitator. The obtained results provide details of the drag curve that appear with an increase in speed during cavity growth. Furthermore, the geometry and drag features of supercavitating underwater vehicles under practical submerged depth conditions are investigated.