Compressibility effects on cavity dynamics and shock waves in high-speed water entry

Abstract

The importance of high-speed water entry is acknowledged within the defense industry. This study numerically investigates the water entry of a high-speed rectangle projectile, focusing on cavity dynamics and shock wave generation. A computational model is employed to accurately simulate the intricate fluid dynamics of compressible multiphase flows. This model integrates a dual-phase flow algorithm with a thermally sensitive Tait equation of state for the liquid phase. The primary focus lies in understanding the effects of fluid compressibility on cavity evolution and shock wave propagation across different Froude numbers. The findings reveal that compressibility induces changes in cavity formation size, leading to significant variations in phase composition within the cavity. Furthermore, compressibility enhances the air cushion effect upon surface impact, resulting in delayed water entry and concurrent reduction in projectile drag. Moreover, a prognostic model is proposed, correlating shock pressure with propagation distance, thereby validating theoretical hypotheses advanced by Lee et al. [J. Fluid Struct., 11, 819–844 (1997)].