Numerical investigations into supercavitating flows and hydrodynamic characteristics of a heaving hydrofoil

Abstract

This paper presents the effects of heaving motions on the hydrodynamic characteristics, supercavitating flow regimes and vortex structures for a two-dimensional (2D) supercavitating hydrofoil. The sinusoidal heaving motion of the supercavitating hydrofoil is realized by overset grid technology. The lift coefficient, drag coefficient, supercavitating flow regime and vortex structures around the supercavitating hydrofoil are analyzed and compared among different amplitudes of the heaving motion. The predicted cavities and the hydrodynamic characteristics are in good accordance with the experiments at a stationary state. The lift coefficient and drag coefficient of the heaving hydrofoil present a sinusoidal law, which is related to the effective angle of attack. The heaving motion would affect the cavity length and its thickness. The greater the heaving amplitude, the greater the difference in cavity pattern at different heaving positions. The cavity variation would affect the shear layer and thus change the vortex shedding characteristics, which are different from those at a stationary state.