Cavitation erosion prediction using a “soft surface”

Article type: Research Article

Authors: Kadoi, Hiroyuki^a | Sasajima, Takao^b

Affiliations: [a] Ship Research Institute, Japan | [b] Nagasaki Technical Institute, Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd., Japan

Abstract: Soft surface technique to predict cavitation erosion of ship propellers through model tests in cavitation tunnel was studied. Among several materials for the soft surface, the stencil ink was chosen in view of the proposal of the Cavitation Committee of ITTC and applied to geosim model propellers of a container ship through the comparative cavitation tests in two cavitation tunnels. As a result, the stencil ink was found to work pretty well, if the standard procedure to prepare the soft surface is established. Further study is necessary, however, if the stencil ink is used as the standard soft surface, especially for practical purpose to predict cavitation erosion patterns of ship propellers.

DOI: 10.3233/ISP-1978-2528601

Journal: International Shipbuilding Progress, vol. 25, no. 286, pp. 141-150, 1978