Selection of Commercial Waterjets: New Performance Coefficients Point the Way

The successful selection of a waterjet requires a system-wide analysis of that jet's performance across the vessel's entire speed range. A complete physics-based approach is necessary to avoid performance problems and to define a truly successful system. Novel performance coefficients have recently been presented by the author that eliminate the limitations and short-comings associated with traditional "thrust-resistance" plotting techniques. This paper describes this new parametric model of waterjet performance based on "universal waterjet coefficients". A recent project conducted by the author will also be presented to demonstrate how potential problems are averted and systems optimized through the use of this new calculation methodology.