Propeller Tip Vortex Cavitation Control Using Water Injection

As considerable interests in noise emission from the ships have been increased, control of the propeller cavitation generating vibration and radiating noise is looming large. In general, the tip vortex cavitation is first produced in case of full scale propellers, and noise levels rise dramatically from that moment. In order to reduce induced noise from the tip vortex cavitation and hence increase the cavity inception speed, we propose the mass injection method. Water injected from the propeller tip decreases rotating speed of the tip flow, and it restrains growing the tip vortex cavity. Experimental investigations of the model tests carried out in a large cavitation tunnel show that the tip vortex cavitation is effectively controled by water injection from the propeller tip.