Boundary layer instability control in the unsteady cloud cavitating flow

TL;DR

This paper introduces a passive boundary layer control method for unsteady cloud cavitating flow on hydrofoils, demonstrating its ability to stabilize the boundary layer, modify pressure distribution, and potentially reduce cavitation-induced vibrations.

Contribution

A novel passive boundary layer control technique is proposed and validated through 3D unsteady flow simulations, showing its effectiveness in controlling vortex structures and cavitation effects.

Findings

Boundary layer stabilization and delayed separation.

Altered pressure distribution and velocity fluctuations.

Potential reduction in cavitation-induced vibrations.

Abstract

In this article, we propose a passive boundary layer control method to control the vortex structure of the cavity on the suction side and wake region of the CAV2003 benchmark hydrofoil. This method may be used in different applications such as marine, turbomachinery and hydraulic machinery. First, we used a hybrid URANS model for turbulence to simulate the 3D unsteady cloud cavitating flow and validated it based on experimental data. We performed the numerical simulations using open source code OpenFOAM and an Euler-Euler cavitation model. Second, we studied the effect of passive boundary layer control method on vortex structure on the suction side of the hydrofoil and in wake region. We showed that this control method may influence the boundary layer structure on the hydrofoil surface and also near the trailing edge. Using this technique the pressure distribution and the fluctuating part of the velocity field on the hydrofoil surface were modified over the chord length. This method induced a stabilization of the boundary layer and delay its separation. Therefore a significant reduction in cavitation-induced vibration may be expected.