Numerical simulation of unsteady sheet/cloud cavitation

Unsteady Reynolds-averaged Navier-Stokes (URANS) coupling with mass transfer cavitation models was used to resolve the turbulent flow structure with cavitation. Kubota and Merkle cavitation models were tested. As part of the work, the Merkle model is implemented into CFX by User Fortran code because this model has shown good cavitation prediction capability according to the literature. The results will focus on the unsteady cavitation shedding dynamics around NACA66 hydrofoil. The predicted results compare well with the experimental measurements for unsteady sheet/cloud cavitating flows. Numerical visualizations of cloud cavity evolution and surface pressure signals show relatively good agreement with the experimental data.