On the limiting parameters of artificial cavitation

Artificial cavitation, or ventilation, is produced by releasing gas into the liquid flow. One of the objectives of creating this multiphase flow is to reduce frictional and sometimes wave resistance of a marine vehicle completely or partially immersed in the water. Flows around surface ships moving along the water-air boundary are considered in this paper. It is favorable to achieve a negative cavitation number in the developed cavitating flow under the vessel's bottom in order to generate additional lift. Cavities, formed in the flow, have limiting parameters that are affected by propulsion and lift-enhancing devices. Methods for calculating these influences and the results of a parametric study are reported. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.