Hydrodynamic Processes Controlling Cavitation Erosion

Journal article, 2014

In this chapter we consider development of cavitation erosion having its origin in the sheet cavitation on the hydrofoils and propeller blades. The discussion includes generation of cloud cavitation by processes related to sheet cavity dynamics and how a cloud collapse can be enhanced by energy cascading from the collapse of a sheet cavity into the collapse of a cloud. A decomposition of the cavitation process leads to the basis for a conceptual model for description and analysis of the generation of erosion by mixed glassy and cloud cavitation. This model is made up of ten Analysis Models identifying the large to moderately small-scale events to be traced for unfolding behaviors that can control erosion.