An experimental method for measuring dynamic pressures above a cavitating propeller

Abstract

The basic objective of this project was to create an experiment and apparatus for measuring dynamic pressures above a cavitating propeller which could be used in modeling the differences between types of cavitation. A large, aluminum plate was designed to hold the pressure probes above the chosen 5 bladed surface ship propeller in an 5 x 5 array. The array of probes, along with upstream and downstream reference probes, acquired the dynamic pressures generated by the observed intermittent cavitations. Two computer applications were written to work with the apparatus: one for calibrating the pressure probes, and one for acquiring the data set of 20,000 samples per channel at 3,600 Hz. Contour plot animations and FFT analysis supported the experimental data and the experiment as a reusable apparatus for recording dynamic pressures to be used in cavitation computer models.