Numerical investigation on cavitating wake dynamic of a propeller with bionic tubercle leading-edge

The effects of the bionic tubercle leading-edge on the cavitating wake dynamic with cavitaion number σ = 1.76, 2.016 is calculated and discussed using numerical techniques based on the detached eddy simulation method. The propeller loads, cavitation extents, instantaneous wake topology, and the kinetic energy spectra are analyzed to investigate the influence mechanism of the bionic tubercles on propeller performance and wake flow field. The results indicated that the effect of bionic tubercle comes from the formation of the counter-rotating vortex pairs which change the distribution of streamlines on leading edge. The bionic tubercles are conductive to the cavitation and blade shed vortex reduction independent of advance coefficient. Analysis of power spectral density of kinetic energy demonstrates that the mean values of propeller with bionic leading-edge are generally smaller than those of original one, especially in the far field.