An Experimental Study on Multi-Injected Artificial Supercavitation

In this study, we present experimental observations of artificial supercavitation generated by the injection of compressed air at multiple locations on the body. Experiments were conducted at a cavitation tunnel equipped with a special facility to remove injected air before returning to the test section. Artificial supercavitation, which is generated at a relatively low speed compared to natural supercavitation, is formed asymmetrically on the axis of the body due to the buoyancy effect. In order to accelerate the development of the supercavity and increase the area covering the body, an experimental device capable of additional injection from the body was designed and its performance was evaluated through the model test. The shapes of the supercavity generated by multi-injections of different combinations according to different flow speeds were analyzed using high-speed shadow images. The results show that multiple injections at suitable locations can effectively increase the length of the supercavity and consequently improve propulsion efficiency.