Scale Effect of Cavitation Inception on a 2D Eppler Hydrofoil

Cavitation inception on an E817 hydrofoil issued from an inverse calculus for ideal fluid has been numerically analyzed for speeds and scales inherent to both model test and full-scale marine conditions. The computations have been carried out with account to the Reynolds number effect on hydrofoil lift and combined effect of the Reynolds number and Weber number on the equilibrium of sheet cavities in the hydrofoil boundary layer. Different levels of scale effects for cavitation inception on suction and pressure sides of E817 hydrofoil are shown. Comparison with the scale effect of cavitation inception on conventional NACA-0012 hydrofoil has helped to explain this difference. Issues in blade design with sections similar to E817 are discussed.