Comparative study of groove and wavy textures for cavitation suppression on a NACA 0012 hydrofoil

This experimental study investigates the effects of surface texture on cavitation dynamics over a NACA 0012 hydrofoil. Five surface patterns were examined: a smooth baseline, two groove-type textures (v1, v2), a transitional texture (v3), and a wavy texture (v4). High-speed visualization and image processing were employed to define cavity characteristics over a range of Reynolds numbers (Re = 0.96×10 6 –1.7 × 10 6 ) and cavitation numbers ( σ = 1.3–2.0) at a fixed angle of attack ( α = 8°). Results demonstrate that groove-type surfaces effectively suppress developed cavitation, with configuration v2 achieving a 45% reduction in mean cavity length. In contrast the wavy surface (v4) increased the mean cavity length by 12% and amplified fluctuations tenfold relative to the baseline. Statistical analysis reveals that v4 exhibits a pronounced bimodal cavity length distribution across all tested Reynolds numbers, indicating disruption of periodic cavity shedding.