Section performance data, which also include cavitation characteristics, are required for the detailed design of the turbine blades. It is found that suitable published data, with cavitation characteristics, are very limited and that there is a need to establish a better understanding of the cavitation performance of 2-D sections suitable for marine turbines. It is also considered that the capability of using simple 2-D numerical panel method (XFOIL) to predict cavitation inception at the design stage should be explored. An experimental and numerical investigation has therefore been carried out, covering forces, pressures and cavitation, on representative 2-D sections suitable for application to marine current turbines. The tests were carried out in the cavitation tunnel at Vosper Thornycroft on 4 possible sections. The layout of the tunnel and example images of cavitation is detailed in the photographs.
Detailed results have been published in: Molland A.F., Bahaj A.S., Chaplin J.R. and Batten W.M.J. (2004). Measurements and predictions of forces, pressures and cavitation on 2-D sections suitable for marine current turbines. Proc. Instn. Mech. Engr., Journal on Engineering for the Maritime Environment, 218 Part M, 2004, pp 127-138. view paper
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