On Cavitation Produced by a Vortex Trailing From a Lifting Surface

Abstract

An experimental and analytical study is made of cavitation produced by the vortex system trailing from elliptic, rectangular, and delta wings. It is found that the inception of this type of cavitation depends upon the boundary-layer thickness of the lower surface of the wing tip. The thickness of the vortex core is apparently not determined by the induced drag of the wing. For a given wing shape, the critical cavitation index was found to: Increase with increasing Reynolds number; increase nearly linearly with angle of attack; be almost independent of aspect ratio; and, depend significantly upon the undissolved air content.