Abstract
The deficiencies of cavitation tunnels of current design, where screw propellers are tested in a homogeneous velocity field, are discussed. A description of a new design of a tunnel is given, where propellers can be tested in a homogeneous flow as well as in velocity fields corresponding to those which exist behind the ship. A new method of carrying out cavitation tests and of dividing the ship’s propulsive efficiency into a number of components is suggested. The results of some comparative cavitation tests are shown. A few possibilities for future research are summarized, followed by a number of conclusions.
The paper concludes with two appendices, in which some theoretical remarks on the inequality of the velocity field behind the ship are given together with the results of a number of systematic experiments for determining the relation between thrust and torque constants in the “open water” and “behind” conditions.
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