Cavitation scale effects

Observations of cavitation on a ducted propeller of a VLCC showed abnormal discrepancies with the cavitation pattern, observed on model scale in comparable conditions. To establish the cause of these discrepancies variations of propeller loading, model wake, nuclei content of the fluid and propeller boundary layer were applied. The condition of the propeller boundary layer was found to have a major effect in this case and application of roughness at the leading edge could remove the differences between model and prototype.