Full-Scale Observation of Propeller Cavitation on a U.S Coast Guard Ship

Abstract

This paper provides results of full-scale video observations of underway cavitating propeller operation and corresponding vibration acceleration measurements taken in the stem region of the U.S. Coast Guard Seagoing Buoy Tender WLB 201 JUNIPER. Selected results are presented from two different trial periods: before and after the ship was fitted with flow improvement fins designed to deal with the very poor propeller inflow velocity distribution and the resulting troublesome inboard noise performance related to propeller cavitation. An important the objective of this work was to try to interpret the trends of ship vibration and noise responses in terms of observed propeller cavitation phenomena.