Compressible large eddy simulations of sheet-to-cloud cavity transition on a NACA0015 hydrofoil

We investigate the different cavitation regimes around a NACA0015 hydrofoil with changing cavitation number, under the same conditions as experiment using high-fidelity compressible large eddy simulations with a water-vapor mixture model. Fundamental shedding mechanisms, such as re-entrant jet flows and propagating shock waves are investigated to understand the formation of cloud cavitation from stable sheet cavities. Cavity lengths, moment, lift and drag forces, as well as spanwise mean cavity volume are compared to available experimental data with promising agreement. We numerically quantify and visualize sheet-to-cloud transitions in each regime demarcated by different cavitation numbers and investigate how such complex phenomena affect the overall hydrofoil loads.