Dynamics of cavitating tip vortex

The three-dimensional dynamic behaviour of a tip vortex generated by a NACA 66(2)-415 hydrofoil is investigated under wetted flow and cavitating conditions using time-resolved tomographic particle image velocimetry. Two main cavitation modes are studied, namely the breathing and double-helical modes. The time-averaged flow field consists of a system of two streamwise vortices for all three conditions. The shape of the tip vortex resembles that of the cavitation mode, instead of a circular cylinder. Multi-scale vortical structures are captured in the instantaneous flow field. The surface oscillation of the cavity contributes to the growth of Kelvin-Helmholtz instability over the tip vortex, leading to the onset of hairpin vortices. Stronger spanwise interaction between the tip vortex and flow separation of the hydrofoil is produced by cavitation, further intensifying the perturbation growth. The proper orthogonal decomposition analysis gives insight into the relationship between cavity oscillation and vortex instability. Two major types of unstable modes of the tip vortex are obtained, leading to serpentine centreline displacement and elliptical deformation motion. The selection of the dominant unstable mode is associated with cavity surface oscillation. For the wetted flow condition, the displacement mode dominates the growth of vortex perturbation, while for breathing mode cavitation, the most energetic unstable mode changes into an elliptical deformation pattern, the disturbance energy of which is negligible in the wetted flow condition. Consistency is found between the peak frequency of the deformation mode and the cavity resonance frequency, indicating the contribution of cavity oscillation to the disturbance growth and breakdown of the tip vortex.