Advancing World-Class Ship Propulsor Design: "Exploring Cavitation Erosion Research, Part One"

Engineer Joel Hartenberger highlights the crucial role of Carderock's Model Fabrication Shop at the Naval Surface Warfare Center, Carderock Division in an Office of Naval Research project focused on cavitation erosion, June 5, 2024. The shop was responsible for inspecting and modifying a 15,000-pound nickel-aluminum-bronze hydrofoil with a 10-foot span and 7-foot chord length. Following precision machining, the HIFOIL undergoes testing in the Large Cavitation Channel at Carderock's Memphis Detachment, the world's largest variable pressure water tunnel. By analyzing pitting rates and cavitating flow data, engineers from Carderock's Computational Fluid Dynamics and Propulsors Division and Surface Ship Hydrodynamics Division, along with researchers from University of Michigan and University of Memphis, enhance Navy maintenance practices, reduce costs and advance propulsor design. Carderock's collaboration with these key partners helps ensure a maritime-dominant naval force ready for tomorrow's challenges. (U.S. Navy video by Travis Troller & Devin Pisner)