PECULIARITIES OF SUPERCAVITATING VEHICLES' MANEUVERING

Abstract

This work considers the ability of a high speed supercavitating vehicle (HSSV) to maneuver. The vehicle is in the form of a body of revolution with two areas of wetting: at the nose disc cavitator with two degrees of freedom and the gliding stern. Additionally, different ways of transverse forces creation are studied. The concept of maneuver energy cost is introduced for their comparison. The HSSV degree of maneuvering (gyration) with the minimal radius of turning is considered. The properties of deformation of longitudinal and transverse cross section of the cavity shape at vehicle gyration are examined. The equations for estimation of a minimal admissible gyration radius and a maximal cavitator inclination angle avoiding the hull washing are given. The computer simulation of an arbitrary 3D motion of the supercavitating vehicle based on G.V. Logvinovich's principle of independence of unsteady supercavity section expansion allows to give the comparative analysis of effectiveness of the four strategies to control the supercavitating vehicle's maneuvering: by the rotary disc cavitator, by the vectoring thrust, by the "bank-to-turn" control and by the cavity-piercing fins (rudders) for both course and depth cases of HSSV maneuvering.