Free-Surface Proximity Effects in Developed and Super-Cavitation

This paper summarizes a number of large-scale multiphase computation fluid dynamics (CFD) analyses of relevance to the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) Underwater Express Program. The specific focus of this paper is on developed and supercavitating configurations related to submerged vehicles and control surfaces where proximity to the free-surface is relevant. The results and interpretation of several large scale simulations, enabled by adaptive and overset meshing technology, Large Eddy Simulation technology, a hybrid volume-fraction based level-set approach and high performance computing (HPC) resources, are reported.