Offshore Patrol Vessel Project (OPV) – Open Water, Cavitation, Noise and Pressure Measurement Project

The related staffs: Prof. Dr. Uğur Oral Ünal, Prof. Dr. Emin Korkut, Arş. Gör. Selahattin Özsayan, Arş. Gör. Mehmet Delikan, Arş. Gör. Tunahan Şık

This project aimed to evaluate the open water performance of propellers designed for the Offshore Patrol Vessel (OPV), to identify cavitation patterns on the propeller, rudder, and brackets at various speeds through behind-hull cavitation tests, to determine the cavitation inception speed, to measure underwater propeller noise, and to assess the pressure induced by the propeller on the hull. Based on the evaluation of the test results, it was observed that the developed propeller designs and hull form successfully met the performance expectations. In this context, model tests for the OPV project, a national defense industry initiative, were successfully conducted at the ITU Cavitation Tunnel (ITUKAT).



Investigation of Hydrodynamic and Acoustic Characterization of Cavitators

The related staffs: Prof. Dr. Uğur Oral Ünal, Prof. Dr. Emin Korkut, Arş. Gör. Selahattin Özsayan, Arş. Gör. Erdinç Kara, Arş. Gör. Mehmet Delikan, Arş. Gör. Aras Çetinkaya

In this study carried out in the ITU Cavitation Tunnel, the force values acting on cavitator geometries of various types and sizes, as well as hydroacoustic noise levels, were examined in detail. Additionally, characteristic parameters such as cavity length and diameter, influenced by variables like the cavitation number, were analyzed. In this way, the natural cavitation phenomenon was comprehensively investigated. Following the successful characterization of natural cavitation, the project progressed to the next phase: artificial cavitation testing. This transition represents an important step, enabling the investigation of cavitation behavior under more controlled and repeatable conditions, thereby contributing to the optimization of cavitator design and the overall reliability of the system.

Counter-Rotating Propeller System Cavitation Tests

The related staffs: Prof. Dr. Uğur Oral Ünal, Prof. Dr. Emin Korkut, Arş. Gör. Selahattin Özsayan, Araş. Gör. Aras Çetinkaya, Arş. Gör. Erdinç Kara, Arş. Gör. Mehmet Delikan

Counter-rotating propellers (CRP), which are becoming increasingly common, have significant applications in both military and civilian maritime sectors. CRP systems are known to improve propulsion efficiency, reduce cavitation volume, and consequently lower underwater noise levels. As part of studies carried out using the Istanbul Technical University Cavitation Tunnel (İTÜKAT) infrastructure, cavitation formation behind an underwater body was observed and the hydrodynamic performance of the CRP system was evaluated. These comprehensive analyses contribute significantly to a better understanding of the propulsion performance, cavitation characteristics, and acoustic behavior of counter-rotating propellers.