High speed video and hull pressure synchronisation to improve propeller design

Nowadays, one of the questions that has to be answered is what is the relation between the measured pressure signature on the hull and the cavitation behaviour of the propeller, a field in which experts opinions still differ largely. In everyday practice, this leads to a situation in which it is extremely difficult to establish whether a propeller design is acceptable from a hull vibration point of view, or that it has to be rejected.
At MARIN, extensive research programmes were carried out to make it possible to determine the relation between hull pressure signatures and observations of the cavitation behaviour. This was done by visualising the signal of the hull pressure transducer and the corresponding high speed video recording in one view. WIth this technique new insights have and will be attained which makes it possible to improve the confort levels on new high comfort class cruise liners and cruise-ferries