CFD simulation of cavitation over water turbine hydrofoils

Tidal turbines are gaining more and more interest as a source of renewable energy. Energy from tidal currents may be extracted in a similar way as wind energy but tidal turbines have to meet much higher requirements. Cavitation phenomena, which are difficult to predict, have great influence on hydrodynamic efficiency. This paper presents the use of CFD simulation for prediction of cavitation during flow over typical NACA airfoils.