Experimental study of cavity characteristic induced by vertical water entry impact of a projectile with a 90° cone-shaped head at different velocities

Experimental studies of the vertical water entry of projectile with 90° cone-shaped head were conducted by using high speed camera. The pinch-off types and evolutionary process of the cavity were comprehensively discussed at different water entry impact velocities. The variations of cavitation closure time, water depth at the closure point and length of the warhead cavitation with water entry velocities, as well as the cavitation diameter at different water depth positions were analyzed. The jet phenomenon caused by the closure of the water curtain and contraction-rising process of the cavity near undisturbed free surface were studied, as well as the coupled effect between them. The cavity wall fluctuation occurring after the deep seal was discussed. The results show that with the increase of water entry velocity, the quasi-static closure, shallow closure, deep closure and surface closure of the cavitation occurs respectively, and each closure mode corresponds to a velocity range; the critical water entry velocity of forming cavitation is 0.657 m/s. The diameter of the cavitation presents a nonlinear increase along with the water depth. The initial cavity expansion velocity increases, the maximum diameter of the cavity decreases, the expansion section shortens, the contraction section lengthens, and the acceleration of the expansion and contraction of the cavity increases along with the increase of the water depth at the same time. When the water curtain closes, there will be upward and downward jets, and when the downward jet velocity is relatively large, the projectile motion will be affected. The strength of a water jet induced by longitudinal upward contraction of the cavity near free surface is proportional to the volume of cavity and pinch-off depth. A large strength upward water jet is induced by the coupling of the above all water jet. The longitudinal contraction of the cavity around the projectile and the impact effect of downward jet on projectile would cause the force change of the projectile after deep seal. The fluctuation of the projectile's velocity because of its force change brings the velocity change of fluid and then leads to the fluctuation of the cavity wall. The fluctuation of cavity wall follows the principle of independent expansion of cavitation section.