ABSTRACT
The scientic research on cavitation accompanied the use of high-powered, high-speed steam turbines in the mid-1800s. Sir John Thornycroft found a decrease in efciency of the propeller in torpedo destroyers in rapid motion as a result of loss of contact with the water and the signicant erosion on the propeller (Figure 7.1). So, the British Admiralty appointed a special subcommittee, in which Lord Raleigh was involved, to investigate this phenomenon termed “cavitation” in 1917. At almost the same time (1915-1920), acoustic cavitation was observed by Langevin and his coworkers during their research on ultrasonics. The fundamental problems of cavitation were by now well formulated.
