Computational investigation of water entry of solid objects with various nose curvatures*

Water entry of solid objects is relevant in many applications. Following the impact of a solid on the

water free-surface, an air-entraining cavity forms. Previous studies have identified four general types of

cavities: deep, surface, shallow and quasi-static. Although with advancements in experimental methods,

image capturing techniques, and high performance computing the underlying physics are becoming better

understood, the challenge of predicting the resulting cavity shape still remains. The dynamics strongly

depend on fluid and solid properties, as well as impact parameters. To improve our understanding on cavity

formation and its shape, we present 3D multiphase flow simulations investigating the effect of nose shape

and Weber number on cavity formation. In our study, a stainless steel cylinder is used where the curvature

of the leading edge (nose) is varied from concave to convex, resulting in various cavity seals and splashing

crowns upon water entry.