Objectives In order to explore the relationship between cavitation formation and hydrofoil parameters, this study compares the cavitation formation of hydrofoils with different parameters at different attack angles, and explores the influence of various factors on cavitation formation.

Methods Based on potential flow theory, the local cavitation of a two-dimensional hydrofoil is systematically analyzed using the boundary element and iterative methods.

Results The results show that the cavitations of hydrofoils with different maximum thicknesses are smaller when the attack angle of the incoming flow is smaller, and larger when the attack angle is larger. The maximum thickness of the hydrofoil has a significant effect on cavitation formation when the attack angle is large. Hydrofoils with a maximum thickness at 40% of the chord edge are more sensitive to changes in the attack angle of the incoming flow and experience a stronger effect. The influence of the relative camber of the hydrofoil on cavitation formation first increases and then decreases as the attack angle increases.

Conclusions At the closed point of the bubble tail, the semi-analytical method can be used to solve the normal velocity of the intersection point, thereby improving the stability of the numerical simulation of bubbles in the iterative process and clarifying the influence of hydrofoil parameters on cavitation formation.