The flow near the cavity detachment region of stable attached cavitation was examined using qualitative and quantitative flow visualization. The non-cavitating and cavitating flows around a hydrophilic brass and hydrophobic Teflon sphere and cylinder were examined. The location of non-cavitating boundary layer separation and cavity detachment was related to the free-stream Reynolds and cavitation numbers. The shape of the cavity near the detachment was greatly affected by the material of the cavitating object. The cavity interface on the hydrophilic test objects curved downstream to form a forward facing step. A region of recirculating fluid existed upstream of the cavity interface. The cavity detachment on the hydrophobic test objects was much closer to the location of boundary layer separation. The forward facing step and the recirculating region were nearly absent.

The measured flow field near the surface of the brass sphere, cylinder, and hydrofoils under cavitating and non-cavitating conditions was used to calculate the position of two-dimensional laminar boundary layer separation. Thwaites' and Stratford's methods were used to predict the location of boundary layer separation upstream of the cavity detachment. The predictions compared well with the observed position of separation.