Modeling the effects of cavitation in pumps

Abstract eng:
The paper presents the latest results of modeling of the erosion effects of cavitation bubbles on the blades of a water pump. Cavitation erosion is caused by the collapse of a great number of cavitation bubbles in the close vicinity of the blade surface. The occurence of cavitation results in decreased efficiency of the pump and undesired vibration. More importantly, the erosion of microscopic particles of blade material may result in pump failure. The model presented in this article is based on the estimation of the forces acting on the liquid surrounding the collapsing bubble. The model has been tested using the three-dimensional numerical solver used in SIGMA Research and Development Institute, s.r.o. for the simulation of water pump flows. The results are compared with the image of the blade damage in the real pump after a long operation. The results have confirmed that the ability of the model to determine the regions of highest risk of cavitation damage is satisfactory.

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