A quasi-one-dimensional bubbly cavitating flow model and comparison with experiments

Abstract

A bubbly cavitating flow model is constructed for unsteady quasi-one-dimensional and two-dimensional nozzle flows. In each case, the system of model equations is reduced to evolution equations for the flow velocity and bubble radius and the initial and boundary value problems of the evolution equations are formulated. The rest of the flow variables are then related to the solution of the evolution equations. Nozzle flow experiments are also carried out using water. The static wall pressures are measured at different locations of the nozzle and the partial cavitation cloud cycle is recorded using a high speed camera. Results of the numerical simulations obtained for quasi-one-dimensional nozzle flows, seem to capture the measured pressure losses due to cavitation, but they turn out to be insufficient in describing the two-dimensional cavitation cloud structures, suggesting the need for two-dimensional numerical solution of the model equations.