A new methodology for estimating cavitation erosion: Application on a high speed cavitation test RIG

摘要

In this work a new methodology for the prediction of flow areas of cavitation erosion is presented. The new methodology is a post processing procedure utilizing the results of the flow field solution; it is based on tracking the cavity boundaries in near-wall regions where the material derivative of the vapour volume fraction is reducing, meaning that in these areas the vapour structures are collapsing. Three cavitation erosion indexes are proposed and tested, by simulating the flow formed in a high-speed cavitation tunnel at Laboratoire des Ecoulements Géophysiques et Industriels (LEGI) of the University of Grenoble, where experimental erosion results have been obtained in the past. Agreement between the experimental data and the predictions is satisfactory, indicating the research road for developing an accurate prediction methodology of erosion and material loss.