Remarks on Cavitation in Turbomachines

Abstract

Starting with the occurrence and discussion of the importance of cavitation in turbomachines, the development of the various stages of cavitation in a machine is reviewed, followed by a discussion of the various dimensionless parameters used to describe cavitating performance in a turbomachine. The calculations of optimum inlet diameter are carried out in terms of assumed acceptable cavitation parameters. Various methods of determining the minimum cavitation number before cavitation breakdown are explored, and a free streamline model of the flow in a simplified impeller is used to obtain theoretical estimates of the extent of cavitation as a function of blade geometry and angle of attack. Some recent work of the effect of the thermodynamic properties of the fluid on the cavitation performance is examined and the various assumptions used in these theories are criticized.

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