Experimental studies of viscous effects on cavitation

Thesis



The work reported in this thesis falls into three distinct, though intimately related parts. Part I is concerned with the production of a variable temperature two-phase flow test facility for studying single and two-phase flows around arbitrary two-dimensional bodies. It includes the initial design study required to define an operational envelope for the facility, and the design and constructional features of its main components and ancilliary systems. The design of a two-phase flow vapour ventilation experiment is described, together with the operating procedure for the facility.

Part II reports single and two-phase experiments with a two-dimensional circular cylinder, the two-phase flows being generated by inducing natural cavitation. The cavitation inception flow regime was found to be strongly influenced by viscous effects. Three forms of incipient cavitation were observed, two attached or very close to the cylinder surface, and one of a detached nature, occurring well downstream in the wake of the cylindrical test body. These inception modes have been related to the fully wetted viscous flow around the cylinder in the Reynolds number range 10⁵ d

<10⁶. The development of cavitation from these three aforementioned incipient states was investigated. Viscous effects were found to influence both the limited and developed cavitation flow regimes. For development of cavitation at Reynolds numbers corresponding broadly to the supercritical range for fully wetted flow, a critical cavitation number was found at which the apparent free stream lines of the flow changed from a concave to a convex disposition. For the experimental configuration used, this critical cavitation number was independent of Reynolds number, for Reynolds numbers above the critical value. With development of cavitation at Reynolds numbers corresponding broadly to the subcritical range for fully wetted flow, no such gross changes in flow pattern were observed, the displacement of the apparent free streamlines of the flow between the limited and fully developed cavitating states being minimal.

Part III contains recommendations for modifications to the experimental facility and suggestions for further studies arising from the results reported herein.

Authors: Wykes, M

• Publication date: 1978
• DOI: 10.5287/ora-mvn4pxzgj
• Type of award: DPhil
• Level of award: Doctoral
• Awarding institution: University of Oxford
• Language: English
• Subjects: Viscous flow; Two-phase flow; Cavitation