Estimation of thermal effects in cavitation of thermosensible liquids

• Published in: International journal of heat and mass transfer Vol. 42; no. 17; pp. 3195 - 3204
• Main Authors: Fruman, Daniel H., Reboud, Jean-Luc, Stutz, Benoı̂t
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford Elsevier Ltd 01-09-1999; Elsevier
• Subjects: Applied sciences; Cryogenic liquids; Energy; Energy. Thermal use of fuels; Estimation; Exact sciences and technology; Geometry; Heat transfer; Mathematical models; Pressure effects; Theoretical studies. Data and constants. Metering; Thermal effects; Thermal gradients; Vapors; Wall flow; Temperature difference; R 114 fluid; Void fraction; Steam production; Velocity distribution; Experimental study; Cavitation; Modeling
• ISSN: 0017-9310; 1879-2189
• DOI: 10.1016/S0017-9310(99)00005-8

Vapour production through cavitation extracts heat from the fluid surrounding the cavity and creates a temperature difference between liquid and vapour. This thermal effect is particularly significant in cryogenic liquids. Estimates of the temperature difference can be made provided: (a) the rate of vapour production required to sustain a given cavity, and (b) and appropriate model for the heat exchange at the interface of the cavity are known. The vapour production is usually estimated by assuming that it is equal to the non-condensable gas flow rates necessary to sustain ventilated cavities of equal geometry. It has been shown that experimental results previously obtained can be quite satisfactorily predicted if the interface is assimilated to a rough flat plate through which the amount of heat necessary to generate the vapour is being fed. In order to obtain data for cavities developed over walls whose geometry and pressure gradient are analogous to those of turbopump inducers, and to achieve a better precision, tests were conducted in a specially designed cavitation loop operating with R-114. It is shown that the experimental results are well predicted by the proposed model.