A Study for Theoretical Modeling of Cavitation Inducement From the Solid-Fluid Interface With Fluid-Structure Interaction

Abstract

A theoretical model was explored for predicting cavitation generation from a solid-fluid interface with fluid-structure interaction. Predicting cavitation generation is crucial to evaluate the lifetime of fluid machines. Cavitation has been generated from a solid-fluid interface with tensile stress (pressure) wave propagation across the interface. It was revealed that cavitation generation was suppressed when the surface wettability of the solid in a solid-fluid interface was improved (hydrophilized). It means that a condition exists in which cavitation is not generated despite the existence of bubble nuclei in water. This phenomenon cannot be explained by the conventional theory of fluid mechanics. In this study, an analogy between the theory of crack propagation in fracture mechanics and cavitation generation and propagation from a solid-fluid interface with fluid-structure interactions is developed and applied. An impact experiment was conducted with a free-falling projectile that hit a cylindrical solid buffer placed on top of a water surface within an elastic tube standing on the ground. The projectile impact created a stress wave propagating through the buffer and across the interface of the buffer and water. During the experiments, cavitation bubbles were generated from the interface of the buffer and water due to tensile wave propagation across the interface. Cavitation intensity was controlled by adding a surfactant to water. A bubble was set on the solid-fluid interface beforehand, then its growth with stress (or pressure) wave propagation was observed. The formularization of cavitation occurrence was tested by using initial crack length and stress in fracture mechanics as an analogy for the diameter of pre-set bubble and pressure wave amplitude.