Cavitation luminescence in a hydraulic cone throttle valve: simulation and experiments

Abstract

With a focus on cavitation luminescence, simulations and experiments were performed concerning cavitation within a cone throttle valve. The finite element method was used to simulate the flow field of the cone throttle valve. In the simulation, boundary conditions for the fluid–structure coupling were imposed, and a cavitation model was used to obtain the pressure and cavitation distribution within the cone throttle valve. For the experiment, a hydraulic cavitation system was constructed, and a highly transparent polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) model valve was used to observe the flow field in the cone throttle valve. Four different settings of the system pressure (1, 2, 3, and 4 MPa) and five different valve-opening settings (2, 4, 6, 8, and 10 mm) were set up. Finally, cavitation luminescence was observed using the experimental method. The simulation and experimental results indicate that cavitation in the cone throttle valve is affected by both system pressure and value opening. With the same valve-opening setting, cavitation is more obvious with increasing system pressure. Similarly, under the same system pressure, cavitation is more obvious with a more open valve. During cavitation, blue light is emitted in the cone throttle valve. The degree of luminescence increases with increasing system pressure and valve opening. Compared with the system pressure, valve opening affects the cavitation luminescence more.