Cavitation modelling using real gas state equation: A conceptual study

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The prediction of the onset of cavitation to allow investigations of the flow in off-design conditions during design is unavoidable for a variety of applications. Numerical modeling of the cavitation phenomena is however computationally challenging due to the nature of the phenomena. High density ratios, steep pressure gradients, the presence of multiple phase including phase change and hence to occurrence of real gas thermophysical behavior would cause a computational effort unmanageable during design. Today’s models are therefore greatly simplified representations of the reality. Conservation equations are usually solved using a mixture approach with flow properties being a volume fraction weighted average of two incompressible fluids thus neglecting real gas effects. The source term from the phase exchange however usually poses significant stability problems. In this article we will therefore present an approach for cavitation modeling using high-order polynomial real-gas state equations to accurately predict the properties of water at any state. Computational performance is improved by the use of structured tabulation using high order interpolation methods. The numerical results are then compared against measurement data and conventional cavitation model results.