Evolution of cavitation clouds under cavitation impinging jets based on three-view high-speed visualization

Abstract

Cavitation cloud is an important index for evaluating the unsteady behaviour of cavitation water jets. However, when cavitation jets are applied in a restricted space, the optimal standoff distance is not applied. To study the evolution and collapse mechanisms of cavitation clouds at small standoff distances, this study conducted visualization research on the behaviour of submerged cavitation water jet impacting the target surface at three standoff distances from three-view using a high-speed visualization system. The effect of the optimal standoff distance and the small standoff distance on the morphology of cavitation clouds was explored by observing their shedding behaviour and evolution on the target surface, obtaining a pattern for the morphological evolution of cavitation clouds. The evolution of cavitation clouds under impact flow conditions can be divided into stages: incipient cavitation, ring vortex cavitation, spindle-shaped cavitation cloud, mushroom-type cavitation cloud, cavitation ring, ring vortex cavitation, and collapse. The periodicity of cavitation clouds on the target surface was confirmed by monitoring the grayscale change at the center of the target. Furthermore, the changing of cavitation jet structures is illustrated through Proper Order Decomposition (POD) analysis, showing that the frequency of cavitation clouds increased with the decrease of standoff distance within a certain range. The behaviour of cavitation flow impinging on the target surface at optimal standoff distance and small standoff distance was simulated using the Large Eddy Simulation (LES) turbulence model combined with the Zwart-Gerber-Belamri (ZGB) cavitation model. The results show that the numerical simulation can capture the high-pressure zone generated when the cavitation cloud collapses, and the area of the high-pressure zone increases with the standoff distance within a certain range, the concentration of cavitation bubbles on the target surface did not represent the intensity of erosion. The transient vortex structures of the flow field at different standoff distances were investigated based on the Q-criterion. The findings of this study not only provide critical technical support for the application of cavitation jets in confined spaces, but also contribute to a broader understanding of the erosion mechanism of cavitation jets.