Modeling and simulation of the cavitation phenomenon in turbopumps

Abstract

This paper presents a model for simulating a two-phase flow involving cavitation and condensation, focusing on its application to turbopump flows. The model is derived by extending Kapila's approach, which incorporates thermal and free energy relaxation terms, to compressible multiphase flow equations in a rotating reference frame. The numerical method employed is a finite volume approach based on the Godunov scheme, ensuring pressure equilibrium and total energy conservation through a relaxation step. The model utilizes separate Equations of State (EOS) for the liquid and vapor phases, with the experimental saturation curve, expressed as psat(T), being the only parameter needed for cavitation modeling. To broaden its applicability beyond axial pumps, a specific Riemann solver is developed to couple rotating and non-rotating regions within the flow domain. The thermodynamic phase change process is validated using simple cases, and the model is further utilized to simulate water flows in a turbopump inducer. The characteristic curve of the pump is obtained in the non-cavitating regime for several mass flow rates conditions, and the model is successfully assessed in severe cavitation conditions, demonstrating the performance breakdown caused by vapor pockets. The modeling also provides detailed flow descriptions, including analysis of vapor pockets and their impact on blade pressure loading.