Numerical Simulation of Cloud Cavitation in Hydrofoil and Orifice Flows With Analysis of Viscous and Nonviscous Separation

Abstract

Three-dimensional (3D) numerical flow simulations with a mass transfer cavitation model are performed to analyze cloud cavitation at two different flow configurations, i.e., hydrofoil and orifice flows, focusing on the turbulence and cavitation model interaction, including a mixture eddy viscosity reduction and cavitation model parameter modification. For the cavitating flow around the hydrofoil with circular leading edge, a good agreement to the measured shedding frequencies as well as local cavitation structures is obtained over a wide range of operation points, even with a moderate boundary layer resolution, i.e., utilizing wall functions (WF), which are found to be adequate to capture the re-entrant jet reasonably in the absence of viscous separation. Simulations of the orifice flow, that exhibit significant viscous single-phase (SP) flow separation, are analyzed concerning the prediction of choking and cloud cavitation. A low-Reynolds number turbulence approach in the orifice wall vicinity is suggested to capture equally the mass flow rate, flow separation, and cloud shedding with satisfying accuracy in comparison to in-house measurements. Local cavitation structures are analyzed in a time-averaged manner for both cases, revealing a reasonable prediction of the spatial extent of the cavitation zones. However, different cavitation model parameters are utilized at hydrofoil and orifice for best agreement with measurement data.