Numerical investigation of three-dimensional partial cavitation in a Venturi geometry

TL;DR

This paper numerically investigates the complex 3D dynamics of partial cavitation in a Venturi, revealing intrinsic flow behaviors and the effects of sidewalls using advanced analysis tools.

Contribution

It introduces a detailed numerical analysis of 3D cavitation in a Venturi, highlighting the intrinsic flow dynamics and the impact of sidewalls using innovative spectral analysis methods.

Findings

Identification of 3D cavitation dynamics independent of sidewalls

Comparison of flow behavior with and without sidewalls

Application of Spectral Proper Orthogonal Decomposition to cavitation analysis

Abstract

Sheet cavitation appears in many hydraulic applicationss and can lead to technical issues. Some fundamental outcomes such as the complex topology of 3-Dimensional cavitation pockets and their associated dynamics need to be carefully visited.In the present paper, the dynamics of partial cavitation developing in a 3-D Venturi geometry and the interaction with sidewalls are numerically investigated. The simulations are performed usinf a one-fluid compressible Reynolds-Averaged Navier-Stokes (RANS solver associated to a non-linear turbulence model and a void transport-equation model. A detailed analysis of this cavitating flow is carried out using innovative tools such as Spectral Proper Orthogonal Decompositions. Particular attenttion is paid in the study of 3-D effects by comparing numerical results obtained with sidewalls and periodic conditions. A three-dimensional dynamics of the sheet cavitation, unrelated to the presence of sidewalls, is identified and discussed.