Numerical study of cavitation in centrifugal pump conveying different liquid materials

A numerical study on cavitation in the centrifugal pump during the transportation of pure water and diesel is carried out. An improved cavitation model based on the Zwart–Gerber–Belamri Model is employed in the simulation. A Cash–Karp fourth–fifth order Runge–Kutta method was used to solve the original Rayleigh-Plesset equation to get the numerical solution. The effects from viscosity and surface tension on bubbles’ expansion and compression are taken into account in the improved model instead of the traditional simplification in which the bubble radius is just a function of pressure and density. The coefficients got by fitting the numerical solution are added to the constant pre-multiplier of the Zwart-Gerber-Belrami cavitation model and finally enhance the model. The vapor volume fraction was predicted to be larger in diesel compared to water. The distribution of pressure in diesel is more homogenous than that in pure water. Keywords: Pump, Cavitation, Viscosity, Surface tension, Simulation