The influence of cavitation on turbulent flow through a ribbed geometry
conference paper
We observe the flow through a ribbed pipe, both at ambient and lower static pressure. A smooth pipe with 4 or 5 ribs inserted at several different distances serves as the measurement section. The flow friction is dependent on the distance between the ribs, which is an effect of a change in the flow interaction of the bulk flow with the regions in between the ribs. The low pressure experiments show that the friction behavior is a function of the absolute static pressure as well. The cavitation number is the only relevant characteristic dimensionless number that changes with pressure. Plotting the pressure losses versus the cavitation number confirms the assumption that cavitation is causing the deviation from the ambient behavior, but the mechanism causing this cannot be determined from the available data. Future experiments are planned to determine the friction scaling behavior of the flow and to determine the mechanism with which cavitation interacts with the flow.
TNO Identifier
471613
Source title
8th World Conference on Experimental Heat Transfer, Fluid Mechanics, and Thermodynamics, June 16-20, 2013, Lisbon, Portugal
Place of publication
Delft
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