Cavitation erosion prediction by numerical cavitation

International audienceA method is proposed to predict cavitation damage from cavitating flow simulations. For this purpose, a numerical process coupling cavitating flow simulations and erosion models was developed and applied to a two-dimensional (2D) hydrofoil tested at TUD (Darmstadt University of Technology, Germany). Two different erosion models were used and compared: the model proposed by Nohmi et al. [2] and the one developed in the LEGI laboratory. Based on these models, two aggressiveness parameters were introduced and evaluated using CFD (Computational Fluid Dynamics) results. The simulated qualitative influence of flow velocity, sigma value and gas content on cavitation damage agreed well with experimental observations. Moreover, the downstream extent of cavitation erosion was correctly estimated, in particular by the LEGI model. On the other hand, significant discrepancies between simulated and experimental results were found for upstream unsteady cavitating flows. The CFD tool will have to be enhanced to improve simulation in this zone. With the addition of some material parameters, the proposed methods were also able to predict volume damage rates corresponding to the incubation period of cavitation erosion