Abstract
The multistage depressurization valve is extensively employed in nuclear power plants under high-pressure conditions, where cavitation failure often occurs during the passage of high-speed fluid through the valve. This article utilizes the Schnerr and Sauer cavitation model along with the realizable k–ε turbulent model to examine the internal flow and cavitation characteristics. The findings reveal that as fluid traverses the multistage channel, enhanced mixing processes and vortex structures emerge. Hedging and vortex dissipation significantly influence pressure reduction and energy dissipation within the flow channel. At the outlet of the final stage of depressurization, pressure rapidly decreases below the saturated vapor pressure, leading to the formation of cavitation. Due to the higher velocity at this position, the impact wear on the valve body is intensified. Therefore, increasing the outlet pressure of the valve proves effective in mitigating cavitation damage.
Get full access to this article
View all access options for this article.
References
Supplementary Material
Please find the following supplemental material available below.
For Open Access articles published under a Creative Commons License, all supplemental material carries the same license as the article it is associated with.
For non-Open Access articles published, all supplemental material carries a non-exclusive license, and permission requests for re-use of supplemental material or any part of supplemental material shall be sent directly to the copyright owner as specified in the copyright notice associated with the article.
