Abstract
A theoretical model is proposed to explain the development of cavitation in a centrifugal pump. A basic assumption is that the pump always behaves as a head generating-volume flow device, hence the density of the cavitating fluid becomes important, and this is estimated assuming that cavitation is a bubble growth problem. Essentially the model applies to best efficiency flowrate and complete breakdown, and is semi-empirical since test data at ambient conditions are required. From these data predictions are made of the variation of breakdown and inception points with temperature and speed. Experimental results are then presented and these show excellent agreement with the predicted results over a wide range of temperature, and hence thermodynamic properties, at constant speed. However, the agreement between the predicted speed effect and the experimental results indicates that the scaling used could be in error.
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