Effect of Geometrical Parameters on Submerged Cavitation Jet Discharged from Profiled Central-body Nozzle

The flow characteristics of cavitation jets are essential issues among relevant studies. The physical properties of the jet are largely determined by the geometrical parameters of the nozzle. The structure and cavitation jets characteristics of the angular-nozzle and the self-resonating cavitation nozzle have been extensively studied, but little research is conducted in the central-body cavitation nozzle mainly because of its hard processing and the cavitation jet effect not satisfactory. In this paper, a novel central-body nozzle (a non-plunger central-body nozzle with square outlet) is studied to solve above problems. Submerged jets discharged from the novel central-body nozzle are simulated, employing the full cavitation model. The impact of nozzle configuration on jet properties is analyzed. The analysis results indicate that when central-body relative diameter keeps constant, there is an optimal contraction degree of nozzle’s outlet, which can induce intense cavitation in the jet. The central-body relative diameter also affects jet profiles. In the case of large central-body relative diameter, most of the bubbles settle in the jet core. On the contrary, a smaller relative diameter makes bubbles concentrate in the interface between the jet and its surrounding fluid. Moreover, the shorter outlet part allows the cavitation zone further extend in both the axial and racial directions. The research results further consummate the study on the central-body nozzles and the correlation between cavitation jet and the structure, and elementarily reveal the mechanism of cavitation jet produced in a non-plunger novel central-body nozzle and the effect of the structure parameters on the cavitation jet, moreover, provide the theoretical basis for the optimal design of the nozzle.

Experiment and Numerical Simulation of Free Water Jet by a Central-body Nozzle

The recent research about cavitation jet mainly focuses on the organ-pipe nozzle and triangular nozzle. The research content mainly includes the optimized design about the structure of nozzles, the observation and flow analysis about the cavitation jet in the water, and the theory of rock attacked by the cavitation jet, while the energy characteristic of the free jet is not studied yet. In China, the research about the central-body nozzle is almost empty. For the purpose of studying the energy characteristic and the structure of free water jet discharged from central-body nozzle, an experiment with phase Doppler particle anemometry（PDPA） technology is carried out to measure the free water jet flow, which is produced by a central-body nozzle under the jet pressure of 15 MPa. While five sections with different axial distances from the nozzle outlet are selected for data process and analysis, the axial and radial velocity and the droplets of the particle size are studied. Meanwhile, numerical calculation of corresponding flow field is conducted by using volume of fluid（VOF） multiphase model, and the jet flow feature is discussed. The experimental and calculating results show that the axial velocity of high speed jet flow dissipates slowly in the air, and the core area and diffused area are discovered. The diameter of droplet in the core area is small, and jet energy is concentrated, while in the diffusion area, water is mingled with ambient air and radial velocity is relatively large. Obvious low-pressure area exists behind the central body and potential cavitation may occur in that area. The proposed research reveals the energy characteristic of free jet discharged from central-body nozzle, provides the theoretical basis for preestimating erosion feature of the central-body nozzle and also the theoretical foundation for revealing the mechanism of erosion.