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Search indexed NASA NTRS and DOE OSTI research on propulsion, heat transfer, battery materials and energy systems. Follow report and document links to the original sources.

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At least 19 records
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2020

Microstructure, hardness and cavitation erosion resistance of different cold spray coatings on stainless steel 316 for hydropower applications

There is an urgent need for repair of hydropower components that have undergone damage due to cavitation. Conventional repair methods involve melting of materials and can deteriorate material properties and cause distortion. This study investigated the relevant properties of different materials using solid phase processing—cold spray technology. Stainless steel (SS) 316, Inconel 625 and CrC-NiCr materials were cold spray deposited onto base metal SS 316, respectively. Cold spray achieved dense uniform deposits with low level porosity, and intimate contact between the deposit and the base metal was observed. Severe plastic deformation imparted during the cold spray process resulted in significant grain size refinement, nanostructured regions were observed in the deposits across the interfacial area. Cold sprayed deposits exhibited elevated hardness in contrast to that of the base metal SS 316. The cavitation erosion resistance of the deposits was evaluated with a cavitation erosion jet adhering to ASTM G134. Both SS 316 and Inconel 625 achieved better cavitation erosion resistance when compared to that of the SS 316 base metal, with the former exhibiting close to a 4 times improvement.

Jiang, Xiujuan↗
DOE OSTI2020

An Assessment of Homogeneous Mixture Method Cavitation Models in Predicting Cavitation in Nozzle Flow

The homogeneous mixture method (HMM) is a popular class of models used in the computational prediction of cavitation. Several cavitation models have been developed for use with HMM to govern the development and destruction of vapor in a fluid system. Two models credited to Kunz and Schnerr–Sauer are studied in this paper. The goal of this work is to provide an assessment of the two cavitation submodels in their ability to predict cavitation in nozzle flow. Validation data were obtained via experiments which employ both passive cavitation detection, (PCD) via acoustic sensing and optical cavitation detection (OCD) via camera imaging. The experiments provide quantitative information on cavitation inception and qualitative information on the vapor in the nozzle. The results show that initial vapor formation is not predicted precisely but within reason. A sensitivity analysis of the models to input parameters shows that the Schnerr–Sauer method does not depend upon the estimation of nuclei size and number density. Small changes in the vapor formation rate but not the total vapor volume can be seen when weighting parameters are modified. In contrast, changes to the input parameters for the Kunz model greatly change the final total vapor volume prediction. The assessment also highlights the influence of vapor convection within the method. Finally, the analysis shows that if the fluid and nozzle walls do not support nuclei larger than 40 μm, the methods would still predict cavitation when indeed there would be none in practice.

Engineering↗
NASA NTRS2000

Observations on Rotating Cavitation and Cavitation Surge from the Development of the Fastrac Engine Turbopump

Observations regarding rotating cavitation and cavitation surge experienced during the development of the Fastrac engine turbopump are discussed. Detailed observations acquired from the analysis of both water flow and liquid oxygen test data are offered in this paper. Scaling and general comparison of rotating cavitation between water flow and liquid oxygen testing are discussed. Complex data features linking the localized rotating cavitation mechanism of the inducer to system surge components are described in detail. Finally a description of a lumped-parameter hydraulic system model developed to better understand observed data is given.

Zoladz, Thomas F.↗
NASA NTRS2001

Overview of Rotating Cavitation and Cavitation Surge in the Fastrac Engine LOX Turbopump

Observations regarding rotating cavitation and cavitation surge experienced during the development of the Fastrac 60 Klbf engine turbopump are discussed. Detailed observations from the analysis of both water flow and liquid oxygen test data are offered. Scaling and general comparison of rotating cavitation between water flow and liquid oxygen testing are discussed. Complex data features linking the localized rotating cavitation mechanism of the inducer to system surge components are described in detail. Finally a description of a simple lumped-parameter hydraulic system model developed to better understand observed data is given.

Zoladz, Thomas↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

On the Performance of Small-Sized Venturi Flowmeters in Cavitating and Non-Cavitating Flow Regimes

The performance of venturi in the cavitating and non-cavitating flow regimes has been discussed theoretically and experimentally. Pressure drop test data with water was obtained with a 0.0355 inch throat venturi with pressure drop measured between the inlet and the outlet of the venturi, typical of practical venturi measurements on spacecraft. The pressure drop data acquired in the non-cavitating regime at relatively low flow rates display low Reynolds number effects on the discharge coefficient. A theoretical discussion of the corresponding discharge coefficients in the two flow regimes along with comparisons with test data are presented. For non-cavitating flow regime of unique venturi geometries of relatively small throat size, test data required low Reynolds number correction factor for the discharge coefficient in terms of throat Reynolds number. The application of existing theory is not straightforward for the unique geometries under consideration.

Max Kandula↗
DOE OSTI2023

X-ray imaging of liquid-liquid Mg cavitation

The coupling of dynamic loading platforms with synchrotron light sources have enabled experiments examining void formation in optically opaque materials. Much like spallation in a solid, cavitation occurs when rarefaction waves collide within a liquid. The resulting deformation leads to a complex flow field with numerous voids. It has been suggested that compaction of such a structure may be a significant source of ejecta (i.e. shallow bubble collapse). Experiments imaging supported and unsupported shocks interacting with a free surface in shock melted Mg with synchrotron radiation are presented. Here, the results are used to examine the structure of a cavitation plane that forms in the unsupported case and provide an estimate of the porosity within this region.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗
DOE OSTI2019

X-ray Measurements of Fuel Spray Specific Surface Area and Sauter Mean Diameter for Cavitating and Non-Cavitating Diesel Sprays

Specific surface area measurements of diesel sprays were performed using ultra-small-angle x-ray scattering at the 9-ID beamline of the Advanced Photon Source at Argonne National Laboratory. Injector orifice type, rail pressure, and ambient pressure effects were explored. The targeted sprays were created by three different single-hole nozzles fitted with duplicate light-duty common rail diesel injector bodies. One of the nozzles has been designed to cavitate under typical diesel operating conditions, while the other two nozzles are its non-cavitating analogues with nominally identical geometries. Measurements were conducted in the near-nozzle region along the spray axis as well as across the width of the jet. These data provide information with regard to not only the rate of shear-driven atomization, but also the radial dispersion of the fuel droplets at each of the measured conditions. In addition, when coupled with complementary measurements of the projected density, the data quantify the Sauter mean diameter of the fuel droplets in the probe volume. Here, these specific surface area and Sauter mean diameter measurements can be used to inform computational models of spray breakup that rely on droplet information in the near-nozzle region, where optical diagnostics have proven challenging.

47 OTHER INSTRUMENTATION↗
NASA NTRS1974

Non-Newtonian effects on flow-generated cavitation and on cavitation in a pressure field

Observations are presented which show that the stresses in a flow field of very dilute polymer are not well enough described by the Navier-Stokes equations to accurately predict cavitation. The contitutive equation for the particular polymer and concentration used is needed. The second-order fluid form in which accelerations are relatively important appears capable of explaining observed cavitation suppression by changing the pressure field due to flow. Bubble dynamics in stationary dilute polymer solutions are also examined and found to be little different from those in water.

Ellis, A. T.↗
NASA NTRS2000

Observations on Rotating Cavitation and Cavitation Surge From The Development of the Fastrac Engine Turbopump

The effects of rotating cavitation and cavitation surges on the Fastrac Engine Turbopump are described in a viewgraph presentation format. The bent inducer blade dilemma and observations of unsteady data and oscillation components are discussed. The pump-feed system stability modeling assessment is outlined. Recommendations are made urging further investigation.

Zoladz, Thomas F.↗
DOE OSTI2019

Influence of turbulence and thermophysical fluid properties on cavitation erosion predictions in channel flow geometries

Cavitation and cavitation-induced erosion have been observed in fuel injectors in regions of high acceleration and low pressure. Although these phenomena can have a large influence on the performance and lifetime of injector hardware, questions still remain on how these physics should be accurately and efficiently represented within a computational fluid dynamics model. While several studies have focused on the validation of cavitation predictions within canonical and realistic injector geometries, it is not well documented what influence the numerical and physical parameters selected to represent turbulence and phase change will have on the predictions for cavitation erosion propensity and severity. In this work, a range of numerical and physical parameters are evaluated within the mixture modeling approach in CONVERGE to understand their influence on predictions of cavitation, condensation and erosion. Particular attention is paid to grid resolution, turbulence model and near-wall treatment, fuel surrogate properties, and non-condensable gas content. Assessment of cavitation predictions are conducted through comparison of measured and predicted mass flow rates and cavitation probability distributions for flow through a channel with a sharp inlet. Predictions for hydrodynamic impact loading and cavitation erosion are compared with the experimentally measured incubation period and critical site for erosion. Based on these findings, recommendations are provided for modeling turbulent cavitating flows, using the single fluid mixture modeling approach, to improve predictions for cavitation-induced erosion. In particular, to capture the fluid dynamic phenomena characterizing cavitation cloud formation, development and shedding, a Large Eddy simulation with grid resolution as fine as 2.50 μm is recommended. The assumed concentration of non-condensable gas content is observed to have a strong influence on the predicted cavitation erosion severity, which motivates the need for dissolved gas concentration measurements for future cavitation erosion experimental studies. Using the best practices established in this work, good agreement is achieved between the measured and predicted cavitation parameters, as well as the critical site for cavitation-induced erosion.

Magnotti, Gina Maureen↗
NASA NTRS2011

Characterization of Axial Inducer Cavitation Instabilities via High Speed Video Recordings

Sub-scale water tests were undertaken to assess the viability of utilizing high resolution, high frame-rate digital video recordings of a liquid rocket engine turbopump axial inducer to characterize cavitation instabilities. These high speed video (HSV) images of various cavitation phenomena, including higher order cavitation, rotating cavitation, alternating blade cavitation, and asymmetric cavitation, as well as non-cavitating flows for comparison, were recorded from various orientations through an acrylic tunnel using one and two cameras at digital recording rates ranging from 6,000 to 15,700 frames per second. The physical characteristics of these cavitation forms, including the mechanisms that define the cavitation frequency, were identified. Additionally, these images showed how the cavitation forms changed and transitioned from one type (tip vortex) to another (sheet cavitation) as the inducer boundary conditions (inlet pressures) were changed. Image processing techniques were developed which tracked the formation and collapse of cavitating fluid in a specified target area, both in the temporal and frequency domains, in order to characterize the cavitation instability frequency. The accuracy of the analysis techniques was found to be very dependent on target size for higher order cavitation, but much less so for the other phenomena. Tunnel-mounted piezoelectric, dynamic pressure transducers were present throughout these tests and were used as references in correlating the results obtained by image processing. Results showed good agreement between image processing and dynamic pressure spectral data. The test set-up, test program, and test results including H-Q and suction performance, dynamic environment and cavitation characterization, and image processing techniques and results will be discussed.

Arellano, Patrick↗
NASA NTRS2004

Inducer Hydrodynamic Forces in a Cavitating Environment

Marshall Space Flight Center has developed and demonstrated a measurement device for sensing and resolving the hydrodynamic loads on fluid machinery. The device - a derivative of the six-component wind tunnel balance - senses the forces and moments on the rotating device through a weakened shaft section instrumented with a series of strain gauges. This rotating balance was designed to directly measure the steady and unsteady hydrodynamic loads on an inducer, thereby defining the amplitude and frequency content associated with operating in various cavitation modes. The rotating balance was calibrated statically using a dead-weight load system in order to generate the 6 x 12 calibration matrix later used to convert measured voltages to engineering units. Structural modeling suggested that the rotating assembly first bending mode would be significantly reduced with the balance s inclusion. This reduction in structural stiffness was later confirmed experimentally with a hammer-impact test. This effect, coupled with the relatively large damping associated with the rotating balance waterproofing material, limited the device s bandwidth to approximately 50 Hertz Other pre-test validations included sensing the test article rotating assembly built-in imbalance for two configurations and directly measuring the assembly mass and buoyancy while submerged under water. Both tests matched predictions and confirmed the device s sensitivity while stationary and rotating. The rotating balance was then demonstrated in a water test of a full-scale Space Shuttle Main Engine high-pressure liquid oxygen pump inducer. Experimental data was collected a scaled operating conditions at three flow coefficients across a range of cavitation numbers for the single inducer geometry and radial clearance. Two distinct cavitation modes were observed symmetric tip vortex cavitation and alternate-blade cavitation. Although previous experimental tests on the same inducer demonstrated two additional cavitation modes at lower inlet pressures, these conditions proved unreachable with the rotating balance installed due to the intense dynamic environment. The sensed radial load was less influenced by flow coefficient than by cavitation number or cavitation mode although the flow coefficient range was relatively narrow. Transition from symmetric tip vortex to alternate-blade cavitation corresponded to changes in both radial load magnitude and radial load orientation relative to the inducer. Sensed moments indicated that the effective load center moved downstream during this change in cavitation mode. An occurrence of "higher+rdex cavitation" was also detected in both the stationary pressures and the rotating balance data although the frequency of the phenomena was well above the reliable bandwidth of the rotating balance. In summary the experimental tests proved both the concept and device s capability despite the limitations and confirmed that hydrodynamically-induced forces and moments develop in response to the unbalanced pressure field, which is, in turn, a product of the cavitation environment.

Skelley, Stephen E.↗
DOE OSTI2020

A Phenomenological Model for Cavitation

A phenomenological model of cavitation is presented, based on observations that both large relative negative pressures and large negative time derivatives of pressure are required for cavitation onset. We simulated two cavitation experiments to generate cavitation scaling parameters for relative pressure drop and rate of pressure drop. Our results show the model, while simple, is effective at reproducing results from laboratory experiments of cavitation. The parameters were then used in conjunction with a human surrogate computational model to predict, at any position within the head, the probability of intracranial cavitation caused by exposure to a blast event. The results suggest that the magnitude of blast overpressure observed in field data is sufficient to cause intracranial cavitation. Our analysis indicates that the helmeted head, when compared to the unhelmeted head configuration, results in a decrease but not elimination of cavitation exposure. When density functions of cavitation probability versus cumulative brain volume are combined with an injury severity model, the results show helmet efficacy at low and moderate risk levels. However, the convergence of unhelmeted and helmeted probability density functions at high-to-excessive risk thresholds indicates the helmet offers diminishing protection at elevated exposure levels, relative to the unhelmeted baseline. Future investigation and collaboration with neuroscience subject matter experts are needed to contextualize the current computational results. While the present work contributes specific and quantified predictions of intracranial cavitation location and severity, more research is required to apply our results to clinical settings with population-based brain injury subjects and controls. The relationship between our intracranial cavitation predictions with their anticipated clinical sequelae remains a topic in need of exploration.

60 APPLIED LIFE SCIENCES↗