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Caleb Herup
MAE-4000 SEC-001
Tom Amundson
10/2/15
Cavitation and Bubbles
Dr. Oliier Cou!ier-Del"os#a$s primar% area o& resear'# a!
!#e (abora!orie de Me'ani)ue
de (ille 'onsis!s primaril% o& !#e s!ud% o& 'ai!a!ion
and bubbles in #i"# speed li)uid &lo*s.
Cai!a!ion 'an o''ur *#en a #i"# elo'i!% li)uid &lo* 'omes
in!o 'on!a'! *i!# an in!er&erin"
sur&a'e+ su'# as a !urbine blade. Cai!a!ion is !#e
p#enomenon o& apori,a!ion 'aused b% !#e
resul!in" !urbulen'e+ 'rea!in" small po'e!s+ or bubbles+ o&
apor. T#e 'ollapse o& !#ese bubbles
'auses ibra!ion in !#e ma'#iner%+ as *ell as erosion. Cai!a!ion
'an drama!i'all% de'rease !#e
li&e '%'le o& a !urbine+ and 'an 'ause a 'a!as!rop#i'
&ailure i& unmoni!ored.
Cai!a!ion is a serious issue *#ere !urbines are 'on'erned.
Cai!a!ion #as been iden!i&ied
as !#e main 'ause o& ro'e! boos!er eplosions in !#e pas!+ as
!#e elo'i!ies !#rou"# !#e
!urbopump indu'ers are e!reme. T#e "oal o& Dr.
Cou!ier-Del"os#a$s resear'# #as been !o 'rea!e
a reliable model &or !#e !urbulen'e 'aused b% 'ai!a!ion+ !o
#elp predi'! a reasonable li&e '%'le
&or di&&eren! !urbine desi"ns.
Cai!a!ion is an e!remel% di&&i'ul! area o& s!ud%+ as
!urbulen'e is e!remel% arbi!rar% in
na!ure+ main" an a''ura!e simple ma!# model impossible. Ho*eer+
a predi'!able model 'an be
es!ablis#ed empiri'all% !#rou"# !#e 'olle'!ion o&
eperimen!al da!a. -ra% ima"in" *as u!ili,ed
!o s!ud% 'ai!a!ion as i! o''urred+ and 'ompu!er "enera!ed
al"ori!#ms *ere 'rea!ed based on !#e
da!a 'olle'!ed. T#rou"# !#is pro'ess+ as *ell as dire'!
numeri'al simula!ion+ a more reliable
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model o& Cai!a!ion in in 'rea!ion+ !#a! *ill #ope&ull%
do mu'# !o resole !#e problems o&
ibra!ion dama"e and erosion in !urbine blades.
Dr. Cou!ier-Del"os#a$s *or is on !#e 'u!!in" ed"e o& !#e
s'ien!i&i' 'ommuni!%$s
unders!andin" o& !#e 'on'ep! o& Cai!a!ion. i!# a
reliable model o& Cai!a!ion and i!s e&&e'!s in
!#e *ors+ man% possibili!ies in !urbine desi"n open up.
Op!imi,a!ion o& !urbine s#ape !o redu'e
'ai!a!ion 'an be mu'# more e&&e'!ie *i!# a numeri'al
model in pla'e+ and a !urbine$s li&e span
'an be mu'# more a''ura!el% predi'!ed. A numeri'al model o&
Cai!a!ion is e!remel% pra'!i'al
and use&ul in !#e modern *orld.
