Numerical model to predict unsteady cavitating flow behaviour in inducer blade cascades

Regiane . Fortes Patella (1) , Olivier Coutier-Delghosa (1, 2) , Jérôme Perrin (1) , Jean-Luc Reboud (3, 1)

1 LEGI - Laboratoire des Écoulements Géophysiques et Industriels [Grenoble]
2 LML - Laboratoire de Mécanique de Lille - FRE 3723
3 G2ELab - Laboratoire de Génie Electrique de Grenoble

The cavitation behavior of a four-blade rocket engine turbopump inducer is simulated. A two-dimensional numerical model of unsteady cavitation was applied to a blade cascade drawn from an inducer geometry. The physical model is based on a homogeneous approach of cavitation, coupled with a barotropic state law for the liquid/vapor mixture. The numerical resolution uses a pressure-correction method derived from the SIMPLE algorithm and a finite volume discretization. Unsteady behavior of sheet cavities attached to the blade suction side depends on the flow rate and cavitation number. Two different unstable configurations of cavitation are identified. The mechanisms that are responsible for these unstable behaviors are discussed, and the stress fluctuations induced on the blade by cavitation instabilities are estimated.

Mots clés: flow instability; turbomachinery; rocket engines; blades; cavitation; pumps; finite volume methods

Domaines: Mécanique des fluides [physics.class-ph]; Mécanique des fluides [physics.class-ph]

Regiane . Fortes Patella, Olivier Coutier-Delghosa, Jérôme Perrin, Jean-Luc Reboud. Numerical model to predict unsteady cavitating flow behaviour in inducer blade cascades. Journal of Fluids Engineering, 2007, 129 (2), pp.128-135. ⟨10.1115/1.2409320⟩. ⟨hal-00265997⟩