Application of a pressure based CFD code with mass transfer model based on the Rayleigh equation for the numerical simulation of the cavitating flow around a hydrofoil with circular leading edge

Ruhr-Universität Bochum, Chair of Hydraulic Fluid Machinery, Universitätsstr. 150, 44801 Bochum, Germany

^a Corresponding author: christian.deimel@rub.de

Published online: 25 March 2014

Abstract

The most common method for simulating cavitating flows is using the governing flow equations in a form with a variable density and treats both phases as incompressible in combination with a transport equation for the vapour volume fraction. This approach is commonly referred to as volume of fluid method (VoF). To determine the transition of the liquid phase to vapour and vice versa, a relation for the mass transfer is needed. Several models exist, based on slightly differing physical assumptions, for example derivation from the dynamics of single bubbles or large bubble clusters. In our simulation, we use the model of Sauer and Schnerr which is based on the Rayleigh equation. One common problem of all mass transfer models is the use of model constants which often need to be tuned with regard to the examined problem. Furthermore, these models often overpredict the turbulent dynamic viscosity in the two-phase region which counteracts the development of transient shedding behaviour and is compensated by the modification proposed by Reboud. In the presented study, we vary the parameters of the Sauer-Schnerr model with Reboud modification that we implemented into an OpenFOAM solver to match numerical to experimental data.