vaporpressureandcavitation（15页）.docVIP

MORE ON WHAT IS CAVITATION? Jacques Chaurette p. eng., February 2003 Cavitation begins as the formation of vapor bubbles at the impeller eye due to low pressure. The bubbles form at the position of lowest pressure at the pump inlet (see Figure 1), which is just prior to the fluid being acted upon by the impeller vanes, they are then rapidly compressed. The compression of the vapor bubbles produces a small shock wave that impacts the impeller surface and pits away at the metal creating over time large eroded areas and subsequent failure. The sound of cavitation is very characteristic and r