Performance of Cavitating Axial Inducers with Varying Tip Clearance and Solidity

Citation

Carpenter, Stanley Hammack (1957) Performance of Cavitating Axial Inducers with Varying Tip Clearance and Solidity. Engineer's thesis, California Institute of Technology. doi:10.7907/35Z3-YN17. https://resolver.caltech.edu/CaltechETD:etd-01122004-115641

Abstract

The performance of a helical axial inducer pump was investigated in non-cavitating and heavily cavitating regimes over a wide range of tip clearance and solidity. It was found that cavity length is related to the occurrence of two cavitation phenomena: a non-steady or oscillating form of cavitation occurs when the cavity length is nearly equal to the spacing between the impeller blades, and complete pump failure is imminent if the cavity is nearly as long as the blade chord. The extent of the oscillating cavitation regime was little affected by the variation of tip clearance or solidity in the range investigated. However, an increase in tip clearance or a decrease in solidity definitely impairs cavitation performance at low inlet pressures. On the basis of these experiments a cavitation number limit is proposed for safe inducer operation.

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