Effects of Tip Leakage Vortex Cavitation on Flow Field under Cavitation Instability

Cavitation instabilities can induce axial and circumferential vibrations, as well noise in turbopump inducers. Therefore, the purpose of present study is to investigate mechanism cavitation instability. The flow field near two-bladed inducer leading edge under alternate blade was experimentally investigated using particle image velocimetry (PIV). It found that tip leakage vortex draws toward its region collapse induces a negative change incidence adjacent blade. Moreover, this blade-to-blade interaction identified main cause cavitation. Furthermore, it demonstrated strongest when cavity occurs throat area, where following located.