Abstract
The unsteady cavitating flow in a turbopump inducer has been calculated using an accurate three-dimensional detached eddy simulation (DES) code, which took into account the cavitating phenomena. The three-dimensional code is based on the numerical method for compressible flow using low Mach number flow approximation and a cavitation model. Qualitative agreement between our computational result and experimental data was satisfactory. The magnitude of the fluctuation in cavity volume increased as the cavities extend and close to the throat of the blade passage. The effect of the tip-gap on the cavity volume was shown; the time-averaged volume of cavities for the inducer with the tip-gap was about five times larger than that for the inducer without the tip-gap at an operating condition. Vorticity generation in cavities due to baroclinic torque was found. Multiple blade passages calculations are under way to find unsteady phenomena such as rotating cavitation.
