Velocity Exponent for Erosion and Noise Due to Cavitation

The aim of the present study was to evaluate the effects of flow velocity on erosion and noise due to cavitation. To this end, tests were conducted in a two-dimensional water tunnel in which soft aluminum test specimens were mounted in the wake of a cavitating prismatic source. The prismatic source shape eliminated the Reynolds number effects on the flow characteristics. An excellent correlation appeared to be present between the erosion and noise due to cavitation in the range of velocities tested. At peak erosion conditions, the velocity exponents for erosion and intensity of noise were found to have an approximate value of 5.45. All the present tests were limited to a single cavitating source size for which the blockage ratio was fixed.