Relationship between Cavitation Incipient and NPSH Characteristic for Inverter Drive Centrifugal Pumps

The purpose of this study is to understand the cavitation phenomena in centrifugal pumps through computational fluid dynamics method. NPSH characteristic curve is measured from different flow operating conditions. Steady state, liquid-vapor homogeneous method with two equations transport turbulence model is employed to estimate the NPSH curve in centrifugal pumps. The Rayleigh-Plesset cavitation model is adapted as source term for inter-phase mass transfer in order to understand cavitation phenomena in centrifugal pumps. The cavitation incipient curve is clearly estimated at different flows operating conditions. A relationship is made between cavitation incipient and NPSH curve. Also the effects on water vapor volume fraction and pressure load distributions on the impeller blade are also described.