Fluid Mechanics Lab

To Demonstrate
the process of
Cavitations
Lab Report

Group Members:
Husnain Safdar
Azfar Jamal
Shehroz Khan
Ahmad Hassan
Hammad Ahmad
Ghulam Murtaza
Shaheer Naqqash
Contents
ABSTRACT....................................................................................................................................................2
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................................2
THEORY:......................................................................................................................................................2
APPARATUS:................................................................................................................................................3
EXPERIMENTAL PROCEDURE:......................................................................................................................4
FORMULAS:.................................................................................................................................................4
OBSERVATION & CALCULATION..................................................................................................................5
SOURCES OF ERROR:...................................................................................................................................5
PRECAUTIONS:.............................................................................................................................................5
CONCLUSION:..............................................................................................................................................5

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To Demonstrate the process of Cavitations

ABSTRACT
This report depicts the study of cavitation phenomena produce in many fluid dynamics
devices .The report involves in the finding of actual and practical cavitation number and the
results prove that the theoretical cavitation number is less than the practical cavitation number.

INTRODUCTION
Cavitation was first studied by Lord Rayleigh in the late 19th century, when he considered the
collapse of a spherical void within a liquid. The phenomenon can be defined as ‘the formation
and collapse of vapor cavities in the liquid formed due to change in pressure at different
locations’. Such a vapor cavity can form anywhere in the flowing liquid and collapse while
moving towards high pressure regions generating shock waves.
Cavitation causes drop in performance, generates knocking sound, and damages the system (i-e
corrosion, fatigue failure, surface pitting). For the sake of good efficiency and prevention of
damage to the cavitation should be avoided.

THEORY:
Cavitation is the formation of gas bubbles of a flowing liquid in a region where the pressure of
the liquid falls below its vapor pressure. Cavitation is usually divided into two classes of
behavior: inertial (or transient) cavitation, and noninertial cavitation. Inertial cavitation is the
process where a void or bubble in a liquid rapidly collapses, producing a shock wave. Such
cavitation often occurs in control valves, pumps, propellers, impellers. Non inertial cavitation is
the process in which a bubble in a fluid is forced to oscillate in size or shape due to some form
of energy input, such as an acoustic field. Such cavitation is often employed in ultrasonic
cleaning baths and can also be observed in pumps, propellers, etc.

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CAVITATION NUMBER:
The ratio of net static pressure available to collapse the bubble to the dynamic pressure
available to initiate the formation of the bubble.

DISADVANTAGES:
Since the shock waves formed by cavitation are strong enough to significantly damage moving
parts, cavitation is usually an undesirable phenomenon. It is specifically avoided in the design of
machines such as turbines or propellers, and eliminating cavitation is a major field in the study
of fluid dynamics.It also causes wear and damages the components.

APPARATUS:
Cavitations apparatus designed to demonstrate Cavitations using a hydraulics bench.

 The apparatus consists of a circular Venturi shaped section manufactured from clear
acrylic.

 Three Bourdon gauges indicate the static pressure upstream of the contraction, inside
the throat and downstream of the expansion.

 Flow control valves upstream and downstream of the test section allow flow conditions
to be optimised for the demonstration of Cavitation.

 Quick release fitting for easy connection to hydraulics bench.

Educational software available as an option.

This apparatus can also be used for performing different experiment. It can be used for
following measurements

 Static pressures along the venturi.

 Total pressures along the venturi.
 Volume flow rate from Hydraulic Bench or direct measurements.

Its limitations are

 It cannot be used without hydraulic bench.

 Flow rate throw it cannot be determined directly.

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  Bubbles in its tube will not give correct readings.

EXPERIMENTAL PROCEDURE:
 Clean the apparatus and make it free from Dust.
 To release the air from test section, start water supply to at maximum flow.
 Regulate Flow of water through Test Section with the help of Valve provided at the end of
Test Section.

 Observe the condition and measure flow rate of water.

 Note the pressure at the two points of the test section

FORMULAS:
Area

a 1 = πD1 2 /4 = 0.001257 m²

a2 = πD2 2 /4 = 0.0000283 m²

Theoretical Cavitation Number

( p 1− p v /760)∗10
σc =
ρ v 22

Actual Cavitation Number

( p 1− p 2/760)∗10
σ =
ρ v 12

Velocity,

Qa
V1 =
a1

Qa
V1 =
a2

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OBSERVATION & CALCULATION
DATA:

d1 = 40mm
d2 = 6 mm
ρ = 1000 kg / m3
pv = 17.5 mm of Hg. At 20°C

Sr. p1 p2 P3 Q σ σc Condition
(bar) (bar) (bar) (m3/s) Observed
1. -0.35 0.05 0.55 0.000529

 Theoretical condition for cavitation, σc ≤ σ

SOURCES OF ERROR:
 Bubbles in tube will not give correct readings
 There could be parallax error while taking volume from hydraulic bench.
 Time is not properly measured.
 Error in taking pressure values from pressure gauges.

PRECAUTIONS:
 Remove all bubbles before noting reading by changing flow rate.
 Remove parallax error while taking readings.
 Note the time properly for measurement of actual flow rate through hydraulic bench.
 Take pressure readings carefully from the pressure gauges.

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CONCLUSION:
After performing the experiment we conclude that bubbles are created in the region where
there is low pressure and high velocity which is the phenomena of cavitation. And when the
fluid reaches the region of low velocity, where the pressure is high the bubbles were collapsed.

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