23.4.

2014 Cavitation - an Introduction

http://www.engineeringtoolbox.com/cavitation-d_407.html 1/7
Resources, Tool s and Basi c Informati on for Engi neeri ng and Desi gn of Techni cal Appl i cati ons!
Search "the most effi ci ent way to navi gate the Engi neeri ng Tool Box!"
Cavitation - an Introduction
Cavitation may occur in fluid flow systems where local static pressure is below the vapor pressure
Sponsored Links
Cavi tati on i s a common probl em i n pumps and control val ves - causi ng seri ous wear and tear and damage. Under the wrong condi ti ons, cavi tati on reduces
the component l i fe ti me dramati cal l y.
What is Cavitation?
Cavi tati on may occur when the l ocal stati c pressure i n a fl ui d reach a l evel bel ow the vapor pressure of the l i qui d at the actual temperature.
Accordi ng to the Bernoul l i Equati on thi s may happen when the fl ui d accel erates i n a control val ve or around a pump i mpel l er.
The vapori zati on i tsel f does not cause the damage - the damage happens when the vapor al most i mmedi atel y col l apses after evaporati on when the
vel oci ty i s decreased and pressure i ncreased.
Avoiding Cavitation
Cavi tati on can i n general be avoi ded by
i ncreasi ng the di stance between the actual l ocal stati c pressure i n the fl ui d - and the vapor pressure of the fl ui d at the actual temperature
Thi s can be done by:
reengi neeri ng components i ni ti ati ng hi gh speed vel oci ti es and l ow stati c pressures
i ncreasi ng the total or l ocal stati c pressure i n the system
reduci ng the temperature of the fl ui d
Reengineering of Components Initiating High Speed Velocity and Low Static Pressure
Cavi tati on and damage can be avoi ded by usi ng speci al components desi gned for the actual rough condi ti ons.
condi ti ons as huge pressure drops can - wi th l i mi tati ons - be handl ed by Mul ti Stage Control Val ves
chal l engi ng pumpi ng condi ti ons - wi th fl ui d temperatures cl ose to the vapori zati on temperature - can be handl ed wi th speci al pumps - worki ng
after other pri nci pl es than centri fugal pumps
Increasing the Total or Local Pressure in the System
By i ncreasi ng the total or l ocal pressure i n the system the di stance between the stati c pressure and the vapori zati on pressure i s i ncreased and vapori zati on
and cavi tati on can be avoi ded.
The rati o between stati c pressure and the vapori zati on pressure - an i ndi cati on of the possi bi l i ty of vapori zati on, i s often expressed by the Cavi tati on
Number.
Unfortunatel y i t may not al ways be possi bl e to i ncrease total stati c pressure due to systems cl assi fi cati ons or other l i mi tati ons. Local stati c pressure i n
components may be i ncreased by l oweri ng the component i n the system. Control val ves and pumps shoul d i n general be posi ti oned i n the lowest part of
the systems to maxi mi ze stati c head.
Thi s i s common sol uti on for boi l er feedi ng pumps recei vi ng hot condensate (water cl ose to 100
o
C) from condensate recei vers.
Reducing the Temperature of the Fluid
The vapori zati on pressure depends of fl ui d temperature. Vapor pressure of Water, our most common fl ui d, i s i ndi cated bel ow:
Temperature
(
o
C)
Vapor Pressure
(kN/m
2
)
0 0.6
5 0.9
10 1.2
15 1.7
Pump Head Water Flow Pump Pump Selection Cavitation
Water & Air Flowmeters
erdco.com
Rotameter, Turbine & Thermal types for process, environmental & OEM's!
23.4.2014 Cavitation - an Introduction
http://www.engineeringtoolbox.com/cavitation-d_407.html 2/7
20 2.3
25 3.2
30 4.3
35 5.6
40 7.7
45 9.6
50 12.5
55 15.7
60 20
65 25
70 32.1
75 38.6
80 47.5
85 57.8
90 70
95 84.5
100 101.33
Note! - the possi bi l i ty of evaporati on and cavi tati on i ncreases dramati cal l y wi th the water temperature.
Cavi tati on can al so be avoi ded by l ocati ng components to the col dest part of a system. It i s common to l ocate pumps i n heati ng systems i n the "col d" return
l i nes.
Thi s i s the same for control val ves. If i t i s possi bl e control val ves shoul d be l ocated on the col d si des of heat exchangers.
Sponsored Links
Related Topics
Fluid Mechanics - The study of fl ui ds - l i qui ds and gases. Invol ves vari ous properti es of the fl ui d, such as vel oci ty, pressure, densi ty and
temperature, as functi ons of space and ti me.
Pumps - Pi pi ng systems and pumps - centri fugal pumps, di spl acement pumps - cavi tati on, vi scosi ty, head and pressure, power consumpti on and
more
Related Documents
Boiling Fluids - Recommended Suction Flow Velocity - Recommended fl ow vel oci ty for the pump sucti on si de
Cavitations Number - An i ntroducti on to and a defi ni ti on of the Cavi tati ons Number
Feeding Pumps - the Suction Lift in Steam Systems - The danger of i mpel l er cavi tati ons i ncreases wi th water temperature
Suction Flow Velocities of Water - Recommended water fl ow vel oci ty on sucti on si de of pump
Control Valves and Cavitation - Control val ves and cavi tati on, appl i cati on rati o and mul ti stage control val ves
Condensate Pumping - Hi gh temperatures and danger of i mpel l er cavi tati on i s the maj or chal l enge of condensate pumpi ng
Light Oils - Recommended Suction Flow Velocity - Recommended fl ow vel oci ty for the pump sucti on si de
Search the Engineering ToolBox
Search "the most effi ci ent way to navi gate the Engi neeri ng Tool Box!"
Engineering ToolBox - SketchUp Edition - Online 3D modeling!
Engi neeri ng Tool Box - SketchUp Edi ti on - add standard and customi zed parametri c components - l i ke fl ange beams, l umbers, pi pi ng and more - to your
Calculate Pump Head
pipeflow.co.uk
Easily model your pipe system. Download free trial software now!
23.4.2014 Cavitation - an Introduction
http://www.engineeringtoolbox.com/cavitation-d_407.html 3/7
SketchUp model - enabl ed for use wi th the amazi ng, fun and free SketchUp Make and SketchUp Pro. Add from the Sketchup Extensi on Warehouse!
Translate the ToolBox
Arabi c - Chi nese (Si mpl i fi ed) - Chi nese (Tradi ti onal ) - Dutch - French - German - Ital i an - Japanese - Korean - Portuguese - Russi an - Spani sh - - Sel ect Your
own l anguage . .
About the ToolBox
We appreci ate any comments and ti ps on how to make The Engi neeri ng Tool Box a better i nformati on source. Pl ease contact us by emai l
edi tor.engi neeri ngtool box@gmai l .com
i f You fi nd any faul ts, i naccuraci es, or otherwi se unacceptabl e i nformati on.
The content i n The Engi neeri ng Tool Box i s copyri ghted but can be used wi th NO WARRANTY or LIABILITY. Important i nformati on shoul d al ways be
doubl e checked wi th al ternati ve sources. Al l appl i cabl e nati onal and l ocal regul ati ons and practi ces concerni ng thi s aspects must be stri ctl y fol l owed and
adhered to.
Advertise in the ToolBox
If you want to promote your products or servi ces i n the Engi neeri ng Tool Box - pl ease use Googl e Adwords.
Home
Acoustics
Air Psy chrometrics
Basics
Combustion
Drawing Tools
Dy namics
Economics
Electrical
Env ironment
Fluid Mechanics
Gas and Compressed Air
HVAC Sy stems
Hy draulics and Pneumatics
Insulation
Material Properties
Mathematics
Mechanics
Miscellaneous
Phy siology
Piping Sy stems
Process Control
Pumps
Standard Organizations
Statics
Steam and Condensate
Thermody namics
Water Sy stems
23.4.2014 Cavitation - an Introduction
http://www.engineeringtoolbox.com/cavitation-d_407.html 4/7
Unit Converter
Temperature
0.0

o
C

o
F
Convert!
Length
1.0
m
km
i n
ft
yards
mi l es
nauti cal mi l es
Convert!
Vol ume
1.0
m
3

l i ters
i n
3

ft
3

us gal
Convert!
Vel oci ty
1.0
m/s
km/h
ft/mi n
ft/s
mph
knots
Convert!
Pressure
Water Pumping
Fluid Viscosity
Pressure Valves
23.4.2014 Cavitation - an Introduction
http://www.engineeringtoolbox.com/cavitation-d_407.html 5/7
1.0
Pa (N/m
2
)
bar
mm H
2
O
kg/cm
2

psi
i nches H
2
O
Convert!
Fl ow
1.0
m
3
/s
m
3
/h
US gpm
cfm
Convert!
Free Industry Magazines
Photoni cs Spectra
Mi crowave Engi neeri ng Europe
Chemi cal Engi neeri ng
Share this Page!
23.4.2014 Cavitation - an Introduction
http://www.engineeringtoolbox.com/cavitation-d_407.html 6/7
Share this on Google+ Share
Tweet
Sponsored Links
23.4.2014 Cavitation - an Introduction
http://www.engineeringtoolbox.com/cavitation-d_407.html 7/7
4 11