Application Brief
Cavitation: A Critical CFD App You Have to Get Right
Cavitation is the formation of vapor bubbles within a liquid when flow dynamics cause the local static pressure to drop below the vapor pressure. The bubbles usually last a short time, collapsing when they encounter higher pressure. Cavitation can cause noise and vibration, structural wear and damage, leading to reduced performance. It is a common problem in pumps (especially centrifugal or positive displacement pumps), compressors, hydraulic turbines, propellers, fuel injectors and other fluid devices subjected to high variations in pressure.