GOVERNMENT ENGINEERING COLLEGE BHARUCH

IN
CIVIL ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT

TOPIC-
‘CAVITATION IN PUMPS AND TURBINES’
IN
APPLIED FLUID MECHANICS

PREPARED BY
PATEL JEEGNESH
(150140106030)
 What is cavitation?

• When the pressure in any part of the flow passage reaches the vapour pressure of the
flowing liquid, starts vaporizing and small bubbles of vapour form in large number.
• These bubbles are carried along by the flow, and on reaching the high pressure zones,
these bubbles suddenly collapses as the vapour condenses to liquid again. Due to sudden
collapsing​ of the bubbles, the surrounding liquid rushes in to fill them.
• The liquid moving from all directions collides at the centre of cavity, thus giving rise to
very high local pressure. This phenomenon is called cavitation.
• The metallic surfaces, above which these vapour bubbles collapse, subjected to high
pressures, which cause pitting action on the surface. Cavitation also produce
considerable noise and vibrations.
 Effects of cavitation

1. Efficiency of the machine is lowered.

2. Damage to blades due to pitting.
3. Noise and vibrations
Precautions to eliminate cavitation:
1. The liquid temperature should be as low as possible to keep the vapour
pressure down.
2. The velocity in the suction pipe should be as low as practicable.
3. As far as possible, the sharp bends in the suction pipe should be avoided to
reduce loss of head.
Cavitation in Turbines
• Only reaction turbines are subjected to cavitation. In reaction turbines, the
cavitation may occur at the runner exit or the inlet to the draft tube where the
pressure is considerably reduced.
• Due to cavitation the metal of the runner vanes and the draft tube is gradually
eaten away in these zones, which results in lowering the efficiency of the turbine.
Thoma’s cavitation factor:
Prof. D. Thoma of Germany, after carrying out a series of experiments, suggested a cavitation factor
(sigma) to find out the zone, where a reaction turbine can work, without the effect of cavitation.
Thoma’s cavitation factor is given by
 Sigma=(Hb-Hs/H)
where,
Hb =Barometric pressure head in m of water
Hatm=Atmospheric pressure head in m of water
Hv= Vapour pressure head in m of water
Hs=suction pressure head in m of water
H= Net head on the turbine in m
Cavitation in centrifugal pumps

• If the pressure at the suction side of the pump drops below the vapour pressure
of the liquid then the cavitation may occur.
• The cavitation in a pump can be noted by a sudden drop in efficiency and head.

Thoma’s cavitation factor

The Thoma’s cavitation factor for centrifugal pump is given by,

Sigma= (Hb - Hs-HLs)/H

Sigma = [(Hatm – Hv) – Hs – HLs]/H
where,
HLs=head loss due to friction in suction pipe
H=head developed by the pump
Remaining terms same as that in turbines.
THANK YOU