Direct Calculations of Cavitating Flows by the Space-Time CE/SE Method

This paper reports oneand two-dimensional simulations of cavitating flows by the Space-Time Conservation Element and Solution Element (CE/SE) method. A continuum cavitation model based on specifying the speed of sound of two-phase flows is employed. The CE/SE method is a viable CFD method for flows at wide range of Mach numbers. The method is explicit and is suitable for time accurate simulations. Moreover, without using a Riemann solver or a reconstruction procedure, the logic and operation count is simple and efficient for sharp resolution of evolving liquid/vapor interfaces. To validate the present model, three cavitating flows are simulated: the one-dimensional simulation of the waterhammer effect, flows over a hydrofoil, and flows through a high-pressure fuel injector. Numerical results show salient features of cavitations commonly observed in experiments, including, reentrant jet, hydraulic flip, and cyclical cavitations. The numerical results compare favorably with previously reported data.