Numerical investigations on the mechanisms of the tip leakage vortex cavitation development in a cryogenic inducer with large eddy simulation

Liquid hydrogen is considered clean energy and is usually pressurized by cryogenic pumps in various industries. To ensure the safe operation of cryogenic pumps, the inducer is installed in front of the pump to improve the impeller inlet pressure but causes cavitation instabilities. This paper aims to investigate the mechanisms of the tip leakage vortex (TLV) cavitating flow in a cryogenic inducer with liquid nitrogen. The large eddy simulations model was used to analyze the thermodynamic effects on the tip leakage vortex cavitation (TLVC). The cavity structure and the pulsation mechanisms of the TLVC were analyzed through the flow characteristics and the vorticity transportation process. The predicted cavitation performance is in good agreement with the experimental measurements. The numerical results showed that the TLVC is suppressed and forms the separation point between the primary TLVC and the secondary TLVC due to the thermodynamic effects. The inhibition rate of the vapor volume fraction at the leading edge is 30%. The pressure fluctuations are caused by the propagation pattern of the detached cavity interacting with the adjacent blade periodically. The velocity triangles near the detached cavity were proposed to reveal the development of the TLVC. It indicates that TLVC instability is caused by the periodic coupling effect of the cavity development, the flow rate magnitude, and the local incidence angle variation. The vorticity transport equation is utilized to investigate the interaction of cavitation and vortex. Comparing the three terms reveals that the stretching and bending term dominates in the vorticity production of the TLV cavitating flow. The dilatation term controls the transportation of vorticity inside the TLV cavity, while the contribution of the baroclinic torque term is negligible in comparison to the other terms. This study provides a reference for optimizing the TLV cavitating flow and instabilities for designing the cryogenic pump.