Quasi-three-dimensional analysis of cavitation in an inducer

A method for the prediction of steady cavitation in turbopumps is proposed on the assumption that the fluid is inviscid and the stream surface is rotationally symmetric. The analysis in the meridian plane is combined with that in a blade-to-blade stream surface where a singularity method based on a closed cavity, model is used. The present method is applied to a helical inducer and it is found that the influence of the three-dimensionality of the flow on cavitation mainly appears as the change of angle of attack associated with the change of meridional velocity caused by the movement of meridian streamline in radial direction.