Numerical simulations for incompressible turbulence cavitation flows with tangent of hyperbola interface capturing (THINC) scheme

In this work, we developed high-fidelity numerical solvers for turbulent cavitation flows and presented numerical simulations of cavitation and supercavitation behind an axisymmetric projectile and a conical cavitator. The proposed numerical solver is based on the homogeneous equilibrium model where the mass transfer rate between vapor and liquid is dependent on a volume of fraction (VOF) function. As a result, the numerical results of cavitation turbulent flow are heavily affected by the accuracy of the VOF evolution prediction. Thus, the proposed solver employs the Tangent of Hyperbola for INterface Capture method with Quadratic surface representation and Gaussian Quadrature scheme to accurately resolve the interfacial structures of cavitation bubbles. To effectively model the turbulent effects, the solver utilizes two approaches, respectively, i.e., the Smagorinsky model of large eddy simulation and the shear stress transport model of the Reynolds-averaged Navier-Stokes equation. The homogeneous turbulence equation systems are then discretized by the linear second-order schemes in space and time. The phase transition including both evaporation and condensation is described by the finite-rate mass transfer models such as Schnerr-Sauer and Kunz models. Numerical simulations and comparison studies are performed with the proposed solvers. Compared with previous simulation works, the current simulation results of cavity shape patterns and related hydrodynamic characteristics are in better agreement with experimental data and analytical theories, as well as reference solutions. These results validate that the proposed solver can produce high-fidelity predictions for solving the flow structures of cavitation and reentrant jet in the turbulent cavitation simulations.