Intensity and regimes changing of hydrodynamic cavitation considering temperature effects

Venturi-type cavitation reactors still appear as the most promising candidates for industrial-scale production due to their cheapness and ease of construction, scaling, and replicability. The effects of temperature on hydrodynamic cavitating flows in a Venturi section are investigated to find the optimum reacting conditions enhancing cavitating treatment intensity. The flow conditions are varied with 4 different flow rates and a wide range of temperatures between 28 degrees C to 63 degrees C. Results show that both the cavitation length and the transition between sheet and cloud cavitation regimes are influenced by a combination of the pressure drop (indicated by the cavitation number sigma), the inertial/viscous effects (controlled by the Reynolds number Re), and the thermal effect (indicated by the thermodynamic parameter Sigma). As the temperature is elevated, both the cavitation length and thickness increase first, and then decrease. The cavitation intensity peaks at a transition temperature of 58 degrees C. With the increase of cavitation length and thickness, the regimes tend to switch earlier from the attached sheet cavity to periodical cloud shedding, and the shedding frequency decreases accordingly. When the temperature is progressively increased, the changing of cavitating flow structures is illustrated through Proper Order Decomposition analysis. This study allows us to understand the instability, size evolution, shedding regime transition of partial cavities considering thermodynamic effects. Recommendations are provided to beer-brewing, biodiesel production, or water treatment industries that working under a 55 degrees C to 60 degrees C temperature range will attain the highest cavitation intensity.