Cavitation rates in water with dissolved gas and other impurities

Our objective is a better understanding of the role of physical properties of real fluids in the thermodynamics of cavitation in impure water. An extension to the classical homogenous nucleation theory suitable for mixtures is presented in attempt to address the discrepancy between the theoretical predictions and practical observations of cavitation rates in water at normal temperatures. The extension takes into account the non-equilibrium (dissipative) effects involved in nuclei formation through a substance dependent correction coefficient to be determined experimentally. The theory of thermodynamic fluctuations is applied to derive the work of formation of a bubble nucleus. The value of the correction coefficient is estimated using preliminary experimental data from a convergent-divergent nozzle. An application of the results to the numerical prediction of the cavitation zones in a radial-flow water pump is shown.