Numerical investigation of thermodynamic effect on cavitation performance and cavitation-vortex interaction in an inducer

The inducer is an axial flow pump installed at the inlet of the condensate pump, which is a key equipment in ocean engineering. It enhances the anti-cavitation ability of the condensate pump by pressurizing the incoming flow. This study aims to numerically investigate the thermodynamic effects on cavitation performance and the interaction between cavitation and vortices in an inducer. To better understand the thermodynamic effects, a comparison is conducted and analyzed for the inducer operating under isothermal and non-isothermal conditions. The results show that at smaller cavitation numbers, the thermodynamic effect more significantly restrains cavitation development. This leads to larger cavitation volumes under isothermal conditions compared to non-isothermal conditions, with backflow vortex cavitation occurring earlier in the isothermal state. The Coriolis force contributes the most to vorticity generation, with its range and intensity significantly greater under isothermal conditions.