Gas Supersaturation Thresholds for Spontaneous Cavitation in Water with Gas Equilibration Pressures up to 570 atm1

Abstract

Abstract Supersaturations for the onset of cavitation in water were determined for various gases. At ambient pressure, the threshold supersaturations (in atm) required for profuse cavitation to initiate both in bulk water and at the glass-water interface were CH4, 120; Ar, 160; N2, 190; He, 360. Exposure of the water and its containing surfaces to hydrostatic pressures up to 1100 atm prior to equilibration with gas had no detectable effect on these threshold values. This indicates that preformed gas nuclei are not significantly involved. Cavitation at the glass-water interface was investigated for CH4, Ar and N2 saturations up to 570 atm. For 320 atm saturations, the threshold super-saturation was about one-half that for decompression directly to ambient pressure, and for 550 atm it was about one-third. These results indicate that the dissolved gas concentration is a critical factor limiting the spontaneous nucleation of bubbles in gas supersaturated liquids.