Computational, theoretical and experimental study of cavitation characteristics of the gate wellhead devices with the internal bypass

Abstract

Hydraulic systems include control devices that create local resistance. Decreasing and increasing the working medium pressure and flow rate in the control devices cause cavitation, vibration, noise, material destruction, increase in the energy losses and decrease in the efficiency, which adverse effects could be reduced by using a bypass. One of the important tasks in designing the control devices is establishment of the cavitation characteristics. Introduction of an internal bypass in such devices makes it possible to reduce forces on the control elements displacement and the specific pressures in opening and closing, as well as to locate the cavitation bubbles collapse point in the flow behind the control gates. The paper presents results of a computational theoretical study using a modern complex of engineering analysis and experimental determination of the cavitation characteristics of the gate wellhead device with an internal bypass.