TY - JOUR
T1 - Cavitation damage observations within scroll expander lubrication systems
AU - Tzanakis, Iakovos
AU - Hadfield, Mark
AU - Georgoulas, Anastasios
AU - Kotsovinos, Nikolaos
PY - 2010/1/1
Y1 - 2010/1/1
N2 - Observations of cavitation damage within a lubricated expander system are studied experimentally. Typical experimental analysis is used to observe cavitation erosion features such as SEM, light-microscopy and lightinterferometer. An experimental test-rig is used to study bubble characteristics within fluids to compare the theoretical analysis and practical in-service results from the expander system. Using an ultra-sonic methodology and high-speed camera techniques the bubbles are observed within the working fluids. A 2D numerical simulation of the scroll was performed to explore the mechanism which generates scroll cavitation. It is found that the pressure is high enough to liquefy instantaneously part of the refrigerant close to the bottom boundary, creating conditions for the generation of cavitation bubbles within the liquefied refrigerant. This finding resolves the puzzle how the refrigerant which enters the scroll in gas phase produces cavitation.
AB - Observations of cavitation damage within a lubricated expander system are studied experimentally. Typical experimental analysis is used to observe cavitation erosion features such as SEM, light-microscopy and lightinterferometer. An experimental test-rig is used to study bubble characteristics within fluids to compare the theoretical analysis and practical in-service results from the expander system. Using an ultra-sonic methodology and high-speed camera techniques the bubbles are observed within the working fluids. A 2D numerical simulation of the scroll was performed to explore the mechanism which generates scroll cavitation. It is found that the pressure is high enough to liquefy instantaneously part of the refrigerant close to the bottom boundary, creating conditions for the generation of cavitation bubbles within the liquefied refrigerant. This finding resolves the puzzle how the refrigerant which enters the scroll in gas phase produces cavitation.
U2 - 10.2495/TD100221
DO - 10.2495/TD100221
M3 - Article
SN - 1743-3533
VL - 66
SP - 261
EP - 272
JO - WIT Transactions on Engineering Sciences
JF - WIT Transactions on Engineering Sciences
ER -