Theoretical Analysis of Cavitation in Inducers With Unequal Blades With Alternate Leading Edge Cutback: Part I—Analytical Methods and the Results for Smaller Amount of Cutback

Abstract

With the idea of reducing the region of rotating cavitation by cutting back the leading edge of blade alternately and enhancing the stability of alternate blade cavitation, an analysis of steady cavitation and its stability were made for unequal blade cascade. The cavities on longer uncut blades are generally longer but they become shorter in a certain range of inlet cavitation number. This peculiar behavior is explained by an interaction effect of a local flow near cavity closure with the leading edge of the opposing blades. It is also shown that the region with stable cavities can be extended and the onset region of rotating cavitation can be diminished by cutting back the leading edge of blade alternately. In Part II, the effect of the amount of cutback is discussed. [S0098-2202(00)00402-8]