Sensitivity evaluation of a transport-based turbulent cavitation model

A sensitivity analysis is done for turbulent cavitating flows using a pressure-based Navier-Stokes solver coupled with a phase volume fraction transport model and nonequilibrium k-ε turbulence closure. Four modeling parameters are assessed, namely, C_ε1 and C_ε2, which directly influence the production and destruction of the dissipation of turbulence kinetic energy, and C_dest and C_prod, which regulate the evaporation and condensation of the phases. Response surface methodology along with design of experiments is used for the sensitivity studies. The difference between the computational and experimental results is used to judge the model fidelity. Under noncavitating conditions, the best selections of C_ε1 and C_ε2 exhibit a linear combination with multiple optima. Using this information, cavitating flows around an axisymmetric geometry with a hemispherical fore-body and the NACA66(MOD) foil section are assessed. Analysis of the cavitating model has identified favorable combinations of C_dest, and C_prod. The selected model parameters are found to work well for different geometries with different cavitation numbers for attached cavity. It is also confirmed that the cavitation model parameters employed in the literature are within the range identified in the present study.