Rotordynamic forces acting on three-bladed inducer under supersynchronous/synchronous rotating cavitation

Asymmetric cavitation, in which cavity lengths are unequal on each blade, is known as a source of cavitation induced shaft vibration in turbomachinery. To investigate the relationship of the uneven cavity length and rotordynamic force in a cavitating inducer with three blades, we conducted two experiments. In one, the growth of cavity unevenness at the inception of synchronous rotating cavitation in cryogenic flow was observed, and in the other, the rotordynamic fluid forces in water were examined by using a rotordynamic test stand with active magnetic bearings. Rotordynamic performances were obtained within a wide range of cavitation numbers, and whirl/shaft speed ratios included supersynchronous/synchronous rotating cavitation. These experimental results indicate that the shaft vibration due to the rotating cavitation is one type of self-excited vibrations arising from the coupling of cavitation instability and rotordynamics. [DOI: 10.1115/1.3425727] Keywords: cavitating inducer, rotating cavitation, rotordynamic forces, self-excited vibration, tip clearance