Simplified detection of cavitation threshold in control valves

• Published in: Applied acoustics Vol. 165; p. 107320
• Main Authors: Požar, Tomaž, Pirc, Žan, Susič, Egon, Petkovšek, Rok
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier Ltd 01.08.2020
• Subjects: Acoustic emission; Cavitation evaluation; Control valve; Non-destructive testing; Piezoelectric sensor; Acoustic emission; Cavitation evaluation; Piezoelectric sensor; Non-destructive testing; Control valve
• ISSN: 0003-682X; 1872-910X
• DOI: 10.1016/j.apacoust.2020.107320

•Piezoelectric detection simplifying the observation of cavitation thresholds in control valves.•Elimination of the sound noise of an industrial environment.•Removal of the subjectivity of the operator.•Detailed observation of the cavitation phenomenon in industrial monitoring. For industrial monitoring of fluid flows, the transition from a single-phase flow to a cavitation regime is most commonly determined by a microphone that measures the sound emitted in the vicinity of critical constrictions such as in the opening of the control valves. To measure the cavitation threshold, we developed an analogue and robust piezoelectric detection method. The evaluation of this method on the reference test orifice plate and on a chosen control valve shows that it eliminates the sound noise of an industrial environment, largely removes the subjectivity of the operator and enables a more detailed observation of the cavitation phenomenon.