Characterization of high-pressure cavitating flow through a thick orifice plate in a pipe of constant cross section

To validate the applicability of basic cavitating flow theory for high-pressure flow systems, this paper presents a systematic study of high-pressure flow through a thick orifice plate in a constant cross-section pipe over a wide range of operating conditions. A combined theoretical, numerical and experimental approach was employed to explore the two-phase flow characteristics of both the non-choked and choked flows with a maximum upstream pressure of 5000 psi and a maximum Reynolds number of 2 × 106. For the flow configuration used in this work, a critical downstream-to-upstream pressure ratio of 0.45 was identified below which cavitation and flow choking will occur. Furthermore, it was found from the numerical models that the conventional one-dimensional analysis is inadequate in predicting the discharge coefficient and the condition for the onset of cavitation. Subsequently, new theoretical corrections suitable for high-pressure conditions were proposed, based on the numerical simulation results, and validated by the experimental measurements.