Simulation of cavitation induced by water hammer

A simulation is carried out for the pressure fluctuation driven by the water hammer, based on a joint use of the one-dimensional method of characteristics (MOC) and the three-dimensional finite volume method (FVM). The three-dimensional visualization of the cavitation induced by the water hammer is implemented, and the temporal and spatial analyses of extreme regions are made. A practical case of the water hammer, with the minimum boundary pressure higher than the saturated vapor pressure condition, is simulated. The simulation prediction that the cavitation would occur in the front of the gasket could serve some guideline for the optimization of industrial designs.