Method and system for analyzing cavitation

• US 20040112115A1
• Filed: 12/17/2002
• Published: 06/17/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 12/17/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Caterpillar Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Caterpillar Incorporated
• Inventors: Barman, Priyatosh, Ramamoorthy, Chandra, Moebs, Gregory B., Milkowski, Arthur
• Granted Patent: US 7,162,924 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 73/1.01
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 25/04 Arrangements for preventing erosion, not otherwise provided for

Abstract

A method for analyzing cavitation in a component includes establishing an energy level associated with a system condition associated with the component and analyzing cavitation in response to said energy level

Claims

1. A method of analyzing cavitation in a component, comprising:

establishing an energy level associated with a system condition associated with the component; and

analyzing cavitation in response to said energy level.

2. The method of claim 1, further including:

sensing the energy level associated with the system condition of a component; and

determining an energy level associated with cavitation impact on a surface of the component.

3. The method of claim 2, further including determining when a cavitation region impacts a surface associated with the component.

4. The method of claim 3, further including determining the system condition at time of impact.

5. The method of claim 2, wherein said determining an energy level includes:

establishing a normal range of energy levels associated with the system condition of the component;

determining when the sensed energy increases to a level significantly outside the normal range.

6. The method of claim 2, further including determining a position of impact based on the energy level and the system condition.

7. The method of claim 2, wherein said sensing energy includes positioning a sensing device at a surface associated with the component.

8. The method of claim 2, wherein said analyzing includes predicting at least one of an additional system condition and a location of the component at which cavitation impact will occur.

9. The method of claim 8, further including modifying at least one of a design of the component, a material of the component, and an operation of the component.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein said sensing includes sensing energy levels while varying the system condition..

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the system condition includes at least one of valve position, fluid flow, fluid pressure, and power.

12. A system of analyzing cavitation in a component, comprising:

at least one sensing device associated with the component, the sensing device being configured to sense an energy level of an object;

a controller configured to establish an energy level associated with a system condition of the component in response to said sensed energy levels and to analyze cavitation in response to said energy level.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the controller is further configured to determine an energy level associated with cavitation impact on a surface of the component.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the controller is further configured to determine when a cavitation region impacts a surface associated with the component.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the controller is further configured to determine the system condition at time of impact.

16. The system of claim 13, wherein the controller is further configured to establish a normal range of energy levels associated with the system condition of the component, and to determine when the sensed energy increases to a level significantly outside the normal range.

17. The system of claim 13, wherein the controller is further configured to determine a position of impact based on the energy level and the system condition.

18. The system of claim 13, wherein the controller is further configured to predict at least one of an additional system condition and a location of the component at which cavitation impact will occur.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein at least one of a design of the component, a material of the component, and an operation of the component is modified based on output of the controller.

20. The system of claim 13, wherein the system condition includes at least one of valve position, fluid flow, fluid pressure, and power.

21. A method of designing a component, the method comprising:

establishing an initial design for the component;

determining a system condition at which a cavitation region impacts a surface of the component; and

identifying at least one location of potential impact of cavitation regions with a surface of the component.

22. The method of claim 21, further including determining a cavitation signature for the component.

23. The method of claim 21, further including modifying the initial design based on the identified locations of potential cavitation impact.

25. The method of claim 22, further including determining desirable operating conditions for the component based on the system condition associated with said impacting.

24. A method of analyzing cavitation associated with a component, comprising:

determining a cavitation signature for the component; and

determining at least one system condition associated with a cavitation region impacting a surface of the component.

26. A method of designing a component, comprising determining an effect of cavitation impact on a component;

determining a cost of strengthening the component to withstand said cavitation impact;

determining component design options; and

determining a desirable component design based on at least one of said cost of strengthening and said design options.

27. The method of claim 26, further including determining a cost of at least one of warranty and maintenance of the component design.

28. The method of claim 26, further including determining an impact of limiting system conditions of the component.