A Diffuse Interface Model for Cavitation, Taking Into Account Capillary Forces

ABSTRACT We consider the moving least squares method to solve compressible two‐phase water‐water vapor flow with surface tension. A diffuse interface model based on the Navier–Stokes and Korteweg equations is coupled with a suitable system of state equations that allows for a more realistic estimation of the pressure jump across the liquid–vapor interface as a function of temperature. We propose a simple formulation for computing the capillarity coefficient based on the surface tension and the thickness of the diffuse interface. A convergence analysis using pressure jump in the test case of static bubble is conducted to verify our solver. We present several numerical test cases that illustrate the ability of our model to reproduce qualitatively and quantitatively the effects of surface tension on cavitation bubbles in general situations.