Numerical and Experimental Studies of Cavitation Damage Characteristics of 17-4PH Stainless Steel Under Array Groove Structure

Abstract Cavitation erosion caused by bubble collapse due to pressure fluctuations is a common phenomenon in critical components such as steam turbines, centrifugal pumps, ship propellers, turbine blades, valves, and engine cylinder liners. This process results in the formation of erosion pits on the surface, which not only affects the normal operational efficiency of these components but, in severe cases, jeopardizes their reliability and service life. As a result, the study of cavitation mechanisms and protective strategies has become a critical issue that needs to be addressed in the design of flow-passing components. Based on the excellent anti-cavitation erosion characteristics of arrayed texture structures, this study aims to investigate the cavitation erosion resistance mechanism of 17-4PH stainless steel with surface arrayed groove structures under ultrasonic vibration while assessing groove width and groove spacing effects. The mixture multiphase flow model and the Schnerr–Sauer mass transfer model are employed for numerical simulations to simulate the cavity formation and collapse process, which are then validated by experimental results. The prediction accuracy for the period is 99.5%, and the pressure peak prediction accuracy is 87%. The results show that within a single groove period (P), the side of groove spacing (W) away from the sample center experiences greater damage, while the side closer to the center is protected by the fluid flow, resulting in less damage. A comparison of the experimental mass loss data and the numerical simulation results of the liquid mass flowrate reveals a strong positive correlation between the cumulative mass loss of the groove samples and the mass flowrate on the groove surface. The specimen shows the optimal cavitation erosion resistance when the ratio of groove width (L) to groove spacing (W) is 1 and the groove period is 800 μm. This study provides a theoretical foundation and technical support for further optimization of material surface structure design and enhancement of cavitation resistance.