Numerical Investigation of Cavitating Flow in a Diesel Injector Control Valve Using Large-Eddy Simulation and Different Cavitation Models

Cavitation flow inside an injector control valve significantly affects the injection performance and operational reliability of diesel engines, and the selection of turbulence and cavitation models is crucial for accurately predicting cavitating flows. To evaluate the predictive performance of different model combinations, a numerical model was established based on the Winklhofer microchannel experiment. Three large eddy simulation (LES) subgrid-scale (SGS) models were coupled with three cavitation models, and their performance was assessed by comparing the predicted outlet mass flow rate, centerline pressure distribution, and cavitation distribution with the experimental results. The results show that the outlet mass flow rate increases with the inlet–outlet pressure difference. When the pressure difference reaches approximately 70 bar, the growth rate decreases significantly, indicating the onset of typical cavitation-induced flow choking. Under low pressure differences, the prediction results of different model combinations are generally similar, whereas significant discrepancies are observed under high-pressure-difference conditions with intense cavitation. In terms of mass flow rate prediction, the Dynamic Smagorinsky + FRP model combination shows the best agreement with the experimental results in the pressure difference range of 70–85 bar, with an error of 3.06%. For pressure distribution prediction, the Dynamic Smagorinsky + FRP and Smagorinsky + FRP model combinations exhibit relatively smaller errors than the other combinations. The cavitation distribution results indicate that, compared with the LES subgrid-scale model, the cavitation model has a more pronounced influence on the extent and evolution of the cavitation region. Overall, the Dynamic Smagorinsky + FRP model demonstrates the best comprehensive predictive performance. Furthermore, this model was applied to the simulation of cavitating flow in a two-dimensional injector control valve, and the predicted results agree well with the visualization experiments. The present study provides a useful reference for the numerical simulation and structural optimization of cavitating flows in injector control valves.