Metallurgy and Mining: Terms and Concepts

The Oxford Companion to Ships and the Sea A Dictionary of Earth Sciences Further reading

cavitation

The Oxford Companion to Ships and the Sea | 2006 | Copyright

cavitation is the loss of effective propeller thrust. It is caused by the impact of water against the propeller when vacuum pockets collapse. The vacuum pockets form when the propeller blade moves too quickly for the surrounding water to fill effectively the space left by the blade as it rotates. It can be caused by a propeller being too small, or too near the surface for the head of water pressure to supply a solid stream for the propeller to work in, by poor streamlining of the blades or of the after run of the hull form, or by too thick a leading blade on the propeller itself. The head of water is the pressure which forces the water into the propeller blades, and amounts to normal atmospheric pressure plus 0.434 lb per sq. in. for every foot below the surface that the propeller is submerged. The effect of cavitation, besides loss of thrust, is heavy vibration of the ship and damage to the propeller blades.

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cavitation

A Dictionary of Earth Sciences | 1999 | | Copyright

cavitation The collapse of a region because it is at a lower pressure than the ambient environment. The collapse of a gas bubble, in water, causes an implosion that may be detectable as a seismic energy source. If the hydrostatic pressure in a rock exceeds the hydrostatic pressure of the drilling fluid, this can cause a collapse of the walls around the hole, or a ‘blow-out’ of the drill stem. Erosion by cavitation occurs in waterfalls, rapids, and subglacial river channels, and can produce pot-holes.

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AILSA ALLABY and MICHAEL ALLABY. "cavitation." A Dictionary of Earth Sciences. 1999. Encyclopedia.com. 31 May. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>.

AILSA ALLABY and MICHAEL ALLABY. "cavitation." A Dictionary of Earth Sciences. 1999. Encyclopedia.com. (May 31, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O13-cavitation.html

AILSA ALLABY and MICHAEL ALLABY. "cavitation." A Dictionary of Earth Sciences. 1999. Retrieved May 31, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O13-cavitation.html

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Free newspaper and magazine articles

	Cavitation Erosion Of Cylinder Liners And How To Eliminate It. Magazine article from: Pipeline & Gas Journal; 3/1/1999
	Cavitation-induced rupture in high-density polyethylene copolymers.(Report) Magazine article from: Polymer Engineering and Science; 5/11/2012
	Cavitation and aeration.(Brief Article) Magazine article from: Outdoor Power Equipment; 8/1/1999