High-Speed Microprocessor-Based Optical Instrumentation for the Detection and Analysis of Hydrodynamic Cavitation Downstream of an Additively Manufactured Nozzle
Year: 2026
Type: article
Abstract: This study presents the development and validation of a high-speed optical data acquisition system for detecting and characterizing hydrodynamic cavitation downstream of a triangular nozzle. The system integrates a PIN photodiode, a transimpedance amplifier, and a high-sampling-rate microcontroller. Its performance was first evaluated using controlled sinusoidal signals, and statistical stability was assessed as a function of the number of acquired samples. Experiments were subsequently conducted in a converging–diverging conduit under biphasic flow conditions, where mean irradiance, standard deviation, and frequency spectra were analyzed downstream of the nozzle. The optical signal distributions revealed transitions in flow behavior associated with cavitation development, which were quantified through statistical metrics and spectral features. The Strouhal number was estimated from dominant frequencies extracted from the spectra, exhibiting a non-monotonic dependence on the Reynolds number, consistent with changes in flow structure and turbulence intensity. Spectral analysis further indicated frequency bands associated with energy transfer across turbulent scales and bubble dynamics. Overall, the results demonstrate that the proposed optical system constitutes a viable and non-intrusive methodology for detecting and characterizing cavitation intensity in a way that complements other optical and acoustic methods.
Source: Fluids
Authors: Luís Gustavo Macêdo West, André Jackson Ramos Simões, Leandro do Rozário Teixeira, Lucas Ramalho Oliveira, Juliane Grasiela de Carvalho Gomes, Igor Silva Moreira dos Anjos, Antonio Samuel Bacelar de Freitas Devesa, Leonardo Rafael Teixeira Cotrim Gomes, Lucas Gomes Pereira, Iran Eduardo Lima Neto, Júlio Cesar de Souza Inácio Gonçalves, Luiz Carlos Simões Soares Junior, Germano Pinto Guedes, Geydison Gonzaga Demetino, Marcus Vinícius Santos da Silva, Vitor Leão Filardi, Vitor Pinheiro Ferreira, André Luiz Andrade Simões, Luciano Matos Queiroz, Iuri Muniz Pepe
Language: English
Subfield: Mechanics of Materials
Field: Engineering
Domain: Physical Sciences
Open Access status: gold
Estimated APC paid: $2,172
OpenAlex ID: W7123839871