What is Cavitation in swimming pool terms?
Cavitation is a physical process which can result when a liquid undergoes rapid changes in high and low pressure. The dramatic change in pressure causes the liquid to exert extreme forces on the surrounding materials, thus causing the formation of small cavities on the material surface.
In the process of cavitation, two steps are primarily involved. First, the a local low pressure is formed in the liquid, often from a non-laminate or turbulent liquid flow. Bubbles are then created, as the liquid turns to steam from the low pressure. If this occurs on the surface of a solid object, the pressure change can slowly remove small amounts of surface material over time. The result is small cavities on the surfaces repeatedly exposed to this condition.
For swimming pools, damage to pool equipment and other devices exposed to flowing water can result. The pool pump is especially at risk, as transient surface stress occurs inside the pump impeller and surrounding valves and piping. Small bubbles in the outlet of the pump may be seen, along with a generally noisier pump operation. Left unfixed, the cavitation can weaken internal pump components to the point of complete pump failure.
[sc:ad_middle]Avoiding cavitation is best done by properly sizing pool equipment when the pool is installed, making sure water flows as easily as possible. Repairing damaged parts caused by cavitation usually instead have to be replaced. Swimming pool technicians with experience in swimming pool equipment sizing are the best resources for determining pool equipment size requirements.
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