Kaviterade

Kaviterade is the Swedish term for having undergone cavitation. It is used as an adjective or past participle to describe liquids, zones, or components that have experienced cavitation, a phenomenon in fluids where vapor-filled cavities form and collapse. In technical contexts, kaviterade conditions often indicate that cavitation-related processes or damage have occurred.

Cavitation arises when local fluid pressures fall below the liquid’s vapor pressure, causing microscopic bubbles to form. These bubbles can grow, then violently collapse as the surrounding pressure increases, releasing energy in the form of shock waves and heat. This can produce noise, vibration, and erosion of materials, particularly on surfaces exposed to high-velocity flow, such as pump impellers, propeller blades, valves, and ultrasonic instruments.

Kaviterade scenarios are common in hydraulic and mechanical systems operating at high speed or under partial suction, and in dense ultrasonic fields used for cleaning or processing. The presence of cavitation can lead to reduced efficiency, structural damage, and shortened component lifetimes if left unmitigated.

Mitigation strategies focus on avoiding low-pressure regions, using cavitation-resistant materials, and optimizing geometry and operating conditions. Methods include increasing net positive suction head, redesigning components to minimize pressure dips, degassing fluids, applying anti-cavitation devices, and adjusting operating frequency or power in ultrasonic applications.

Etymology: the word derives from cavitation, with the Swedish verb kavitera forming kaviterade in past tense, and the associated adjective kaviterad.