Abstract

Evolution of small deformations of the sphericity of a cavitation bubble under its strong compression in water is studied. The liquid pressure oscillation amplitude is 15 bar. A mathematical model is used, in which the motion of vapor and liquid is split into the spherical component and its small non-spherical perturbation. The spherical component is governed by the gas dynamics equations realistic wide-range equations of state by Nigmatulin and Bolotnova. Non-stationary thermal conductivity in vapor and liquid, non-equilibrium evaporation/condensation processes at the interphase boundary are taken into account. The non-spherical component is described without taking into account the effect of liquid compressibility and the inhomogeneity of the vapor. This allows one to govern the evolution of the non-spherical component by ordinary differential equations of the second order. It has been found that the amplitude of small initial distortions of the bubble sphericity can increase during its compression by no more than 320 times.