The design of reciprocating pumps for the chemical industry requires a detailed knowledge of the apparent phenomena such as undesirable pipe pulsation and harmful cavitation. Since the detailed understanding of the entire mechanism is rather limited, emphasis will be put on the verification of a fluid-dynamic cavitation model for reciprocating positive displacement pumps. This model was established by means of particle image velocimetry (PIV) measurements carried out at a repetition rate of 2?kHz. The PIV results indicate that the fluid-dynamic cavitation model corresponds with the physical reality. While common practice dictates that cavitation should be prevented at all times, the proposed model offers a great opportunity for manufacturers to predict a limit for the extent of occurring cavitation.