Volume expansion for cavitation reduction in a gear pump mesh

A gear pump comprising:

• a first gear having (i) a gear tooth profile, (ii) a first body, (iii) a first plurality of involute gear teeth extending radially outward from the first body and including first and second neighboring gear teeth each having a respective tip and a root, the first and second neighboring gear teeth defining a space between them, and (iv) a root pocket formed directly into the roots of the first gear teeth and in the space between the first gear teeth, providing an increased gear root volume and adding trapped fluid compliance while leaving unaltered the gear tooth profile;
• a second gear being configured to mesh with the first gear in a mesh zone that defines a gear mesh volume that is increased by the root pocket and having a second body and a second plurality of involute gear teeth extending radially outward from the second body;
• a first gear bearing and a second gear bearing configured to position the first gear and the second gear along a bearing center line, wherein the root pocket does not extend into either the first or the second gear bearing;
• and
• a housing having a fluid inlet and a fluid outlet and in which are disposed the first gear, the second gear, first gear bearing, and the second gear bearing.