Issues of technological processes’ intensification and increase of technological equipment efficiency are of priority value in the modern engineering. Application of various methods of hydrodynamic drag on the working fluids in rotary-wheel machines allows increasing of processing efficiency to receive finely-dispersed homogeneous mixtures with necessary characteristics. In this article the issues, connected with the liquid flows' formation in the working zone of rotary-cavitating activator are studied and the main principles of energy impact while the usage of rotor with radial channels, supplied with the elements for receiving cavitating effects, are defined. Based on the offered methodology, experimental research was conducted and calculations of the main indexes, defining efficiency of energy impact on the working medium, were held. The substantiated estimation of efficiency of hydrodynamic machines work according to the dissipative power that allows to choose the proportion of hydrodynamic settings, which provide the highest intensity of cavitating processing of processed liquids, was presented. The practical value of the research is in the studying of ways of increasing of equipment efficiency through the possibility of technological process intensification.