Basic Study of Coupled Damage Caused by Silt Abrasion and Cavitation Erosion : Experiments with Submerged Water Jets

Abstract

Damage due to the coupled action of cavitation erosion and silt abrasion, in which artificial silt (Al2O3) was included, was experimentally studied using submerged jets. The magnitudes of the acoustic emission energy, impact pressure and material damage rate caused by the cavitating jet impingement were greater than those caused by the noncavitating one. Good correlations between the above three erosion intensity parameters were also confirmed. The SEM photographs of damaged surfaces showed that the edge of the abrasion trace was partially broken into pieces by cavitation. The material surface was smoother and the abrasion pattern was changed compared to that of pure abrasion.