Erosion due to Premixed Abrasive Water Jet Under Submerged Condition

Abstract

It has been shown that the premixed abrasive water jet system, in which an abrasive suspension jet is formed by propelling a premixed abrasive suspension through a nozzle, has a greater capacity for drilling and cutting than the conventional abrasive water jet system. In the present investigation, an apparatus of the premixed abrasive water jet system was constructed for experimental purposes, and the erosion characteristics under submerged conditions were studied. The maximum jetting pressure was 20 MPa. The pressure in the test cell was varied up to 1 MPa. The erosion tests with the cavitating water jet and the submerged abrasive jet were conducted. It is found that the mass loss and the erosion pit depth when using the submerged abrasive jet decrease with increasing stand-off distance and pressure in the test cell. The erosion characteristics due to the submerged abrasive jet is affected greatly by the cavitation phenomenon. © 1993, The Japan Society of Mechanical Engineers. All rights reserved.