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Observations of cavitation erosion pit formation
Matevž Dular1, Olivier Coutier Delgosha, Martin Petkovšek
1Laboratory for Water and Turbine Machines, University of Ljubljana, Askerceva 6, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia. matevz.dular@fs.uni-lj.si
Ultrasonics Sonochemistry
|February 14, 2013
Summary
A single cavitation pit can form from multiple erosion events, contrary to previous beliefs. This study reveals that larger pits result from overlapping impacts, challenging comparisons across different cavitation erosion setups.
Area of Science:
- Materials Science
- Fluid Dynamics
- Acoustics
Background:
- Previous research indicated one cavitation bubble collapse creates multiple erosion pits.
- Preliminary findings suggested a single pit can arise from multiple cavitation events.
- This study investigates the formation of single pits from multiple cavitation events.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the phenomenon where a single cavitation pit results from multiple cavitation events.
- To analyze the erosion effects of ultrasonic cavitation on thin aluminum foil.
- To reconstruct the time evolution of pit formation and understand the underlying physics.
Main Methods:
- High-speed cameras (>1000 fps) were used to observe pit formation.
- Stereoscopy and the shape from shading method were employed for quantitative image evaluation.
- Reconstruction of pit shape evolution over time was achieved.
Main Results:
- Thin aluminum foil deforms multiple times before puncturing.
- Larger single pits are formed by cumulative shock wave impacts on the same area, essentially overlapping pit clusters.
- Cavitation erosion physics is influenced by cavitation generation method and specimen characteristics.
Conclusions:
- A thin foil under cavitation behaves like a membrane.
- Comparing cavitation resistance data across different experimental setups is questionable due to varying factors.
- Advancements in the shape from shading method can improve cavitation erosion model evaluation.
