STUDY OF CAVITATION EROSION RESISTANCE OF DIFFERENT MATERIALS USING ASTM G134

Abstract

The project undertakes the study of a Cavitation Jet Erosion Test-rig& study of cavitation erosion resistance of turbine blade material (13Cr4Ni). Cavitation is a well-known industrial problem eating up tons of material every year. The only major available test method to estimate the cavitation erosion uses a Vibratory Apparatus (ASTM G32). However, all the cavitation behaviors can’t be simulated through the ultrasonic vibratory apparatus. To overcome such shortcomings of G-32, the submerged cavitating jet apparatus has been developed as guided by ASTM G-134, where the jet impinges upon a stationary specimen, also submerged, causing cavitation bubbles to collapse on that specimen and thereby to erode it. Both upstream pressure and jet velocity can be independently controlled to simulate various cavitating behaviors that occur in practice. The work comprises the study of the test setup, with subsequent study of cavitation behavior of turbine blade material (13Cr4Ni). The setup not just helps in understanding and analyzing the effect of various parameters on cavitation behavior, but also facilitates the testing and therefore development of new cavitation erosion resistant materials.