Investigation of anatomy of an abrasive waterjet

The study was concerned with the distribution of abrasive particles within an abrasive water jet. Three independent experimental techniques were utilized in this study. High frequency filming (10,000 frames per second) was used to visualize particle motion. A copper vapor laser was employed as the source of the light to make the motion of the particles visible. Another experimental technique involved the investigation of erosion of a polished surface of a stainless steel plate subjected to the impingement of the moving jet. The topography of the eroded surface was examined by SEM and optical microscope. Particle distribution was also studied by collecting the central portion of the jet using different diameters of diamond washers. The results of the experiments have shown that particles in the jet are distributed randomly and emitted in intermittent clusters.