Influence of abrasive hardness on erosion wear of abrasive air jets

Abstract

To make clear the influence of abrasive hardness on the erosion effect, the erosion experiments of abrasive air jet with the same impact energy were carried out. The influence of abrasive hardness on the erosion effect is clarified by comparing the different erosion depths. The main conclusions are as follows. Under the same mass flow rate and mesh number, the abrasive with a higher density needs greater pressure irrespective of hardness. After erosion damage, the abrasive size exhibits a Weibull distribution. The shape parameter β and Weibull distribution function of four types of abrasives are derived by the least squares method; moreover, β is found to have a quadratic relation with abrasive hardness. The results of the erosion experiments show that abrasive hardness and erosion depth are quadratically related. By calculating the increase in surface energy after abrasive erosion crushing, it is found that abrasive hardness has a quadratic relation with surface energy and that the increases in erosion depth and surface energy consumption are basically identical. In conclusion, the effect is a soft abrasive impact when the ratio of abrasive hardness (Ha) to the material hardness (Hm) is 3.