Flow Field Analysis Inside and at the Outlet of the Abrasive Head

This paper focuses on the investigation of a multiphase flow of water, air, and abrasive particles inside and at the outlet of the abrasive head with the help of computational fluid dynamics calculations and measurements. A standard abrasive head with a water nozzle hole diameter of 0.33 mm (0.013”) and an abrasive nozzle cylindrical hole diameter of 1.02 mm (0.04”) were used for numerical modelling and practical testing. The computed tomography provided an exact 3D geometrical model of the cutting head that was used for the creation of the model. Velocity fields of abrasive particles at the outlet of the abrasive head were measured and analysed using particle tracking velocimetry and, consequently, compared with the calculated results. The calculation model took the distribution of the abrasive particle diameters with the help of the Rosin-Rammler function in intervals of diameters from 150 to 400 mm. In the present study, four levels of water pressure (105, 194, 302, 406 MPa) and four levels of abrasive mass flow rate (100, 200, 300, 400 kg/min) were combined. The values of water pressures and hydraulic powers measured at the abrasive head inlet were used as boundary conditions for numerical modelling. The hydraulic characteristics of the water jet were created from the measured and calculated data. The calculated pressure distribution in the cylindrical part of the abrasive nozzle was compared with studies by other authors. The details of the experiments and calculations are presented in this paper.