Erosion characteristics and mechanisms of different particle sizes under the synergy effect of cavitation and particle erosion

Particle erosion, particularly the mechanism whereby erosion occurs under the synergy of cavitation and particle impact, is a critical area of research in hydraulic machinery. This study investigates the influence of particle size on the erosion characteristics under the synergistic action of cavitation and particle erosion through turntable erosion experiments and numerical simulations. The findings indicate that cutting erosion is dominant under these combined conditions, with a clear overlap between high-erosion-rate regions and high-speed-impact areas. For particle sizes ranging from 0.2–0.6 mm, the maximum erosion rate increases significantly. When the particles are larger than 0.6 mm, smaller-diameter particles correspond to higher impact angles, while larger-diameter particles encounter lower impact angles due to their increased inertia. Moreover, cavitation greatly influences the movement and acceleration of the particles, especially as the angle of the cavitation inducer increases, leading to a marked rise in acceleration. This study enhances the understanding of particle erosion under cavitation conditions, underscores the crucial role of cavitation in the erosion mechanism, and provides a theoretical foundation for optimizing erosion performance and guiding future research directions.