Effect of low-speed waterjet pressure on the rock-breaking performance of unsubmerged cavitating abrasive waterjet

Unsubmerged cavitating abrasive waterjet(UCAWJ)has been shown to artificially create a submerged environment that produces shear cavitation,which effectively enhances rock-breaking performance.The shear cavitation generation and collapse intensity depend on the pressure difference between the intermediate high-speed abrasive waterjet and the coaxial low-speed waterjet.However,the effect of the pressure of the coaxial low-speed waterjet is pending.For this purpose,the effect of low-speed waterjet pressure on rock-breaking performance at different standoff distances was experimentally investigated,and the effects of erosion time and ruby nozzle diameter on erosion performance were discussed.Finally,the micromorphology of the sandstone was observed at different locations.The results show that increased erosion time and ruby nozzle diameter can significantly improve the rock-breaking performance.At different standoff distances,the mass loss increases first and then decreases with the increase of low-speed waterjet pressure,the maximum mass loss is 10.4 g at a low-speed waterjet pressure of0.09 MPa.The surface morphology of cavitation erosion was measured using a 3D profiler,the increase in both erosion depth and surface roughness indicated a significant increase in the intensity of the shear cavitation collapse.At a low-speed waterjet pressure of 0.18 MPa,the cavitation erosion surface depth can reach 600μm with a roughness of 127μm.

Abrasive WaterJet Machining of Thick Carrara Marble: Cutting Performance vs. Profile, Lagging and WaterJet Angle Assessments

This paper deals with an assessment of the machined surface created by abrasive waterjet technology regarding its cutting performance versus profile, lagging and waterjet angle assessments. The results of the experiments presented in this study are with regard to Carrara marble. The machined surfaces were measured in seven different locations across a 40 mm depth of cut by a high precision contact-type profilometer and thus assessed using the standardized amplitude parameters of the profile distribution. The lagging and waterjet angle were also evaluated by creating a digital photo of the machined surface together with a reference gauge. The existence of machining marks on the machined surface has been mostly noticeable in the bottom zone around ~20 mm depth of cut down to jet exit. This investigation leads to a conclusion that, stand-off distance and traverse rate play the roles of the utmost importance in considerations of the machined surface quality in contrast to abrasive mass flow rate. In addition, while the striation zone (rough surface) cannot be eliminated entirely, by selecting proper process parameters, a smooth cutting machined surface can be accomplished.

Abrasive Waterjet Machining Simulation by Coupling Smoothed Particle Hydrodynamics /Finite Element Method

In dealing with abrasive waterjet machining（AWJM） simulation,most literatures apply finite element method（FEM） to build pure waterjet models or single abrasive particle erosion models.To overcome the mesh distortion caused by large deformation using FEM and to consider the effects of both water and abrasive,the smoothed particle hydrodynamics（SPH） coupled FEM modeling for AWJM simulation is presented,in which the abrasive waterjet is modeled by SPH particles and the target material is modeled by FEM.The two parts interact through contact algorithm.Utilizing this model,abrasive waterjet with high velocity penetrating the target materials is simulated and the mechanism of erosion is depicted.The relationships between the depth of penetration and jet parameters,including water pressure and traverse speed,etc,are analyzed based on the simulation.The simulation results agree well with the existed experimental data.The mixing multi-materials SPH particles,which contain abrasive and water,are adopted by means of the randomized algorithm and material model for the abrasive is presented.The study will not only provide a new powerful tool for the simulation of abrasive waterjet machining,but also be beneficial to understand its cutting mechanism and optimize the operating parameters.

THE EROSIVE PROCESS IN ABRASIVE WATERJET CUTTING OF POLYMER MATRIX COMPOSITES

A study is carried out which analyzes the machinability of polymer matrix composites under an abrasive waterjet (AWJ) and the associated erosive process or mechanism. It shows that AWJ cutting can produce good quality kerf at high production rate if the cutting parameters are properly selected. A scanning electron microscopy (SEM) analysis of the cut surfaces reveals that the erosive process for the matrix material (resin) involves shearing and ploughing as well as intergranular cracking, while shearing is a dominant process for cutting the fibres in the upper cutting region but the fibers are mostly pulled out in the lower region.

Longhole waterjet rotary cutting for in-seam cross panel methane drainage

In order to improve the efficiency of gas drainage before and during longwall extraction,a waterjet rotary cutting system has been developed for in-seam cross panel methane drainage.The purpose of the water rotary cutting system developed was to create artificial fractures along the gas drainage boreholes.During the design of the system,it was perceived that the nozzle geometry is one of the key factors,affecting cutting capacity.Therefore,we studied the structural and geometric parameters of the nozzle and optimized its performance during laboratory tests and numerical simulation.Underground trials conducted in a coal mine,indicate that production of gas drainage before and after cutting significantly increased by up to three times.The advantages of waterjet assisted gas drainage method has been identified as:1) increasing gas drainage efficiency,2) a possible development of a gas drainage fractured network within coal seams associated with panel extraction,and 3) reducing the risk of exceeding gas limits during longwalling.

Universal Method for the Prediction of Abrasive Waterjet Performance in Mining

Abrasive waterjets （AWJs） can be used in extreme mining conditions for hard rock destruction, due to their ability to effectively cut difficult-to-machine materials with an absence of dust formation. They can also be used for explosion, intrinsic, and fire safety. Every destructible material can be considered as either ductile or brittle in terms of its fracture mechanics. Thus, there is a need for a method to predict the efficiency of cutting with AWJs that is highly accurate irrespective of material. This problem can be solved using the energy conservation approach, which states the proportionality between the material removal volume and the kinetic energy of AWJs. This paper describes a method based on this approach, along with recommendations on reaching the most effective level of destruction. Recommendations are provided regarding rational ranges of values for the relation of abrasive flow rate to water flow rate, standoff distance, and size of abrasive particles. I also provide a parameter to establish the threshold conditions for a material＇s destruction initiation based on the temporary-structural approach of fracture mechanics.

Effects of Area Discontinuity at Nozzle Inlet on the Characteristics of Self-resonating Cavitating Waterjet

The current research on self-resonating cavitating waterjet（SRCW） mainly focuses on the generation mechanism and structure optimization.Researches relating to the influences of disturbances at nozzle inlet on the characteristics of the jet are rarely available.In order to further improve the performance of SRCW,effects of area discontinuity（enlargement and contraction） are experimentally investigated using three organ-pipe nozzles.Axial pressure oscillation peak and amplitude as well as aggressive erosion intensity of the jet are used to evaluate the effects.The results reveal that area enlargement and contraction affect the peak differently,depending on the inlet pressure,nozzle geometry,and standoff distance;while area contraction always improves the amplitude regardless of these factors.At inlet pressures of 10 MPa and 20 MPa,area discontinuity improves the peak at almost all the testing standoff distances,while this only happens at smaller standoff distances with the inlet pressure increased to 30 MPa.The capability of area discontinuity for improving the amplitude is enhancing with increasing inlet pressure.Moreover,the cavitation erosion ability of the jet can be largely enhanced around the optimum standoff distance,depending on the type of area discontinuity and nozzle geometry.A preliminary analysis of the influence of area discontinuity on the disturbance waves in the flow is also performed.The proposed research provides a new method for effectively enhancing the performance of SRCW.

CFD analysis and field observation of tool erosion caused by abrasive waterjet fracturing

Abrasive waterjet(AWJ)fracturing has become an accepted horizontal multistage stimulation technique due to its flexibility and high efficiency of extensive fracture placement.The downhole tool failure of AWJ fracturing becomes an issue in the massive hydraulic fracturing because of high velocity and proppant erosion.This paper proposed a 3D computational fluid dynamics(CFD)-based erosion model by considering high-velocity waterjet impact,proppant shear erosion,and specific inner structure of hydra-jet tool body.The discrete phase approach was used to track the proppant transport and its concentration distribution.Field observation provides strong evidence of erosion patterns and mechanisms obtained from CFD simulation.The results show that the erosion rate has a space dependence in the inner wall of the tool body.The severe erosion areas are primarily located at the entries of the nozzle.Evident erosion patterns are found including a‘Rabbit’s ear’erosion at the upper-layer nozzles and a half bottom loop erosion at the lower-layer nozzles.Erosion mechanisms attribute to high flow velocity at the entry of nozzles and the inertia force of proppant.Sensitivity analysis demonstrates that the pumping rate is a primary factor contributing to erosion intensity.

Application of the fractal theory for evaluating effects of coal comminution by waterjet

Comminution of coal to ultrafine sizes by high-pressure waterjet provides a novel method for preparation of coal-water fuels for next generation,near-zero emission electric power generation.The particle size distribution(PSD)of ground coal is a key parameter in the preparation of slurries as it determines the settling behavior of the particles and viscosity of the coal-water mixture.There are several methods available for representation and evaluation of particle size analysis data.However,fractal theory provides a means by which the entire PSD of comminuted materials can be quantified by using of a specific and exact value.In this paper,a volume-based fractal model was deduced to characterize the PSD of the coal which is ground in a specially designed comminution cell.During the size reduction process,the inlet pressures up to 276 MPa were used.

Gas drainage efficiency improvement by increasing coalbed permeability using waterjet cutting system

This paper presented a method to create artificial fractures along the existing gas drainage borehole and increase the permeability of the coalbed using a high pressure waterjet cutting system.The field work conducted in Rujigou Colliery, Shenhua Ningxia Coal Group demonstrate that the coalbed permeability is increased, and accordingly, gas drainage efficiency is improved up to 3 to 6 times over the traditional methods using high pressure waterjet technique.Also, based on the monitoring data, the conceptual model for gas drainage process associated with different mining activities has been proposed, and few major advantages using waterjet assistance method have been identified.

Rock breaking performance of the newly proposed unsubmerged cavitating abrasive waterjet

To improve the rock breaking ability, cavitating waterjet and abrasive waterjet are combined by using a coaxial low-speed waterjet generated around the periphery of a high-speed abrasive waterjet, and a new type of waterjet called unsubmerged cavitating abrasive waterjet(UCAWJ) is thus produced. The rock breaking performance of UCAWJ was compared with submerged cavitating abrasive waterjet(SCAWJ)and unsubmerged abrasive waterjet(UAWJ) by impinging sandstone specimens. Moreover, the effects of jet pressure, standoff distance, abrasive flow rate and concentration were studied by evaluating the specific energy consumption, and the area, depth, and mass loss of the eroded specimen. The results show that the artificially generated submerged environment in UCAWJ is able to enhance the rock breaking performance under the same operating parameters. Furthermore, the rock breaking performance of UCAWJ is much better at higher jet pressures and smaller standoff distances when compared with UAWJ. The greatest rock breaking ability of UCAWJ appears at jet pressure of 50 MPa and standoff distance of 32 mm, with the mass loss of sandstone increased by 370.6% and the energy dissipation decreased by 75.8%. In addition, under the experimental conditions the optimal abrasive flow rate and concentration are 76.5 m L/min and 3%, respectively.

Characteristics of Oscillation in Cavity of Helmholtz Nozzle Generating Self‑excited Pulsed Waterjet

Cavity flow oscillations in the axisymmetric cavity are critical to the operating efficiency of self-excited pulsed waterjets,which are widely employed in many practical applications.In this study,the behaviors of a turbulent flow in axisymmetric cavities causing cavity flow oscillations are investigated based on wall pressure characteristics.Experiments are performed using four Helmholtz nozzles with varying length-to-radius ratios at flow velocities of 20–80 m/s.Three orders of hydrodynamic modes in axisymmetric cavity are obtained through the spectral analysis of wall pressure.Based on the experimental results,the empirical coefficient of Rossiter’s formula is modified,and the values of the parameter phase lag and the ratio of convection velocity to free stream velocity are obtained as 0.061 and 0.511,respectively.In addition,the spectral peak with a relatively constant frequency shows that the flow-acoustic resonance is excited significantly.A modified model is introduced based on the fluidic networks to predict the lockon frequency.The results obtained can provide a basis for the structural optimization of the nozzle to improve the performance of self-excited pulsed waterjets.

A review on the erosion mechanisms in abrasive waterjet micromachining of brittle materials

The fabrication of miniature structures on components with high-integrity surface quality represents one of the cutting edge technologies in the 21st century.The materials used to construct such small structures are often difficult-to-machine.Many other readily available technologies either cannot realise necessary precision or are costly.Abrasive waterjet(AWJ)is a favourable technology for the machining of difficult-to-machine materials.However,this technology is generally aimed at large stock removal.A reduction in the scale of this technology is an attractive avenue for meeting the pressing need of industry in the production of damage-free micro features.This paper reviews some of the work that has been undertaken at UNSW Sydney about the development of such an AWJ technology,focusing on the system design currently employed to generate a micro abrasive jet,the erosion mechanisms associated with processing some typical brittle materials of both single-and two-phased.Processing models based on the findings are also presented.The review concludes on the viability of the technology and the prevailing trend in its development.

Impact characteristics and stagnation formation on a solid surface by a supersonic abrasive waterjet

A computational fluid dynamics(CFD)study of the impact characteristics and stagnation formation on a solid target surface by an abrasive waterjet at supersonic velocities is presented to understand the impact process.A CFD model is developed and verified by experimental water and particle velocities and then used to simulate the jet impact process.The trends of the stagnation formation and its effect on the jet flow with respect to the jetting and impacting parameters are amply discussed.It is found that stagnation formation at the impact site increases with an increase in the impact time,nozzle standoff distance and nozzle diameter,while the initial peak velocity at the nozzle exit has little effect on the size of the stagnation zone.It is shown that stagnation markedly changes the water and particle flow direction,so that the particle impact angle is varied and the jet impact area is enlarged.The jet structure may be classified to have a free jet flow region,a jet deflection region with a stagnation zone and a wall jet region.Furthermore,the stagnation affects significantly the waterjet and particle energy transferred to the target surface.The average particle velocity across the jet is reduced by approximately one third due to the damping effect of the stagnation under the conditions considered in this study.

Experiments and computer simulation analysis of impact behaviors of micro-sized abrasive in waterjet cutting of thin multiple layered materials

The abrasive waterjet (AWJ) is now widely used in the advanced cutting processes of polymers,metals,glass,ceramics and composite materials like thin multiple-layered material (TMM).Various research and development efforts have recently been made to understand the science of AWJ.However,the interaction mechanism between a workpiece and high-velocity abrasive particles still remains a complicated problem.In this work,the material removal mechanisms of AWJ such as micro penetration and micro dent were experimentally investigated.In addition,a new computer simulation model considering high strain rate effect was proposed to understand the micro impact behavior of high-velocity micro-sized abrasives in AWJ cutting.

Fuzzy prediction and experimental verification of road surface cleaning rate by pure waterjets

The cleaning parameters affecting cleaning rate using pure waterjets to clean road surface was researched. A mathematical model for predicting cleaning rate was established using fuzzy mathematical method. A fuzzy rule base character-izing the relationship between input and output parameters was built through experiments. The prediction of cleaning rate was achieved under the condition of given input parameters by rule-based fuzzy reasoning. The prediction results were analyzed through experimental verification.

Influence of Abrasive Waterjet Machining Parameters on the Surface Texture Quality of Carrara Marble

Abrasive waterjet (AWJ) cutting technology has been used extensively for the cutting and processing of almost all engineering materials because of its precise cutting technique and the lack of damage caused. Currently, the use of abrasive waterjet cutting in the natural stone industry is increasing. However, the effectiveness of abrasive waterjet cutting of natural stones is dependent on the rock properties and machine operating parameters. Consequently, this paper presents the influence of abrasive waterjet machining parameters on the surface texture quality of Carrara marble. The results have shown that the abrasive waterjet cutting process offers better cut surface texture quality of Carrara marble under certain parameter conditions as well as being more environmentally-friendly. The stand-off distance shows the opposite effect on both surface roughness and waviness. With a view to reducing the machining costs, every user tries to select the traverse rate of the cutting head to be as high as possible, but results show that increasing the traverse rate always causes a corresponding increase in terms of inaccuracy, surface roughness, Ra ≈ 93.7 μm, and waviness, Wa ≈ 92.6 μm. The abrasive mass flow rate is not a significant parameter during the cutting process. In all investigations, it was found that the machined surface of the marble is smoother near the jet entrance, Ra ≈ 4 μm, and waviness, Wa ≈ 5 μm, and increasingly becomes rougher towards the jet exit. The result also shows that the micro-hardness value of the Carrara marble was in the range of 122 HV to 124 HV.

Outburst control in soft and outburst prone coal seam using the waterjet slotting technique from modeling to field work

The paper discussed a comprehensive numerical simulation and field work by the usage of waterjet slotting tech- nique to prevent the occurrence of outbursts in soft and outburst prone coal seams. This was based on the geological and ge- omechanical conditions of Jinjiachong Colliery, Guizhou Province, associated with varied waterjet slotting parameters such as slotting penetration, slotting thickness and slotting distance along the length of borehole. Also, to understand the variation of internal stress of coal seams after waterjet slotting application, the internal stress levels were compared with and without slot- ting application, and the results indicate that the internal effective stress levels can be reduced to 70% and 45% for the vertical and horizontal stresses, respectively, and the gas concentration can be increased up to 5 times when the waterjet slotting is ap- plied.

Elimination of ESD Events and Optimizing Waterjet Deflash Process for Reduction of Leakage Current Failures on QFN-mr Leadframe Devices

This technical paper presents the resolution of high leakage current failures on QFN-mr （Quad-Flat No-leads Multi-Row） LF （leadframe） devices by optimizing the waterjet deflash process and eliminating the ESD （electrostatic discharge） events. ESD damage to units can cause permanent or latent product failures which results in low final test yield, and worse, possible external customer complaints. The use of CO2 （carbon dioxide） bubbler was able to reduce the DI （deionized） water’s equivalent resistivity from 17 M？ to 0.30 M？, minimizing the tribocharging effect produced during the waterjet deflash process. Moreover, ESD events were eliminated by grounding the floating assembly equipment parts and installing appropriate ESD controls. It is of high importance to reduce or eliminate the leakage current failures to ensure the product quality, especially as the market becomes more demanding. After the optimization and implementation of the corrective and improvement actions, high leakage current occurrence was significantly reduced from baseline of 5,784 ppm to 20 ppm.

Effect of inlet elbow on rotation stall in waterjet ppropulsionpump

To study the influence of an elbow inlet on the rotating stall characteristics of a waterjet propulsion pump(WJPP),a three-dimensional internal flow field in a WJPP under a straight-pipe inlet and elbow inlet is numerically simulated.By comparing the hydraulic performance of WJPP under the two inlet conditions,the internal relationship between the inlet mode and the flow pattern in the pump is clarified.Based on unsteady pressure fluctuation characteristics and wavelet analysis,the influence of the inlet mode on the rotating stall is revealed,and the stall transient propagation characteristics under critical stall conditions are analyzed.The disturbance effects of the inlet channel geometry disappear under low flow rate conditions,the main disturbance is induced by the highspeed countercurrent,and the flow pattern under the elbow inlet is better than that under the straight-pipe inlet.Under the straight-pipe inlet,the single-stall nucleus in the WJPP temporarily experiences a low-frequency and high-amplitude disturbance,which subsequently transforms into a mode of multi-stall nuclei with high-frequency circumferential disturbance.Under the elbow inlet,the rotating stall always maintains a mode of high-amplitude and low-frequency disturbance,which represents the transient characteristics of a single stall core propagating in the circumferential direction inside the channel.The results of this study have a reference value for structural design optimization in a WJPP.