SEDL / STP / STP474-EB / STP26881S

Hydrodynamic Model of Correlation of Metal Removal Rates from Repetitive Drop Impact

Pouchot, WD
Advisory engineer, Astronuclear Laboratory, Westinghouse Electric Corp., Pittsburgh, Pa.

Pages: 25    Published: Jan 1970

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Abstract

There is available from the Central Electricity Generating Board (CEGB) of the United Kingdom information on metal removal by water drops from steam turbine blade materials. By postulating a liquid film on the CEGB specimens, a dimensionless correlation of the data is obtained in terms of both fluid and metal properties. From the correlation it may be concluded that the characteristic changes of erosion rate with normal impact velocity and impinging drop diameter are predominantly hydrodynamic effects working on a material of constant average strength.

The presence or absence of a fluid film on test pieces should be directly observable through strobe lighting and photography. Such an experiment would be a first step in testing the proposed correlation procedure.