Air flow exploration of abrasive feed tube

作     者：Shijin Zhang Xiaohong Li Yilei Gu College of Resources and Environmental Science,Chongqing University, 400044 Chongqing, China 

作者机构：College of Resources and Environmental Science Chongqing University Chongqing China 

出 版 物：《Acta Mechanica Sinica》 (力学学报（英文版）)

年 卷 期：2009年第25卷第6期

页      面：761-768页

核心收录：

学科分类：080704[工学-流体机械及工程] 080103[工学-流体力学] 08[工学] 0807[工学-动力工程及工程热物理] 0801[工学-力学（可授工学、理学学位）] 

基　　金：supported by the National Innovate Research Groups Foundation of China (50621403) National Basic Research Program of China (2009CB724600) 

主　　题：Abrasive feed tube  Water jet cutting. Vacuum gradient 

摘      要：An abrasive water-jet cutting process is one in which water pressure is raised to a very high pressure and forced through a very small orifice to form a very thin high speed jet beam. This thin jet beam is then directed through a chamber and then fed into a secondary nozzle, or mixing tube. During this process, a vacuum is generated in the cham- ber, and garnet abrasives and air are pulled into the chamber, through an abrasive feed tube, and mixes with this high speed stream of water. Because of the restrictions introduced by the abrasive feed tube geometry, a vacuum gradient is generated along the tube. Although this phenomenon has been recog- nized and utilized as a way to monitor nozzle condition and abrasive flowing conditions, yet, until now, conditions inside the abrasive feed line have not been completely understood. A possible reason is that conditions inside the abrasive feed line are complicated. Not only compressible flow but also multi- phase, multi-component flow has been involved in inside of abrasive feed tube. This paper explored various aspects of the vacuum creation process in both the mixing chamber and the abrasive feed tube. Based on an experimental exploration, an analytical framework is presented to allow theoretical calculations of vacuum conditions in the abrasive feed tube.