AERODYNAMIC EFFECTS IN THE EROSION PROCESS

Experimental investigations of velocity effects on the erosion of a ductile material by aerodynamically entrained solid particles indicate that erosion varies with the fourth power of velocity in normal or 90° impacts. For smaller angles of attack the exponent is less than 4 but greater than 2. Previous quantitative erosion models do not predict these high exponent values. In this study the two-phase fluid mechanical system is analyzed and an analytical expression is presented that predicts particle impact speeds varying with the square of the fluid free stream speed in normal impacts. It is shown that the high values found experimentally are the result of aerodynamic effects alone. © 1979.