ABSTRACT

In this study, an experimental investigation of cavitation erosion, which is one of the most negative and detrimental consequences of cavitation is presented. Within this context, cavitation and cavitation erosion formations are explained and some of the mathematical parameters used in erosion tests; cavitation number, erosion rate, erosion intensity are examined. There are five different test methods used to investigate the resistance of different materials to cavitation erosion. They can be sorted from the simplest to the most advanced as rotating disc apparatus, vibratory apparatus that generates an ultrasonic environment, air jet technique, water jet (cavitation jet) technique and cavitation tunnel tests. Within the scope of this study, these five techniques are investigated and explained with examples obtained from the literature. Special attention is payed to the air jet technique and water jet technique; examples from the tests carried out by the air jet and water jet test rigs which are built at ITU, the Faculty of Naval Architecture and Marine Engineering were presented.