Effect of liquid properties on cavitation erosion in liquid metals

A cavitation erosion vibratory apparatus was developed to test in low-temperature melting alloys. The temperature of the test can be changed from room temperature to 150 °C. The erosion tests of SUS304 were carried out in liquid lead–bismuth metal and in deionized water. The erosion rate was discussed in terms of a relative temperature defined as the percentage between freezing and boiling points. At 14 °C relative temperature, the erosion rate was 10 times in lead–bismuth, and 2–5 times in sodium, compared with that in deionized water. The erosion rate can be evaluated as a function of material density and sound velocity. Finally the temperature dependence of the erosion rate is discussed in terms of liquid parameters.