Cavitation is a form of erosion caused by the implosion of gas bubbles on a surface, resulting in damage and material loss. Understanding this type of erosion is essential for the design of plant that involves fast-flowing liquid, such as pumps and ejectors.
Our specialist testing and analysis service will enable you to understand the impact of cavitation erosion on your product, compare the erosion resistance of different base materials or protective coatings, and resolve performance issues.
Depending on your project, you may choose to use this alongside our particulate erosion testing to get a fuller picture of how materials will behave when in operation.
Our cavitation erosion testing service
We carry out tests in line with the ASTM G32 standard ‘Test Method for Cavitation Erosion Using Vibratory Apparatus’.
- A vibrating horn is used to form air bubbles in water (either salt or pure water) which are aimed at a sample.
- We weigh the sample before starting the test, then expose it to the cavitation environment for an hour and weigh it again. This process is typically repeated over an eight hour period to track the erosion process over time.
- As well as measuring the mass loss, we can analyse the sample at each interval using materials characterisation techniques such as 3D profilometry and optical microscopy – see our case study on Cavitation Performance.
- If the density of the material is known, we can convert the measurements to a mean depth of erosion to give a direct comparison between samples of different materials.
- When the testing is complete you’ll receive a comprehensive report detailing the results and our analysis, and we will be happy to discuss the findings with you.
Cavitation erosion testing
Meet our cavitation erosion testing expert
Spencer Court, Senior Corrosion Consultant, is our cavitation erosion specialist. Having joined nC2 in 2016 after 15 years in the oil/gas and marine industries, he has a wealth of experience and expertise to bring to your cavitation erosion testing project. Find out more about Spencer.
Dr Spencer Court
What we offer
- Free initial consultation and bespoke quote, which may include free practice tests to determine the best test plan – if you’re not sure exactly what you need, we can advise you.
- A choice of packages to suit your requirements.
- Tests tailored to your needs, run by specialist staff in our state-of-the-art labs.
- A comprehensive report including results and expert advice, plus a meeting to discuss the results.
Why choose nC2?
- A testing service of the highest quality, plus expert analysis of the results.
- Access to highly specialised facilities and knowledge across the University of Southampton.
- Packages to suit your budget and requirements – whether you’re looking for a one-off test or support for a major project.
- Excellent customer service – we’ll keep you in the loop every step of the way.
- High levels of customer satisfaction.
