Cavitation cloud impingement and scattering motion of jet in rock breaking process

Abstract

The cavitation cloud impingement of the jet in the rock breaking process was experimentally investigated to reveal the jet erosion mechanism in drilling of petroleum exploitation. Serial erosion tests and flow visualization were performed, where the cavitation cloud motion in the erosion crater was obtained with the designed transparent specimen. Various erosion patterns were identified in the whole erosion process based on the eroded specimen topography. The shallow eroded crater with a shrinking erosion area is generated by the combination of impinging and scattering cavitation clouds. The increase of l_d promotes the development of cavitation cloud σ_c but reduces the impingement frequency f_d, suggesting that the jet aggressive ability is enhanced when the balance between σ_c and f_d is reached. The cavitation cloud motion in the erosion crater was investigated with the transparent specimen. The erosion in the crater at shorter exposure periods T_e is generated by the combination of impingement and restricted scattering of cavitation clouds. With the continuous development of the erosion damage, the jet's aggressive ability is diminished due to the erosion expansion on sandstone, where the cavitation clouds impinge on the target and then collapse and vanish without restricted scattering.