Multi-frequency formation mechanism and modulation strategy of self-priming enhanced submerged pulsed waterjet

Abstract

Under submerged conditions, compared with traditional self-excited oscillating pulsed waterjets (SOPWs), annular fluid-enhanced self-excited oscillating pulsed waterjets (AFESOPWs) exhibit a higher surge pressure through self-priming. However, their pressure frequency and cavitation characteristics remain unclear, resulting in an inability to fully utilize resonance and cavitation erosion to break coal and rock. In this study, high-frequency pressure testing, high-speed photography, and large eddy simulation (LES) are used to investigate the distribution of the pressure frequency band, evolution law of the cavitation cloud, and its regulation mechanism of a continuous waterjet, SOPW, and AFESOPW. The results indicated that the excitation of the plunger pump, shearing layer vortex, and bubble collapse corresponded to the three high-amplitude frequency bands of the waterjet pressure. AFESOPWs have an additional self-priming frequency that can produce a larger amplitude under a synergistic effect with the second high-amplitude frequency band. A better cavitation effect was produced after self-priming the annulus fluid, and the shedding frequency of the cavitation clouds of the three types of waterjets was linearly related to the cavitation number. The peak pressure of the waterjet and cavitation erosion effect can be improved by modulating the waterjet pressure oscillation frequency and cavitation shedding frequency.