Cavitation erosion resistance of basalt

Abstract

The cavitation erosion resistance of the basalt samples from Vrelo, Kopaonik deposit was investigated. The cavitation erosion test was performed using an ultrasonic vibratory cavitation testing method in accordance to the ASTM G32 standard. To measure the cavitation resistance, a change in the sample mass in function of the cavitation time was monitored. The alternations of the samples’ surface morphology with the passing time were analyzed by scanning electron microscopy. The level of the surface degradation was quantified using image analysis software. The results indicate that basalt posses a good cavitation resistance, which implicates that this raw material can be utilized in extreme exploitation environment.