Jet nozzles offer easy handling and relatively low costs. They are mostly built with either round or exit geometries. However, the exit geometry of a jet nozzle can also be matched to the grinding wheel profile (Fig. 18.26). Jet nozzles can offer various flow rates (approx. 10–500 L/min) [Hein20]. Jet nozzles with high flow pressures and flow rates can overcome the air barrier. However, the main disadvantages of jet nozzles are oversupply of the process fluid and the high supply pressures required to provide sufficient useful flow

5.4 Nozzle wear monitoring

Wear procedure in abrasive water jet nozzle is very complex as it involves both abrasion and erosion. Nozzle wear highly depends on the properties of nozzle and abrasives as well as on processing parameters [24,25]. The high-speed abrasive mixed water jet strikes the inner wall of nozzle and causes serious nozzle wear. Nozzle wear leads to frequent change of nozzles that directly enhances the processing cost and reduces machining efficiency [10]. Therefore, it became most crucial issue restraining the development of the present technology.

Right from the beginning, the attempt was made to control or monitor the nozzle wear in terms of improving nozzle life. As discussed above, in numerous studies [16–18,26] wear resistance of nozzle was improved through optimizing nozzle structure

Theoretical Basis of Abrasive Jet