Evaluation of the Behavior and Resistance to Cavitation Erosion of the Structure of the CuSn12-C Bronze Obtained by Thermal Treatment of Quenching and Tempering

Abstract

The paper presents the results of the research on the vibration cavitation erosion of the CuSn12-C bronze, subjected to the volumetric heat treatment of quenching to 700 °C, with water cooling, followed by tempering to 250 °C, with slow cooling in the air. The applied heat treatment shows the improvement of the behavior and the resistance to the cavitation erosion, compared to the initial state, of molded semi-finished product. The evaluation of the behavior and the resistance to the cavitation erosion is made by comparing the value of the parameters MDEmax, Rcav and Rz with those of the delivery state, as well as on the comparison of the characteristic curves MDE(t) and MDER(t) with those of the CuNiAl I-RNR bronze (used at propeller casting). The tests were conducted on the vibrating apparatus with piezoceramic crystals from the Cavitation Laboratory of the Polytechnic University of Timisoara.