Modification of the average durability for CuSn12 bronze at cavitation erosion using volumetric treatments

Abstract

The bronze CuSn is used sometimes for equipment components working in cavitation conditions, as for example ship propellers, bodies and other parts of valves. To increase the working time, in cavitation conditions, those elements can be subjected to volumetric thermal treatments. The present research is concerned with the increase of the mean durability δ ¯ c a v , of the bronze CuSn12 by applying two volume treatments: quenching both at 700°C and 800°C, with tempering at 500°C. The cavitation erosion behavior was experimentally tested using the standard vibratory device of the Cavitation Laboratory of Timisoara Polytechnic University. Comparing the results we found that the durability, in both cases, is substantial increased, the better solution being the quenching with the lower temperature.