Assist. Prof. Dr. Jaka Mur (FS): Single-bubble cavitation studies and erosion phenomena

Cavitation, the nearly instantaneous formation of vapor or gas bubbles in a liquid, and the associated phenomenon of cavitation erosion are common at the interface between solid surfaces and liquids. These phenomena are observed in a wide range of mechanical systems, from hydraulic valves to marine propellers. A comprehensive understanding of cavitation erosion physics remains an open problem due to the combination of phase transitions, complex interactions between matter in different states of aggregation, and processes occurring across coupled yet orders of magnitude different temporal and spatial scales. Numerous contemporary studies address cavitation using both numerical and experimental approaches. Among the latter, investigations of single bubbles provide the most insight into the fundamental properties of the phenomenon, as they allow for reproducible measurements and the application of various diagnostic techniques. A common method involves the use of laser pulses, which generate plasma in the vicinity of the focal region within the liquid, leading to the formation of a cavitation bubble and the emission of shock waves with high spatiotemporal control and repeatability.
I will present our recent work on controlled erosion stemming either directly from single laser-induced cavitation bubbles near solid surfaces or from laser-seeded bubbles in an acoustic pressure field. State of the art optical methods enable our contactless evaluation of shock waves propagation and pressures, bubble dynamics, and resolving the presence of sonoluminescence.
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