Cavitation damage to potential sewer and drain pipe materials

High-pressure water-jet testing of a range of polymeric and ceramic (clay and concrete) materials was carried out with a view to assessing their performance as potential materials for use in the manufacture of non-pressurised drain and sewer pipes. This work describes test equipment calibration, jetting resistance tests on 20 potential pipe materials, and post-processing of the eroded test samples. The relationships between spatial and temporal fluctuations observed in the water-jet formed the basis for the understanding of the cavitation erosion mechanisms giving rise to the observed damage rates. Mie scattering data provided evidence of droplet and cavity sizes in the cavitating jet upon which initial cavity radii for future Rayleigh–Plesset equation analysis could be based. Those candidate materials with the longest time until the onset of damage (in descending order) for the top five of the materials tested were concrete, clay, 30% (by volume (v/v)) glass-filled nylon, polysulphone, and polyetherimide. The candidate materials capable of resisting the greatest pressure without showing signs of damage for 30s (in descending order) were polyetheretherketone, clay, polyetherimide, polyphenylene sulphide, and polysulphone. •Glass-filled nylon is recommended for jet-resistant drains and sewers.•Ceramics, glass-filled nylon, polysulphone, and polyetherimide resist damage longest.•PEEK, clay, and polyetherimide resist the highest pressure without damage for 30s.•The best cleansing effect and the worst damage rate were at an angle of attack of 45°.•Little gain in water-jet cleaning power accrued at stand-off heights over 35mm.