Mechanisms of metals surface erosion under compression plasma flow impact
The investigation results on erosion of steel St. 3 under the action of compression plasma flows are described in this work. The findings shows the increase of mass removed from samples surface with the growth of energy absorbed by the surface layer and with the growth of pulses number. Probable mechanisms of erosion are discussed. Hydrodynamic flow of the melt and its ejection outside the sample under the action of plasma flow spreading along the surface as well as droplets ejection due to Kelvin - Helmholtz instability formation can be main reasons of surface layer erosion.