Numerical Simulation of Abrasive Water Jet (AWJ) for Cutting process

Abstract

This work presents a numerical study on enhancing Abrasive Water Jet Cutting (AWJC) performance using copper–water nanofluids. A two-dimensional, axisymmetric CFD model was developed in ANSYS FLUENT to analyze the effects of nanoparticle inclusion on jet dynamics and abrasive particle behavior. The nanofluid was treated as a homogeneous single-phase fluid, with modified density and viscosity based on volume concentration. A 1/7th power-law velocity profile was applied via a User Defined Function (UDF), while turbulence was modeled using the standard k–ε approach. Results indicate that increasing nanoparticle concentration reduces peak velocity but enhances turbulence intensity and energy dissipation. These changes lead to a broader, more diffused jet with improved mixing characteristics. The study confirms the potential of nanofluids in AWJC for applications requiring uniform energy distribution, offering a foundation for future experimental and multi-physics investigations.