A new original method, applying a coaxial protective airflow, was tested aiming to improve the pure water jet efficiency in surface layer removal or medium hard materials cutting or blasting. The dual action of the air flow is expected: the air co-flowing the water jet with approximately the same velocity should prevent the central jet from breaking up into tiny droplets in the near field, and simultaneously, it should support jet decomposition into big parts with enough destructive potential in the far-field. A brief survey of the relevant literature dealing with the water jet instability is presented, introducing four recognized breakup regimes.
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