Analysis of progressive cavity pumps specific wear processes using Bitter and Hutchings models

Abstract

Progressive cavitation pumps are designed to work in aggressive environments thus their wear is inevitable. The specific tribological coupling of these pumps is composed of a helical rotor with a single outward helix and a stator with a double inside helix. These elements are in relative motion and direct contact to each other and also in direct contact with the pumped oil. Therefore the main forms of wear of rotor-stator coupling elements are the abrasive wear and the erosion wear. In this paper is presented the analysis of erosion with Bitter and Hutchings models. The results are useful for estimation of progressive cavity pumps specific abrasive-erosive wear.