Experimental study on the repeated impact of sharp particles on metal surface

Abstract

Particles (such as sand and debris) employed in exploitation and conveying systems in oil and gas industry often cause erosion in equipment and pipe fittings. Since erosion is a complex and poorl understood process that can result in economic losses, operation risks and pollution, studying the mechanisms causing it is within the scope of various researches. In this paper, a modified particle launcher is designed to conduct the particle-wall collision experiments. Special attention is paid to the effects of repeated impacts of sharp particles on the pit depth and pit width for better understanding the mechanisms of erosion. The results reveal that the rebound particles begin to rotate when the impact angle deviates from their main diagonal, squeezing or prying the piled lips. The surface damaged by the sharp particles exhibits two types of morphologies: the corrugated one occurring at a small impact angle and another presented by deep craters surrounded by piled lips at a large impact angle. An increase in the impact number is shown to reduce the sharp particle penetration depth. In this respect, the current work is important in terms of elucidation of erosion mechanisms and erosion modeling.