Surface erosion due to particle-surface interactions - A review

Abstract

Surface erosion is a critical factor in the design and operation of components in particulate handling services. It affects their performance, reliability, and service life. In spite of decades of investigations and research, the complete phenomenon of surface erosion has not been exactly known. A fundamental requirement from the design perspective is to enhance the service life of the components subjected to erosion. It requires an understanding of erosion mechanisms, factors affecting the erosion rate, and approaches to model the erosion. The erosive wear mechanism depends on material properties and operating conditions. The present work describes the various erosion mechanisms associated with different types of target materials and factors affecting them. The measurement technologies and test methods used to determine the erosion. Further, different theoretical and empirical models available for erosion prediction are discussed. In that, the mechanisms considered, as well as various assumptions used to derive the theoretical models are presented. The numerical modeling methods to predict the erosion, difficulties, and recent progress in erosion prediction investigations are discussed as well. Finally, the needs for future investigations are indicated.