Erosion Performance Research Articles

DDPM investigation on centrifugal slurry pump with inlet and sideline configuration retrofit

The inlet and sideline configuration modifications are widely investigated to alter regional particle fluid flow conditions, considering pressure, turbulence and erosion, therefore to improve energy saving and compartment longevity of centrifugal slurry pump. This paper aims to analyse pump hydraulic and erosion characteristics with proposed pump sideline and inlet configuration retrofit by the DDPM method. Specifically, the inlet guide vane number () and angle (), and sidelining vane (SDV) curvature are investigated in quantitative manner. Accordingly, by adjusting inlet vane configuration and placement, a trade-off between wall erosion and hydraulic performance is observed. The sidelining vane (SDV) design is suggested to avoid resultant counter-current flow formulation, therefore, to mitigate turbulence induced erosion in impeller and volute. However, the SDV modification effect on pump hydraulic head and efficiency is found marginal. In general, this study offers realistic guideline for performance improvement and device upgrading of centrifugal slurry pumps.

Investigation of EDM Erosion Behavior for Ni-based Superalloy using Experimental and Machine Learning Approach

The rapid growth of the global population and the consequent increase in manufacturing activities have heightened the need for sustainable practices to protect the environment. Non-traditional manufacturing processes, such as electric discharge machining (EDM), often use oil-based dielectric fluids like kerosene, which emit toxic fumes and aerosols, contributing to environmental pollution. To address this, the reuse of waste cooking oil (WCO) as a dielectric fluid in EDM presents a promising solution. This method not only tackles the issue of waste oil disposal but also supports the circular economy by repurposing waste materials. EDM, frequently criticized for its low cutting rates, can be enhanced by using nitrogen assisted modified Cu electrodes (cryogenically treated (CT)). This study focused on machining the difficult-to-cut nickel-based superalloy, IN718 by incorporating Sillimanite nano-powder with Span-60 (S-60). The erosion performance characteristics such as material removal rate (MRR), electrode wear rate (EWR), and accuracy index (AI) were evaluated. An artificial neural network (ANN) was employed to predict and correlate experimental and predicted values. Significant improvements were achieved using the non-dominated sorting genetic algorithm (NSGA-II) in the confirmation investigations. With a non-treated (NT) Cu electrode, the confirmatory experiments showed a 79.81% increase in MRR, an 18.99% decrease in EWR, and a 0.89% improvement in AI. For the CT Cu electrode, MRR increased by 85.48%, EWR decreased by 32.90%, and AI improved by 0.53% when using optimal processing parameters. This study demonstrates the potential for significant environmental and performance benefits in EDM by reusing WCO and optimizing electrode treatments.

Enhancing wind turbine blade protection: Solid particle erosion resistant ceramic oxides-reinforced epoxy coatings

Wind energy has been regarded as one of the renewable energy sources to rely on in the future. In this aspect, wind turbine blade maintenance is quite a challenge in tropical areas like India. One of the main reasons why wind turbine blades get damaged and produce less energy is solid particle erosion. In the present work, nanocomposite epoxy (EP) coatings reinforced with Al2O3, ZrO2, and CeO2 nanoparticle fillers have been applied on glass fiber reinforced polymer (GFRP) substrates using a simple spray coating method. These nanoparticles have been prepared in-house by solution combustion synthesis (SCS) route using urea, glycine, and oxalyl dihydrazide fuels. X-ray diffraction, field emission scanning electron microscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy have been used to characterize the materials and coatings. EP coatings with different Al2O3, ZrO2, and CeO2 nanoparticle concentrations have been subjected to solid particle erosion resistance tests at impinging angles of 30°, 60° and 90°. ZrO2 and CeO2 nanoparticle-reinforced EP coatings show better resistance to solid particle erosion than Al2O3-reinforced coatings. Estimated average erosion rates are 17 and 11.3 × 10−3 mm3 g−1, respectively, for epoxy coatings with 20 and 40 wt% ZrO2 nanoparticles. However, GFRP substrate and neat EP coating show much higher erosion rates with respect to nanoparticles-reinforced EP coatings. To ascertain a correlation between H3/E2 and the solid particle erosion rates of the coatings, nanoindentation tests have been carried out. Tensile strength and initial modulus of all the coatings are found to be directly proportional to the average erosion rates, whereas, elongation at break shows an inverse relationship with the average erosion rate. This correlation of mechanical properties with solid particle erosion performance can play a critical role in the development of realistic simulation of protective coatings for wind turbine blades.

Comparative analysis on erosion performance of thin coated GFRP laminates in offshore conditions

Comparative analysis on erosion performance of thin coated GFRP laminates in offshore conditions

Research on Sediment Erosion and Anti-Wear Coating Materials for Water-Intake Components of Hydraulic Turbines in Sandy Rivers

The operational efficiency, stability, and lifespan of hydroelectric power plants operating on sediment-laden rivers are affected by sediment erosion. A numerical simulation of the sand–water flow in the water-intake components of a turbine at a specific power station was conducted using the Euler–Lagrange method. Additionally, sediment erosion tests were carried out on the water-intake components coated with epoxy mortar material. The results indicate that sediment erosion on the stay vane surface mainly occurs on the front face, with the most severe erosion at the head, while sediment erosion on the stay ring surface primarily occurs near the stay vane head. The extent of erosion is mainly influenced by the distribution characteristics of sediment particles. The wear of epoxy mortar coating material is minimally affected by the spraying thickness. Adding 30% hardener to the epoxy mortar material can significantly improve the erosion resistance of the stay vane surface by about 30%. The erosion rate on the frontside of the stay vane is approximately 2.6 times that of the backside. Based on the sediment erosion tests and numerical simulation results of the sand–water flow, an estimation formula for the sediment erosion rate of the epoxy mortar erosion-resistant coating was established. This formula can be used to predict the anti-sediment erosion performance of epoxy mortar materials applied to the water-intake components of this turbine and similar river turbines.

Dressing Mechanism and Evaluations of Grinding Performance with Porous cBN Grinding Wheels

Cubic boron nitride (cBN) grinding wheels play a pivotal role in precision machining, serving as indispensable tools for achieving exceptional surface quality. Ensuring the sharpness of cBN grains and optimizing the grinding wheel's chip storage capacity are critical factors. This paper presents a study on the metal-bonded segments and single cBN grain samples using the vacuum sintering method. It investigates the impact of blasting parameters—specifically silicon carbide (SiC) abrasive size, blasting distance, and blasting time—on the erosive wear characteristics of both the metal bond and abrasive. The findings indicate that the abrasive size and blasting distance significantly affect the erosive wear performance of the metal bond. Following a comprehensive analysis of the material removal rate of the metal bond and the erosive wear condition of cBN grains, optimal parameters for the working layer are determined: a blasting distance of 60 mm, a blasting time of 15 s, and SiC particle size of 100#. Furthermore, an advanced simulation model investigates the dressing process of abrasive blasting, revealing that the metal bond effectively inhibits crack propagation within cBN abrasive grains, thereby enhancing fracture toughness and impact resistance. Additionally, a comparative analysis is conducted between the grinding performance of porous cBN grinding wheels and vitrified cBN grinding wheels. The results demonstrate that using porous cBN grinding wheels significantly reduces grinding force, temperature, and chip adhesion, thereby enhancing the surface quality of the workpiece.

Investigating the erosive wear characteristics of AISI 420 martensitic stainless steel after surface hardening by boriding

Erosive wear degrades industrial components, causing surface deterioration and material loss. Understanding and mitigating this wear enhances component longevity and efficiency. Little research has been conducted to investigate the influence of particle angle, speed, and concentration on boronized surfaces. Therefore, in this study, the erosive wear behaviors of raw and boronized AISI 420 martensitic stainless steels were investigated. The samples were subjected to erosive wear testing using SiO2 abrasive particles with impact velocities of 2, 4, and 6 m/s, impact angles of 30°, 60°, and 90°, and concentration values of 5%, 10%, and 15% by weight in an abrasive sand slurry environment. Experimental runs were designed using the Taguchi L9 method. The wear test results were analyzed in terms of mass loss, surface roughness, and temperature change of the boronized and raw AISI 420 samples before and after the test. The results showed that the impact speed and concentration were statistically significant parameters compared with the impact angle, which had a negligible effect. Furthermore, with increasing impact speed and concentration, all measured responses increased in both sample groups. The surface roughness values and mass loss increased by lower margins for the boronized samples (58.40% and 188.49%, respectively) compared to those of the raw samples (61.40% and 254.38%, respectively). This study demonstrates the potential of boriding as a surface treatment technique for enhancing the erosive wear performance of martensitic stainless steels, which require improved durability and longevity of materials subjected to erosive environments.

Microstructure and Cavitation Erosion Performance of Cold-Sprayed WC-12Co and WC-17Co Coatings on Hydraulic Turbine Steels

Microstructure and Cavitation Erosion Performance of Cold-Sprayed WC-12Co and WC-17Co Coatings on Hydraulic Turbine Steels

Preparation and arc erosion mechanism of Ni skeleton reinforced Ag-based contact materials with CuO-coated SnO2

The Ag-SnO2 contact material is widely regarded as the most promising environmental friendly electrical contact material. However, during the make and break operations, SnO2 particles rising to the surface can cause increased contact resistance and temperature rise, which affects the service life of the contact material. In this study, a three-dimensional (3D) Ni skeleton reinforced Ag-based contact material with CuO-coated SnO2 are successfully fabricated via powder metallurgy technology. The basic physical properties of the novel contact material were tested and the microstructures and arc erosion morphologies were analyzed using X-ray diffraction (XRD) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The research demonstrated that the hardness and electrical conductivity of the novel contact material are 128.9 HV and 46 %IACS, respectively. It can be observed that the SnO2-rich phase is uniformly distributed in the Ag matrix without significant upward after arc erosion, which indicates that the SnO2@CuO core-shell structure effectively enhances the wettability between Ag and SnO2. Meanwhile, the study revealed that the Ni phase uniformly distributed at the interface of the Ag phase during the arc erosion process, indicating that the 3D Ni skeleton structure effectively impedes the expansion of the Ag molten pool and improves the anti-arc erosion performance.

Arc erosion behaviour of Cu–diamond composites at different load voltages in air atmosphere

ABSTRACT To investigate the arc erosion performance of Cu–diamond composites, Cu–5vol.-% diamond composites were fabricated using the hot-pressing sintering method. Compared to pure copper, Cu–5vol.-% diamond composites exhibited improvements in Brinell hardness of 60.1 HB. The relative density and electrical conductivity of Cu–5vol.-% diamond composites were 97.54% and 83.29% IACS (International Annealing Copper Standard), respectively, with no significant decrease compared to pure copper. The thermal conductivity was 423.48 W·(m·K)−1, showing a slight enhancement. The effect of different load voltages on the arc erosion behaviour of Cu–5vol.-% diamond composites was investigated. Experimental results indicated that as the voltage rose from 3 to 7 kV, the breakdown strength decreased from 7.164 × 106 V m–1 to 2.535 × 106 V m–1, while the arc duration increased from 21.752 × 10−3 s to 28.864 × 10−3 s, and the breakdown current rose from 10.8 to 27.2 A. Additionally, the presence of diamond particles enhanced the viscosity of the molten pool, thus the splashing phenomenon of copper liquid during arc discharge was not obvious, indicating that the material loss was small. Few cracks and holes were detected. The Cu–5 vol.-% diamond composites possess good resistance to arc erosion.

Comparative evaluation of solid particle erosion resistance in milled carbon fiber‐reinforced basalt fiber epoxy composites: Impact of abrasive shape variations

AbstractThe solid particle erosive wear performance of basalt fiber‐reinforced epoxy composites with the incorporation of different percentages of milled carbon fiber fillers (0–10 wt%) is evaluated under various abrasive materials (garnet and ceramic beads) and impingement angles (30° and 90°). Erosion tests have been carried out following ASTM G76 standards using a factorial design method. The data indicate that the erosion rates, crater depths, and areas of craters are all strongly dependent on erodent material type and milled carbon fiber filler ratio. Compared to ceramic beads, garnet abrasives caused severe erosion, with erosion rates reaching approximately 500 mg/g at a 90° impingement angle without milled carbon fiber fillers. Erosion by both abrasives was significantly reduced by the introduction of milled carbon fiber fillers into the basalt fiber composites, with the erosion rate decreasing to around 100 mg/g with 3 wt% milled carbon fiber fillers. The maximum crater depth was also influenced; garnet abrasives produced craters as deep as 1000 μm without fillers at 90°, which was reduced to 451 μm with 3 wt% milled carbon fiber fillers when ceramic beads were used. Of the three factors for the erosion rate and crater depth, inorganic erodent material and ratio of carbon fiber filler were prominent, but the impingement angle effect was much smaller. Among the three factors for the erosion rate and crater depth, erodent material and carbon fiber filler ratio were prominent, while the impingement angle effect was significantly less.Highlights The garnet abrasives cause more severe erosion than ceramic beads at 90°. Composites exhibit optimal erosion resistance with 3–5 wt% milled carbon fiber fillers. Filler ratio and erodent material type significantly impact erosion rates and depths. Factors affecting wear performance identified using factorial design and ANOVA.

Cavitation erosion performance and phase transformation strengthening behavior of laser clad iron-based shape memory alloy coatings

In order to avoid cavitation damage on the surface of overcurrent components after long-term service, the surface is reinforced with a coating to improve its cavitation resistance, thus prolonging service life. The present study employed analytical techniques, such as X-ray diffractometry (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD), and transmission electron microscopy (TEM), to investigate the cavitation erosion performance of laser clad Fe-Mn-Si-Cr-Ni shape memory alloy (SMA) coatings with focus on the enhancing mechanism of their martensitic phase transformation. The results indicated that laser cladding could produce high-quality SMA coatings, free of defects such as pores and cracks, resulting in a significant improvement in the cavitation erosion performance. After 5 h of the cavitation, the coated samples remained in the cavitation erosion incubation stage, demonstrating an accumulated mass loss rate of approximately 0.12 mg/h, merely 13 % of that observed in the matrix samples. Extensive microstructural delamination occurred in the matrix samples after 5 h of the cavitation, whereas the coated samples exhibited only "shear bands" formed by plastic deformation on the surface. The martensitic phase transformation from γ-austenite to ε-martensite served to dissipate the stress induced by cavitation bubble collapse on one hand, and, on the other hand, the robust nature of martensite produced a hardening effect, significantly enhancing the cavitation resistance of the coating.

Comparison on erosion performance of HVOF sprayed NiCrSiBCFe-WC-Co and NiCrSiBCFe-Cr3C2NiCr coatings

Hard coatings are used to improve the wear resistance of various engineering materials while maintaining the mechanical properties of the base material. In this work, the high-velocity oxy-fuel (HVOF) thermal spray process was used to deposit NiCrSiBCFe(65)-WC-Co(35) and NiCrSiBCFe(65)-Cr3C2-NiCr(35) coatings on SA213-T17 boiler steel to improve the erosion wear resistance of the base material. The erosion wear behaviours of the specimens were investigated using an air jet erosion tester at 30 and 90° impact angles and 400 ± 25 °C temperature. The surface morphologies of the as-deposited and eroded samples were examined using the Scanning electron microscope. The NiCrSiBCFe-WC-Co ceramic coating deposited on SA213-T17 boiler steel exhibited superior erosion resistance compared to NiCrSiBCFe-Cr3C2-NiCr coating and boiler steel under all the tested conditions. This enhanced performance can primarily be attributed to the higher hardness of the NiCrSiBCFe-WC-Co coating due to the presence of harder phases such as WC, W2C and NiCo2O4.

Hierarchical Significance of Environment Impact Factor on the Sand Erosion Performance of Lightweight Alloys.

This paper addresses the challenge of ranking the factors that affect the erosion resistance of lightweight alloys, with a specific focus on aluminum alloys. A three-factor, four-level orthogonal experimental design was employed to examine the influence of various sand particle sizes, erosion speeds, and sand concentrations on the abrasion qualities of these alloys. Parameters such as mass loss, depth, residual stresses, and failure mechanisms were assessed to determine erosion performance. Analysis of variance (ANOVA) and regression analysis of the three key factors were performed. Our findings resulted in an erosion rate formula: erosion rate = 0.679 sand particle size +0.067 sand concentration -0.002 erosion velocity +0.285. Our findings indicate that particle size is the most significant factor affecting erosion rate, with sand concentration and erosion velocity being secondary factors. The failure mechanism reveals that larger sand particles tend to produce deeper slides, and higher sand concentrations result in an increased number of slides. A lower concentration leads to the appearance of erosion pits. And the test conditions of high concentration and low velocity lead to more serious brittle fractures of the substrate, often accompanied by the appearance of cracks.

Erosion performance of direct-aged Al2O3-reinforced plasma-sprayed composite coatings at high-temperature conditions

The present investigation evaluates the influence of furnace heat-treatment (HT) on the microstructure, microhardness, fracture toughness and erosion resistance of three plasma sprayed composite coatings: a Inconel625–30 wt% micron-sized Al2O3 (In625-MHT) coating, a Inconel625–30 wt% nano-sized Al2O3 (In625-NHT) coating and a Inconel625–15 wt% micron-sized Al2O3 + 15 wt% nano-sized Al2O3 (In625-BHT/bimodal) coating. High temperature solid particle erosion tests were conducted at 900 °C temperature and with at two different impingement angles (90 and 30) in simulated environment using standard erosion-test rig. Coatings were subjected to detailed mechanical and microstructural analysis in order to better understand their erosion mechanism and structure–property correlation. By healing pores and cracks, the furnace HT increases the coatings’ erosion resistance in the order of In625-BHT, In625-NHT, and In625-MHTcoating. In addition, the mechanical properties of In625-BHT coating like porosity (1.0 ± 0.09%), micro-hardness (1299 ± 25Hv) and fracture toughness (5.9 MPa√m) are significantly improved after HT. The presence of grooves and lips on the surfaces of uncoated substrates provides clear evidence that the erosion mechanism involves the combined processes of micro-ploughing and micro-cutting indicating ductile erosion mode. However unimodal and bimodal composite coatings demonstrated a brittle erosion mode.

Study on preparation and anti-sand erosion performance of thick DLC coating combined with FCVA deposition and HVP technology

To address the compatibility issues between the hardness and thickness of DLC coatings and to improve the erosion resistance of engine blades, a thick DLC coating was prepared using a combination of filter cathode vacuum arc (FCVA) deposition technology and high voltage pulse (HVP) technology. The prepared thick DLC coating exhibits low residual stress (1.79 ± 0.087 GPa) and high C-sp3 content (70.13 %), with a thickness and hardness of 18.46 μm and 51.07 ± 0.23 GPa, respectively. The results of anti-sand erosion tests indicate that the mass loss rates of DLC coating at the erosion angles of 45° and 90° are 4.44 × 10−3 mg/g and 1.99 × 10−2 mg/g, respectively. The good erosion resistance of thick DLC coatings is attributed to the consumption of residual impact energy by carbon cluster structures, which prevents the generation and propagation of cracks. Therefore, the thick and super-hard DLC coatings can be prepared by combining FCVA deposition technique with HVP technique, which has great potential applications in the aerospace industry.

Application of artificial neural networks in the prediction of slurry erosion performance: a comprehensive review

Application of artificial neural networks in the prediction of slurry erosion performance: a comprehensive review

Effect of the leakage flow through guide vanes on the erosion pattern and performance of Francis runner

Abstract The role of hydropower as a renewable energy source is well understood. However, due to the geological characteristics of certain regions, hydropower systems there are facing a unique challenge of excessive sedimentation in rivers. A significant number of research works were performed in the past, which focused on the effects of sediments on the turbine components, that includes reduction in efficiency of the turbine and increase in the erosion wear. Experimental studies of erosion in laboratory conditions are usually limited by several characteristics that affect erosion and complications of handling sediments. As a result, these investigations are normally carried out in a simplified apparatus. This study focuses on using a non-recirculating type of sediment erosion test rig, where a model of Francis turbine is used for experimental investigations. Previous studies have shown that in the case of Francis turbines, erosion occurs in the clearance gap of guide vanes, which increases the size of the gap. The flow from the pressure side of the guide vane is driven into the suction side due to the pressure difference between the two sides. This leakage flow ultimately develops into a vortex filament and hits the runner blades towards the hub and shroud. In this study, the erosion pattern of the runner blades towards these locations are studied by using color coatings. A clearance gap of 4 mm has been created in the guide vane and the consequent impact on the erosion and efficiency of the turbine are studied. The objective is to isolate the effects of leakage flow on erosion in the runner inlet, as well as the overall performance of the Francis turbine. The effect has been observed in terms of increased flow rate, decreased efficiency and erosion in the leading edge of the runner.

Investigation on the arc erosion performance of Ag–Ta 2AlC composite under air conditions

Investigation on the arc erosion performance of Ag–Ta ₂AlC composite under air conditions

Enhancing high-speed EDM performance of hybrid aluminium matrix composite by genetic algorithm integrated neural network optimization

Hybrid aluminium matrix composites (HAMCs) are highly valued in manufacturing sectors but are difficult to machine conventionally due to reinforcements' inherent hardness and abrasiveness. This research finds high-speed wire electric discharge machining (WEDM) to be a potent solution for machining stir-squeeze-casted HAMC (AA2024 with ceramic nanoparticles: Al2O3, SiC, Si3N4, BN) and creating complex profiles with superior erosion characteristics. The erosion performance has been assessed in terms of material removal rate (MRR) for different profiles (plane, angular, and curve), and wire wear ratio (WWR) by employing machining variables, i.e., pulse voltage (PV), pulse current (PI), wire feed rate (WFR), pulse (P), and drum speed (DS). Results revealed that MRR_curve has highest MRR (37.84 mm3/min), followed by MRR_angular (36.07 mm3/min) and MRR_plane (34.40 mm3/min). The lowest WWR (0.0094%) was achieved at lower magnitudes of machining variables. The microscopic observations unveil shallow craters, minute-sized melt redeposits, and micro-pores on machined surface under the conditions of PV = 90 V, PI = 2 A, WFR = 13 m/min, P = 20 mu, and DS = 40 Hz. Optimization using non-dominated-sorting-genetic algorithm (NSGA-II) resulted in significant enhancements of 75.37, 73.90, and 76.01% in MRR_plane, MRR_angular, and MRR_curve, respectively, and a depreciation of 16.50% in WWR.