Modeling and Numerical Analysis of the Solid Particle Erosion in Curved Ducts

Abstract

This paper presents a modeling and computational study on particle erosion in curved ducts. It is found that the average erosion rates per impact range from $4.2\times {10}^{-7}$ to $9.5\times {10}^{-3}$ mm³/g under current conditions. For each doubled inlet velocity, the increases of erosion rates per impact are 2–14 times. The erosion rate per impact varies with particle diameter with “√” shape through bends, which is similar to the particle deposition behavior in duct flows. The erosion rate curves per injected particle show the shapes of a 90-degree anticlockwise rotated “S” and a wide open “V,” respectively, for three larger and smaller inlet velocities. The average erosion rates per injected particle are 1.4–18.9 times those rates per impact due to huge amounts of impacting, especially for those depositing particles. It is obvious that the erosion rate distribution per impact is similar to a “fingerprint” with five clear stripes and a lower “cloud” along the bend deflection angle for the three largest particles; yet, for other smaller particles, the erosion rate distributions are much like an entire “cloud.”