Lagrangian: Solid Particle Erosion

This tutorial demonstrates how to set up an erosion modeling analysis in Simcenter STAR-CCM+. It simulates the erosion that is caused by solid particles in a liquid flow.

The geometry that is used in this tutorial was originally designed as a pressure reduction device for choke valves under erosive service, and is the subject of a US Patent ([965]). The device is shown below.



This device was tested under erosive service using a sand-liquid erosion test facility (as reported by Wallace, [966]), and the conditions that are used in this tutorial are based on the actual tests. In the erosion tests, the flow restrictor was mounted between lengths of 53.1 mm diameter piping. Static pressure measurements were made at two positions: 106 mm upstream of the restrictor and 318 mm downstream. Overall mass loss was obtained by weighing the flow restrictor periodically during the tests.

In this tutorial, water at room temperature is used for the liquid phase. Inlet conditions are as follows (corresponding to a flow rate of 28.57 liters/s in a 53.1 mm diameter pipe):

Table 1. Liquid Phase

Property

Value

Units

Fluid Density

997.561

kg/m3

Fluid Viscosity

8.8871e-4

Pa-s

Inlet Velocity

12.901

m/s

Turbulence Intensity

0.029

Turbulent Length Scale

0.0037

m

The particle loading by mass is 0.39%. The particle properties are as follows:

Table 2. Particle Phase

Property

Value

Units

Density

2650.0

kg/m3

Diameter

2.75e-4

m

Initial axial velocity

12.901

m/s