Particle velocity and size effects in laboratory slurry erosion measurements OR… do you know what your particles are doing?

The major factors which determine the erodent particle impact wear process are described. Thus, particle impact velocity, impact angle and impact frequency are dictated by the slurry flow regime about the specimen. The influence of these factors on erosion rates (or on erosion–corrosion rates) can only be understood in terms of a quantitative model for slurry flow and particle impact and an assumption on the nature of the rate-controlling factor governing material loss. For erosion in the absence of corrosion, this latter has been taken to be the rate of dissipation of particle impact energy on the specimen surface. It is emphasised that material loss must be measured by changes in surface profile rather than mass loss, and that the best specimen form for this analysis is a cylinder. The effect of change of particle size on erosion rates is discussed. It is suggested that the application of these experimental and analytical techniques should provide a tool for the quantitative analysis of wastage in conditions of erosion–corrosion.