Investigation of slurry concentration effects on solid particle erosion rate for an impinging jet

• Erosion rate is inversely related to slurry concentration.
• The erosion pattern evolves as the depth increases.
• Changes in erosion pattern change the erosion rate.

The slurry particle concentration effect on the erosion rate of tool components is a critical factor in the design and maintenance of industrial equipment. The relationship between slurry particle concentration and erosion rate was tested and evaluated at a jet impingement test facility using glass spheres impacting acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS) coupons. Particle concentration ranged from 4.6% to 22.4% by weight, and three different nozzle standoff heights were used (H/D=3.0, 5.2, and 7.4). The results show the erosion rate is dependent on the slurry concentration and the test duration. Two distinct erosion profiles correlated with changes in erosion rate over the test duration. The transition between the erosion profiles and the change in erosion rate were dependent on the initial test geometry and slurry concentration.