High-temperature slurry erosion of vinylester matrix composites - The effect of test parameters

In this study, the erosion resistance of GF reinforced VE-FRP was investigated with a pilot-scale reactor. The effect of slurry concentration, erodent particle kinetic energy and slurry temperature was studied. The dominating wear mechanism was found to be abrasive wear. The VE-FRP structure was found to be prone to erosive turbulent flow and cavitation. Moreover, an increase in the erodent concentration of the slurry (10-20 wt%) or in the total kinetic energy of the erodent particles (30-770 kJ) increased the wear rate of the material markedly (up to 6 times higher weight loss). However, the total effect of different interrelated parameters was found to be complex. Consequently, it is recommended that predictions of the erosion rate of VE-FRP components are based on tests carried out in conditions that simulate the actual service environment.