Analysis of severe erosion in industrial centrifugal slurry pumps

Madadnia, J; Amjad, M; Kusnan, J

Analysis of severe erosion in industrial centrifugal slurry pumps

Madadnia, J Amjad, M Kusnan, J

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Publication Type:: Conference Proceeding
Citation:: American Society of Mechanical Engineers, Fluids Engineering Division (Publication) FEDSM, 2013, 2
Issue Date:: 2013-12-01

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Field	Value	Language
dc.contributor.author	Madadnia, J	en_US
dc.contributor.author	Amjad, M	en_US
dc.contributor.author	Kusnan, J	en_US
dc.date.issued	2013-12-01	en_US
dc.identifier.citation	American Society of Mechanical Engineers, Fluids Engineering Division (Publication) FEDSM, 2013, 2	en_US
dc.identifier.isbn	9780791855584	en_US
dc.identifier.issn	0888-8116	en_US
dc.identifier.uri	http://hdl.handle.net/10453/27267
dc.description.abstract	Centrifugal pumps designed for homogenous slurries experience inefficiency, off-design operations, shorter service-life expectancy, and rapid geometry change due to localized and uneven erosion. Experimental and numerical research to design erosion-free pumps has been inconclusive due to complexity of heterogeneous, multiphase slurry flows and mechanism of the localized material losses. This paper reports on erosion-effects of slurry flows on a number of industrial centrifugal pumps selected from an active copper mine field. The field samples include three metallic pumps operating in a serial-arrangement, and a number of worn pump-components with fully rubber-lined or metallic wetted-surfaces. Physical samples were also collected and photographed under an electronic microscope. The analysis of the photographs shows directional groves, ripples-formations, pitting, cavities, spots, and abrasive-embedding on the pump surfaces. The effected regions included a) hub or tip of the vane leading edge of impellers, b) internal and external surfaces of shroud and downstream of expellers, c) front-liners/throat bush all at the proximity of the inlet throat/tube, and d) Volute surface close to the discharge throat/tube on the spiral tail. Analysis of eroded regions suggests a combination of mechanisms some similar with those found with a sustained flow acceleration and momentum change towards a surface. A wear model is therefore recommended for the severe erosion in pumps which resembles erosion by cavitation. To further understand and verify the finding and to be able to predict and to avoid accelerated-erosion, an experimental modelling and a numerical modelling of slurry flows in two identical-centrifugal-pumps are conducted in series and preliminary results are presented. The project is in progress. Copyright © 2013 by ASME.	en_US
dc.relation.ispartof	American Society of Mechanical Engineers, Fluids Engineering Division (Publication) FEDSM	en_US
dc.relation.isbasedon	10.1115/FEDSM2013-16435	en_US
dc.subject.classification	Mechanical Engineering & Transports	en_US
dc.title	Analysis of severe erosion in industrial centrifugal slurry pumps	en_US
dc.type	Conference Proceeding
utslib.citation.volume	2	en_US
utslib.for	0913 Mechanical Engineering	en_US
dc.location.activity	Incline Village, Nevada, USA	en_US
pubs.embargo.period	Not known	en_US
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney/Faculty of Engineering and Information Technology
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney/Faculty of Engineering and Information Technology/School of Mechanical and Mechatronic Engineering
utslib.copyright.status	closed_access
pubs.publication-status	Published	en_US
pubs.volume	2	en_US

Abstract:

Centrifugal pumps designed for homogenous slurries experience inefficiency, off-design operations, shorter service-life expectancy, and rapid geometry change due to localized and uneven erosion. Experimental and numerical research to design erosion-free pumps has been inconclusive due to complexity of heterogeneous, multiphase slurry flows and mechanism of the localized material losses. This paper reports on erosion-effects of slurry flows on a number of industrial centrifugal pumps selected from an active copper mine field. The field samples include three metallic pumps operating in a serial-arrangement, and a number of worn pump-components with fully rubber-lined or metallic wetted-surfaces. Physical samples were also collected and photographed under an electronic microscope. The analysis of the photographs shows directional groves, ripples-formations, pitting, cavities, spots, and abrasive-embedding on the pump surfaces. The effected regions included a) hub or tip of the vane leading edge of impellers, b) internal and external surfaces of shroud and downstream of expellers, c) front-liners/throat bush all at the proximity of the inlet throat/tube, and d) Volute surface close to the discharge throat/tube on the spiral tail. Analysis of eroded regions suggests a combination of mechanisms some similar with those found with a sustained flow acceleration and momentum change towards a surface. A wear model is therefore recommended for the severe erosion in pumps which resembles erosion by cavitation. To further understand and verify the finding and to be able to predict and to avoid accelerated-erosion, an experimental modelling and a numerical modelling of slurry flows in two identical-centrifugal-pumps are conducted in series and preliminary results are presented. The project is in progress. Copyright © 2013 by ASME.

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http://hdl.handle.net/10453/27267