Erosion in a 90-Degree Elbow

Application Model Overview

Erosion caused by solid particle impact is a major concern in fluid-handling systems, often leading to material degradation and reduced equipment life in industries such as power generation, mining, and chemical processing. This application model uses Barracuda Virtual Reactor to simulate erosion in a 90-degree aluminum elbow, tracking particle-wall interactions and evaluating the influence of particle collisions on erosion patterns.

The model employs the Oka erosion model and simulates compressible, isothermal gas-solid flow for two sand mass loading conditions. Results show good agreement with experimental data and published simulations, highlighting phenomena such as the two-tail erosion pattern and cushioning effect from particle-particle collisions. This simulation enables users to assess material wear, validate erosion predictions, and optimize component lifespans in particulate-laden flows.