Numerical Simulation of Erosion on Aluminium Plate with a Cylindrical Hole

Abstract

The purpose of the present study is to simulate erosion on the aluminium plate with a cylindrical hole caused by solid particles after passing through 90° elbow, using the Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD), the Discrete Phase Model (DPM), and erosion equations. Discrete trajectories of solid particles are calculated using the Lagrangian approach, while the simulation of the fluid was obtained by solving the fluid motion equation using the Eulerian approach. Supplementary sub-models are incorporated into the software to enhance the accuracy of particle trajectory calculations within the simulated geometry. These sub-models include collisions of solid particles with walls (stochastic model) and erosion model. The numerical simulation results obtained in this paper were compared with the existing experimental results from the group of authors, demonstrating a good match. The paper provides the main characteristics of the mathematical model, along with the interpretation of results and a discussion, with the key findings highlighted in the conclusion. The findings indicate that erosion process is significantly influenced by both the particle impact velocity and impact angle, which are key parameters in many erosion equations. Furthermore, it is observed that the velocity of the particles is consistently lower than the mean velocity of the air. Additionally, the angle at which the particles impact the aluminium plate is not always exactly 90° due to multiple collisions with the wall, signifying that the particles do not move exclusively vertically.