ABSTRACT:
This paper presents the experimental and Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) failure analysis of API 5L
X42 NPS8 (NPS8) carbon steel pipe seriously eroded due to slurry erosion. The results of a previous
study revealed that continuous impaction of water soil slurry causes rapid thinning of pipe wall led to its
failure. In the current study, experimental and CFD methods were used to provide a greater
understanding of the erosion behaviour. Appropriate modelling of jet flow patterns, velocity
distributions and strain rates along the pipes have been successfully conducted. Photomicrographs of
the impacted surfaces show that shallow ploughing and indentation were identified as the erosion
mechanisms. CFD simulation results indicated that the highest strain rate region occurs above and
below the impact point which closely corresponds to the failure region found from the experimental
study.