Evaluation of Anti-Erosion Mechanism of 3D Printed Polymer for Various Morphological Arrangements

Abstract

Erosive wear in pipelines is a persistent challenge in the hydrocarbon and mineral processing industry. Erosion is a significant contributor to the failure of fluid-handling equipment, such as pumps and pipes. Therefore, the material losses occurring in slurry flow need to be studied and understood to develop protective guidelines for oil and gas production equipment. This study examined the effect of slurry on Polylactic Acid (PLA) subjected to Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM) using various morphologies. The investigated variables included design, concentration, and impact angle, with the utilization of Taguchi design in the experimental setup. Experiments were conducted employing a slurry jet testing apparatus, with three different designs D1 (Flat), D2 (Groove), and D3 (Square groove). The slurry concentrations were maintained at 1%, 3%, and 5% by weight, and the striking angles (IA) were set at 60°, 75°, and 90°. A scanning electron microscope (SEM) was employed to examine the eroded surfaces. Results indicated the development of cracks, micro-cutting, flakes, and craters on the facade of the eroded region. The findings also reveal that D2 outperforms both D1 and D2 in terms of erosion resistance. An ANOVA test was performed, revealing that the thickness loss of PLA is significantly influenced by concentration and design the results suggest significant influences from each factor on the response, with concentration (64.68%) standing out as the primary contributor, followed by design (23.80%) and Impact Angle (IA) (10.56%) for liquid-sand flow similarly concentration contributing 50.49%, design 38.85% and impact angle 10.00% for liquid-sand-gas flow