Abrasion, Erosion & Attrition Testing

Wear in bulk handling equipment may result from impact or abrasion or, as is often the case, a combination of both. In addition, deterioration of metal surfaces can occur as a result of corrosion.
Abrasive wear occurs in storage bins and silos, particularly in hoppers operating under massflow conditions.

There are several other areas where abrasive wear is experienced - for example, in feeders, transfer chutes, belt conveyors, vibratory conveyors and screw conveyors. Any mechanical devices which involve the motion of bulk solids relative to surfaces will experience wear problems.

Wall Liner Abrasion:

The wear properties of a wear liner when abraded with a bulk material sample can be determined by performing time tests in a horizontal circular wear tester.  This wear tester simulates open three body wear with no impact as experienced in hoppers and chutes.  The weight loss of each wear liner plate samples is monitored and can be translated into an estimated life expectancy.

Abrasive wear

•  Determination of wear rate of surface material in specific application

• Wear surface characterisation and  analysis of wear mechanisms

• Estimation of component life based on wear rate

• Selections of materials for maximum component life based on wear mechanisms and wear rate.

• Comparison of wear life of competing available surface materials

Erosion:

Erosion testing to ASTM G76 can be performed in a small dilute phase pneumatic system.  The angle of the wear plate can be varied and it is generally recommended to perform impact wear comparisons at different angles.  A sub-sample of the bulk material may be used as the erosive material in this tester. The weight loss of each wear liner plate samples is monitored and quoted versus the quantity of bulk material spent. 

Erosive Wear

• Determination of wear rate in erosive environment for industry comparable wear situation.

• Erosion testing at slow speeds 1-10 m/s (for 50mm – 5mm particles) and high speed at 15-100 m/s for (1mm to 150 mm)

• Surface characterisation and wear mechanisms analysis

• Estimation of component life based on wear rate

• Selections of materials for maximum life of component based on wear rates

• Comparison of wear life of competing and available surface materials

Slurry Wear

• Determination of wear rate based on concentration

• Thickness loss measurement with time

• Assessment of component life

Particle Attrition

• Drop test according the industry requirements

• Determination of percentage degradation

• SEM analysis for qualitative assessment of shapes and sizes

SEM Analysis

• Evaluation of particle size and shapes

• Surface analysis and characterisation

 

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