CAVITATION WEAR OF PUMP IMPELLERS

Cavitation is a common phenomenon in pump systems, negatively influencing their operating parameters and components such as impellers and, thus, causing considerable financial losses. This paper explains the problem of cavitation and cavitation erosion. The causes of cavitation in pump systems are analyzed. A selection of centrifugal pump impellers damaged by cavitation erosion are presented and examined. The authors also discuss ways of preventing cavitation and cavitation erosion in pump systems. Finally, relevant conclusions are drawn

INNOVATIVE DEVICE FOR TENSILE STRENGTH TESTING OF WELDED JOINTS: 3D MODELLING, FEM SIMULATION AND EXPERIMENTAL VALIDATION OF TEST RIG – A CASE STUDY

This work shows a case study into 3D modelling, numerical simulations, and preliminary research of self-designed test rig dedicated for uniaxial tensile testing using pillar press. Innovative device was CAD modelled, FEM optimized, build-up according to the technological documentations. Then, the device utilization for tensile testing was validated via preliminary research. 3D model of the device was designed and FEM-analyzed using Solid Edge 2020 software. The set of FEM simulations for device components made of structural steel and stainless steel and at a workload equal 20 kN were conducted. This made it possible to optimize dimensions and selection of material used for individual parts of the device structure. Elaborated technical documentation allows for a build-up of a device prototype which was fixed into the pillar press. After that, the comparative preliminary experiments regarding tensile strength tests of X5CrNi18-10 (AISI 304) specimens were carried out. Tests were done using the commercial tensile strength machine and obtained results were compared with those received from an invented device. The ultimate tensile strength of X5CrNi18-10 steel, estimated using the commercial device (634 MPa) and results obtained from the patented device (620 MPa), were in the range of the standardized values. Findings confirm the utilization of the invented device for tensile strength testing

Fatigue fracture morphology of AISI H13 steel obtained by additive manufacturing

DEC-10/2021/IDUB/IV.2/EUROPIUM 030/RID/2018/19The paper focuses on researching the effect of fatigue loading on metallic structure, lifetime, and fracture surface topographies in AISI H13 steel specimens obtained by selective laser melting (SLM). The topography of the fracture surfaces was measured over their entire area, according to the entire total area method, with an optical three-dimensional surface measurement system. The fatigue results of the SLM 3D printed steel specimens were compared with those reported for conventionally manufactured 13H steel. The investigation also considers the roughness of the specimens’ side surface. Moreover, the fractographic evaluation conducted using scanning electron microscopy confirms that the predominant fracture mechanism is transgranular fracture. Microtomography done after mechanical loading also showed the influence of the stress level on the porosity distribution. Both fractographic and Micro-CT investigations confirm that higher stresses result in coarser and much more uniform porosity observed in fractured samples. These comprehensive quantitative and qualitative fracture analyses are beneficial to predict the failure conditions of SLM steel parts, especially in the case of fatigue damage. From the quantitative analysis of the H13 SLM-manufactured fracture surface topography, it was possible to conclude that the larger the loadings acting on the specimen, the rougher the fracture surface because the ductile fracture mode dominates. It has also been proven that the porosity degree changes along the length of the sample for the most stressed specimens.publishersversionepub_ahead_of_prin

Effects of ageing heat treatment temperature on the properties of DMLS additive manufactured 17-4PH steel

Additive manufacturing (AM) is a modern, innovative manufacturing method that enables the production of fully dense products with high mechanical properties and complex shapes that are often impossible to obtain by traditional methods. The 17-4PH grade steel is often applied where high mechanical performance is required. 17-4PH, or AISI 630, is intended for precipitation hardening, an operation that combines solution and ageing treatments and is used to significantly change the microstructure of the steel and enhance its mechanical properties. This study investigates the effect of precipitation hardening on the properties of 17-4PH steel. To examine microstructure and morphology, metallographic tests were performed together with phase composition and chemical composition analyses. Mechanical parameters were determined via Vickers hardness testing and the Oliver-Pharr method. Samples were fabricated using direct metal laser sintering (DMLS), which is one of the powder bed fusion methods. The use of a constant solution treatment temperature of 1040_C and different ageing temperatures made it possible to evaluate the effects of ageing temperature on the mechanical properties and microstructure of 17-4PH. The presence of face-centered cubic FCC g-austenite and body-centerd cubic BCC a-martensite structures were detected. The tests revealed that – similarly to the wrought material – the highest hardness of 382_10:3 HV0:2 was obtained after ageing at 450_C. The nanoindentation test showed the same H/E ratio for the sample after fabrication and after solution treatment at 0.016769, but this value increased after ageing to 127–157.5%. The sample aged at 450_C was characterized by the highest H/E ratio of 0.026367, which indicates the highest wear resistance of this material under employed treatment conditions. In general, the sample treated at 450_C showed the best performance out of all tested samples, proving to have the smallest grain size as well as high Vickers and nanoindentation hardness. On the other hand, the use of solution treatment led to reduced hardness and improved workability of the AM material

Application of computer image analysis software for determining incubation period of cavitation erosion – preliminary results

The paper discusses the application of image analysis software ImagePro Plus and MetIlo for assessing cavitation erosion wear. The investigation of cavitation damage is performed on a vibratory test rig in compliance with the ASTM G32 standard using the stationary specimen method. Low-alloy steel grade 34CrNiMo6 is used as the test material. Cavitation wear is evaluated by gravimetric and roughness measurements, microscopic observations and computer image analysis in specified exposure times. The computer image analysis of selected surface areas during a predetermined exposure to cavitation time is performed using images captured with a metallographic microscope. Based on the results of scanning electron and stereoscope microscopic observations, the cavitation worn surfaces are qualitatively described. The relations between surface topography, gravimetric measurements and the microscopic results are discussed. The findings obtained by gravimetric and roughness measurements, image processing and microscopic observations are complementary. The results prove the suitability of image analysis for investigating incubation period of cavitation erosion. The quantification of cavitation erosion damage indicates that the incubation period of cavitation erosion of the tested steel lasts for 20 minutes. The results demonstrate that cavitation-worn surfaces at the initial stage of cavitation erosion can be examined using both ImagePro Plus and MetIlo

Cavitation Erosion, Abrasive and Sliding Wear Behavior of Metal-Based Structures

The literature includes systematic studies of the wear behavior and phenomena responsible for a material’s degradation resistance [...

Effect of Microstructure and Hardness on Cavitation Erosion and Dry Sliding Wear of HVOF Deposited CoNiCrAlY, NiCoCrAlY and NiCrMoNbTa Coatings

Metallic coatings based on cobalt and nickel are promising for elongating the life span of machine components operated in harsh environments. However, reports regarding the ambient temperature tribological performance and cavitation erosion resistance of popular MCrAlY (where M = Co, Ni or Co/Ni) and NiCrMoNbTa coatings are scant. This study comparatively investigates the effects of microstructure and hardness of HVOF deposited CoNiCrAlY, NiCoCrAlY and NiCrMoNbTa coatings on tribological and cavitation erosion performance. The cavitation erosion test was conducted using the vibratory method following the ASTM G32 standard. The tribological examination was done using a ball-on-disc tribometer. Analysis of the chemical composition, microstructure, phase composition and hardness reveal the dry sliding wear and cavitation erosion mechanisms. Coatings present increasing resistance to both sliding wear and cavitation erosion in the following order: NiCoCrAlY < CoNiCrAlY < NiCrMoNbTa. The tribological behaviour of coatings relies on abrasive grooving and oxidation of the wear products. In the case of NiCrMoNbTa coatings, abrasion is followed by the severe adhesive smearing of oxidised wear products which end in the lowest coefficient of friction and wear rate. Cavitation erosion is initiated at microstructure discontinuities and ends with severe surface pitting. CoNiCrAlY and NiCoCrAlY coatings present semi brittle behavior, whereas NiCrMoNbTa presents ductile mode and lesser surface pitting, which improves its anti-cavitation performance. The differences in microstructure of investigated coatings affect the wear and cavitation erosion performance more than the hardness itself

Fenomenologiczny model erozji kawitacyjnej metalowych powłok MCrAlY I NiCrMoNbTa natryskiwanych metodą HVOF

The work describes the phenomenological model of cavitation erosion (CE) elaborated for MCrAlY (where M = Co, Ni or Co/Ni) and NiCrMoNbTa. Coatings were deposited via the HVOF method from CoNiCrAlY, NiCoCrAlY and NiCrMoNbTa feedstock powders. CE tests, conducted according to ASTM G32 standard, indicate that MCrAlYs have a 50% higher maximum erosion rate and twice lower CE resistance than the NiCrMoNbTa coating. CE kinetics of coatings were comparatively studied, combining the mass loss, erosion rate, roughness changes of the eroded surface with microstructure, and mechanical properties of the coatings. Results of SEM analysis of damaged coatings allow identifying the mechanism of CE. In the case of both types of coatings, the erosive damage is initiated at the removal of loose splats, cracking at the border splats and peeling off the coating material, and surface pitting. However, NiCrMoNbTa, due to higher ductility and microstructure homogeneity, presents lesser surface pitting contrary to the MCrAlYs, which have multiphase microstructure higher hardness and consequently was prone to cracking, resulting in the formation of craters and higher surface roughening. The CE mechanism of MCrAlYs was dominated by the brittle mode, while the NiCrMoNbTa coating has mainly a ductile damage behaviour.W pracy opisano fenomenologiczny model erozji kawitacyjnej (EK) opracowany dla powłok MCrAlY (gdzie M = Co, Ni lub Co/Ni) i NiCrMoNbTa. Powłoki wytworzono metodą HVOF z komercyjnych proszków CoNiCrAlY, NiCoCrAlY i NiCrMoNbTa. Testy erozji kawitacyjnej, przeprowadzone zgodnie z normą ASTM G32, wskazują, że MCrAlY mają o 50% wyższą prędkość erozji i dwukrotnie niższą odporność EK niż powłoka NiCrMoNbTa. Kinetyka erozji kawitacyjnej powłok została poddana analizie porównawczej syntetyzującej utratę masy, szybkość erozji, zmiany chropowatości erodowanej powierzchni z mikrostrukturą oraz właściwościami mechanicznymi badanych powłok. Wyniki analizy SEM uszkodzonych powłok umożliwiły zidentyfikowanie mechanizmu EK. Uszkodzenie erozyjne powłok inicjowane jest w wyniku usuwaniu słabo umocowany cząstek materiału, pękaniu na granicach lameli następnie usuwaniu materiału i tworzeniu wżerów. Jednak NiCrMoNbTa ze względu na wyższą ciągliwość i jednorodność mikrostruktury wykazuje mniejsze wżery powierzchniowe w przeciwieństwie do MCrAlYs, które cechują się wielofazową mikrostruktura o wyższej twardości i w konsekwencji są podatne na pękanie, co powoduje powstawanie dużych wżerów i wyższe chropowacenie powierzchni. Mechanizm erozji kawitacyjnej powłok MCrAlY jest zdominowana przez kruche pękanie, natomiast w przypadku powłoki NiCrMoNbTa dominuje plastyczne odkształcenie

Wear-Fatigue Study of Carbon Steels

The process of conjoined stress cycling and abrasive or erosive wear is encountered in industry. However, very scant attention has been paid till now to this issue. The paper presents two test rigs designed and built to cope with this experimental problem. Tests were carried out on the range of pure iron (Armco), carbon steels namely S235JR, C45, C70U, C80U, C110U and unalloyed cast steels (L40III, L45III and L50III). Tested iron-based alloys differ in chemical composition, microstructure and Brinell hardness ranging from 80HB to 350HB. Stress cycling caused strain hardening of ferrite in hypoeutectoid steels and thus reduced their abrasive wear loss. In the hypereutectoid steel stress cycling impaired integrity of the microstructure thus increasing abrasive wear loss. Alternating stresses enhanced ploughing and cutting micromechanisms of erosion. Tensile stress in the tested cast steel had a stronger effect on wear loss than the prior stress history