Solid Particle Erosion in Pipeline Expansions: CFD Flow Validation, Mesh Sensitivity, and Experimental Visualization (C2026-00369)

Abay Bakytov, Jun Zhang, Farzin Darihaki, Soroor Karimi, Abay Bakytov

Solid particle erosion is a critical concern in oil and gas pipelines, especially at elbows, tees, expansions, contractions. While erosion in elbows and chokes is well studied, erosion in contractions and expansions—especially the influence of cross-flow velocities and turbulence—remains less understood.
This study addresses this gap by integrating computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulations with experimental visualization to assess erosion patterns and model accuracy, in sudden and gradual expansions where flow deceleration, turbulence, and particle dispersion cause unpredictable material loss.
CFD predictions were validated against Laser Doppler velocimetry (LDV) velocity and turbulence measurements from prior studies on sudden expansions. Erosion predictions were compared with published data for sudden expansions at 68 m/s using a Rosin-Rammler particle size distribution and radial velocity analysis. For gradual expansions, qualitative visualization was achieved through paint removal tests in an acrylic section using water-sand mixtures with particle sizes of 25, 75, and 300 μm at 6 m/s. CFD results were compared with observed erosion patterns. Mesh dependency was examined by varying grid resolution from 0.8 to 8 million cells. Results revealed high sensitivity for small particles and minimal impact for larger ones, highlighting the importance of mesh quality and accurate particle modeling in erosion risk assessment.