Development of a Wall Thinning Rate Model for Liquid Droplet Impingement Erosion

Liquid droplet impingement erosion (LDI) is defined as an erosion phenomenon caused by high-speed droplet attack in a wet steam flow. Pipe wall thinning due to LDI is sometimes observed in a steam piping system of a power plant. In this study, for more realistic LDI evaluation in the power plant, we conducted LDI experiments in wet steam flow with steam apparatus, and tried to develop a new thinning rate prediction model (LDI model). High speed wet steam flow simulating the actual plant condition was employed in the experiments. As a result, the cushioning effect of liquid film on a material surface was observed and was incorporated into LDI model as a empirical equation with fluid parameter.