EROSION-CORROSION REGIMES - NUMBER, NOMENCLATURE AND JUSTIFICATION

In studies of elevated temperature erosion by solid particles in oxidi zing gaseous environments, several regimes of interaction have been id entified. These regimes define whether wastage occurs predominantly du e to erosion of the alloy substrate, corrosion of the substrate, or a mechanism intermediate between these processes, and various criteria f or the transitions between such regimes have been identified by differ ent investigators. In such cases, the possible number and nomenclature of regimes can sometimes be unclear. The purpose of this paper is to review all the available information on the various erosion-corrosion regimes which have been identified. The similarities and the differenc es between the various approaches to defining regimes are discussed. I n addition, the criteria for their identification are evaluated critic ally. The importance of the identification of such regimes is discusse d. The use of such information to establish zones of minimum wastage o n erosion-corrosion maps is demonstrated. In addition, the ability of such regimes to identify variations in erosion-corrosion rate with the main erosion-corrosion variables is indicated.