MONTE-CARLO MODELING OF EROSION PROCESSES

Many models are available in the literature that describe ductile and brittle erosion processes and the influence of scale formation on the erosion process. It is clear that each of these models has limited app licability restricted by the mode of material removal being modelled. Hence, if erosion processes over a wide range of dynamic conditions ex pected in service are to be modelled then a new approach unifying the individual mechanistic models must be adopted. This paper presents suc h a unified approach. Monte Carlo simulation techniques are used to mo del the stochastic nature of erosion processes. Particle properties, m aterial surface condition and the local dynamic impact environment are individually considered and permit a suitable mechanistic erosion mod el to be selected for the particular impact conditions. Variation in p article size, impact velocity and material properties are accommodated by using statistical distributions to describe each condition. Using Monte Carlo methods discrete impact conditions are selected and the am ount of damage is calculated. The final erosion rate is given by summi ng all of the discrete damage events. Predictions using this modelling approach are compared with examples taken from laboratory studies aim ed at simulating gas turbine service and coal combined cycle environme nts are used to demonstrate the versatility of this Monte Carlo approa ch.