Design of a high temperature erosion apparatus for testing of boiler tubes

• Published in: Turkish journal of engineering & environmental sciences Vol. 37; no. 2; pp. 178 - 185
• Main Authors: Erguen, H, Aydinol, K, Oeztuerk, T, Doruk, M
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: 2013
• Subjects: Boiler tubes
• ISSN: 1300-0160; 1303-6157
• DOI: 10.3906/muh-1207-15

An apparatus was designed that enables the testing of boiler tubes against erosion. The apparatus makes use of a tube sample and simulates conditions similar to those prevailing in boilers in lignite-based power plants. The apparatus is composed of 3 components: a furnace for heating the sample, a loading system that allows the application of tensile stresses while allowing its rotation, and an erosion unit that delivers abrasive particles to the surface of the sample. The unit, as designed, would allow testing of boiler tubes up to a temperature of 650 degree C and particle velocities of up to 50 m/s. The apparatus, tested at room temperature for 4 identical samples, yielded very similar erosion values, which were based on measurement of weight loss. At elevated temperature, erosion could be followed by a thickness loss value rather than the weight loss since the oxidation complicates the weight measurements. Two economizer materials (P235GH and 16Mo3) were tested with the current setup at 500 degree C with particle velocity of 10 m/s. The testing showed 16Mo3 performed better than P235GH did, the erosion rate of the former being 20% lower than the latter.