Numerical investigation of particle erosion characteristics in supercritical carbon dioxide in elbow pipe channels

Abstract The erosion of pipe walls by particle in supercritical carbon dioxide (SCO2) has a significant impact on the safe operation of the reactor, therefore, a simulation study of the wall erosion pattern of particulate matter within the SCO2 in the bent pipe channel was carried out. The research results show that SCO2 is extruded to the outer wall side under the action of centrifugal force. At the same time, two symmetrical secondary flows are formed in the elbow area, in the range of angle 60°–75°, the flow line is the most intensive and the secondary flow phenomenon is the most obvious; the erosion of particulate matter on the pipe is mainly concentrated in the outer side of the elbow area; with the increase of mass flow velocity, the erosion rate of particulate matter on the wall surface gradually increases. And the effect of increasing mass flow velocity on the erosion rate is nearly linear; the increase of particle diameter will lead to the first increase and then decrease of erosion; when the density of particles increases, the erosion rate of particles on the wall decreases, but the effect is low.