Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jan 1, 2026

Visually Based Characterization of the Incipient Particle Motion in Regular Substrates: From Laminar to Turbulent Conditions
Published on: February 22, 2018
Numerical investigation on the solid particle erosion in elbow with water-hydrate-solid flow
Liang Zhang1, JiaWei Zhou1, Bo Zhang2
1School of Mechanical Engineering, Southwest Petroleum University, Chengdu, P.R. China.
Pipeline erosion from solid particles is a major oil and gas concern. This study simulates water-hydrate-solid flow erosion, finding flow velocity is the most sensitive factor affecting erosion rate.
Area of Science:
- Petroleum Engineering
- Fluid Dynamics
- Materials Science
Background:
- Pipeline erosion by solid particles poses a significant risk of premature failure in oil and gas infrastructure.
- Understanding and mitigating erosion in subsea hydrate transportation pipelines is critical for operational integrity.
Purpose of the Study:
- To simulate and analyze the erosion characteristics of water-hydrate-solid flow in submarine pipelines.
- To investigate the influence of hydrate volume, R/D ratio, flow velocity, and particle diameter on elbow erosion.
Main Methods:
- Application of Euler-Lagrange, erosion model, and discrete phase model for simulation.
- Experimental verification of flow and erosion characteristics.
- Orthogonal experiment design to assess factor sensitivity.
Main Results:
- Hydrate volume directly influences the Reynolds number and erosion rate.
- The Stokes number affects the location of the maximum erosion zone, with the outer wall becoming the final zone at higher values.
- Erosion rate increases significantly with flow velocity and particle diameter; particle diameter has a greater impact than flow velocity on the erosion zone.
Conclusions:
- Flow velocity is the most sensitive factor influencing erosion rate.
- Hydrate properties and flow dynamics are key determinants of pipeline erosion in subsea transportation systems.
Related Concept Videos
Major Losses in Pipes
Fluid flow can be classified as laminar or turbulent, primarily based on the Reynolds number. This dimensionless number reflects the relative influence of inertial to viscous...
Design Example: Creating a Hydraulic Model of a Dam Spillway
Uniform Depth Channel Flow
Rapidly Varying Flow
Typical Model Studies
Application of the Linear Momentum Equation
The goal is to determine the force components in the x and y directions to hold the pipe in place. Since...

