Fairfield, Campbell, Reid
Structured Wall Non-Pressure Pipes # 2004 Milan
This work examines the wear properties and erosion resistance of plastic pipes under dynamic fluid impact and cavitation conditions. Testing to evaluate the performance of a range of plastics was undertaken. A test rig was calibrated for : flow stability, pressure hysteresis, frictional head loss, time to target pressure, water temperature and nozzle roundness. Dynamic loading trials were undertaken on various plastics to find the fundamental reasons for the observed damage. Cavitation at the plastic’s surface and the applied dynamic force influenced the damage. Cavitation was found to be the most severe damage instigator when compared to laboratory simulations of the force alone. Subsequent testing included varying the net impulse applied to the sample surface. Excellent correlations were found between the observed wear, the loss of material from the surface, the severity of the damage, and the pressure applied.
