Slurry erosive wear characteristics of a hard faced steel: effect of experimental parameters

Wear properties of engineering components encountering slurry conditions during operation can be improved by overlaying with a wear resistant material. The present paper discusses the effects of different experimental conditions on the wear rate of a low carbon steel on overlaying with a wear resistant material. Distance has a mixed effect on the wear rate. Further, wear rate increases with increase in the sand content in slurry from 20 to 30% but decreases at 40% for all speeds of rotation. Again, wear rate is increased on increasing the speed of rotation from 600 to 800 rpm but decreases remarkably at 1000 rpm. Attempts have been made to explain the wear rate variation behaviour by observing the worn surface through scanning electron microscopic studies. It has been observed that at the lowest speed of rotation and minimum sand content, the predominant mechanism of material removal is erosion, whereas on increasing either the sand content or the speed of rotation, abrasion effects are also observed. At the maximum speed of rotation and sand content, abrasion effects are predominant. Keeping in mind that material removal by abrasion is less than that due to erosion, the variation of wear rate with speed and sand content are explained. (C) 1997 Elsevier Science S.A.